Classic Forum Chat: Size isn't the only factor.

Cojimar would be a pristine example here. He's been around for many years. Go and have a look at his quotes i popped up on post #33.

Admittedly he is obsessed with taking down Liston and the 70's heavyweights, heck even the 90's aren't safe from his Modernistic fury.

 

His best years were under 200 pounds…the notion around here is no men under 200 pounds could win. When the other side argues weight is not a skill and especially nowadays is easily put on. For some reason people think these people are naturally huge. You’re a product of the era you train in. If every fighter here today were to fight in the 40s they would weigh considerably less then they do now. But no Usyk to me is not a small guy but I suppose in a division where the best men are 6”6 plus I suppose he is small. In the 70s down he would be big because the better men were smaller. I think the whole argument is stupid. Weight is not a skill. As many whom moved up proved

 

True but it's still an ok notch in the size stakes.

 

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Usyk needs an Idealweight division for men of his uniquely perfect tale of the tape. It's unfair matching him up against cruisers and superheavies who can't possibly match his ability to be Usyk.

 

He needs a time machine back to 1975.

 

I wonder whether he had a slightly larger Liston in the back of his mind when he wrote that. Or Louis.

 

1975 needed a time machine forward to Usyk. Without him, 1975 was doomed to be yet another painfully incomplete year, like all the other Usykless years before and after.

 

He's been saying that for about 25 years. I remember him saying it when Rahman knocked out Lewis, too.

George was never sold on the Lewis/Klitschko-size guys becoming the norm. He thought they were more one-offs. Not the future.

I hope Wilder wins against Fury. Then all the heavyweight titles will be held by two guys who basically weigh 220 pounds (well under the 'Bridgerweight' limit by a fair margin).

The top cruiserweights put on 10 to 15 pounds after the weigh in (up to 210 to 215), anyway.

If all the heavyweight champs are 220, maybe it will stop all this 'Bridgerweight' nonsense in its tracks.

 

Stop coping and accept that you were totally wrong. You're going to have to eat humble pie again after Usyk stops him next time.

If AJ had fought the same fighters as Chisora at the same points in his career he'd have plenty of losses: Fury x2, Vitali, Haye, Usyk and very likely a couple more. Chisora has also been ripped off by officials several times because he's ugly and doesn't have a sixpack so he really should have 7 losses.

AJ is better than Chisora overall but there are certain important things that Chisora does better. Would you argue for example that AJ has the better chin? More heart? Confidence? Strength? Inside fighting skills? Even engine? I wouldn't.

I can give my score (11-1) and you can give yours of 7-5 or whatever with a 10-8 but the consensus is that Usyk won this fight WIDE in AJ's backyard, even two judges gave Usyk 8 rounds. Usyk was so dominant that even A-side/home advantage could not save AJ or even deny Usyk a UD, the compubox stats are rubbish and Usyk landed the cleaner shots by far. Regardless of facial markings, AJ was the one getting hurt consistently, losing control of his legs every time Usyk landed a flush left hand and according to himself couldn't see for multiple rounds after Usyk partially closed his eye.

Usyk is close to 35, Wilder is closer to 36 so by this logic Wilder's career is finished. And it will be when Fury plasters him all over the ring again. I know what I'm seeing; Wilder is a broken man with nothing more than a small puncher's chance in the rematch. Usyk would school him at least 8 times out of 10 because Szpilka and Ortiz are massively inferior and considerably inferior southpaw boxers respectively and were both up on my cards at the time of the stoppages. Wilder wouldn't even take the Usyk fight if he had the belt: he is, like AJ, a protected fighter (though to a lesser extent and not anything like the hypejob). Usyk's not going to be at the top for the next 5 years: he will smash AJ again, fight Fury maybe a couple of times and then retire at 36/37 as the GOAT cruiser-heavy and possibly the absolute GOAT.

I don't care what the universal agreement is among the plebs and well-paid liars. If AJ tries to impose himself on Usyk he will get stopped 9 times out of 10. AJ is a fraud with a weak chin, poor gas tank, low ring IQ, is afraid of getting hit and will quit when the going gets tough. He cannot "bowl Usyk over" as the size difference is too small: 100 KG vs 108 KG. Wilder can't either as he's lighter and likely weaker than AJ.

 

Wilder has a better chance of remaining relevant into older age than Usyk, because Wilder is a rangy puncher. Power excuses a lot of failings. Even Briggs remained relevant late into his career with no stamina to speak of.

 

Wilder is more dependent on his general athleticism than Usyk, who has a vast array of skills to fall back on. Wilder's also mentally broken now because he never thought he'd get schooled and KO'd by "someone like Fury" if you catch my drift. I don't expect either Usyk or Wilder to still be around in 5 years time.

 

If Wilder goes into a psychological Foreman tailspin, I agree that it would trump any advantage in power that he might have.

 

If he can take Fury out (10% chance imo) he can still recover psychologically. I'm not writing Wilder off yet as I am AJ, who truly is finished. If he can't and Fury beats him down again, Wilder will be out of the ring for at least another year and might retire. If he comes back, matchmaking would need to be very careful for 1-2 fights, taking him to at least 37.5 in my estimation before we saw him in a real fight again. There are good fighters on the way up who would likely fancy their chances against him at that point and view him as an excellent scalp.

 

Coping?

I state my opinions and then just watch fights. I don't have any personal ties to any pick. I picked Joshua to win, hoped for a classic, got one, and spent the whole time rooting for Usyk when I saw he was actually in the fight.

Joshua screwed up and fought the wrong game plan. It happens. Paul Williams had size and power over Carlos Quintana. Quintana boxed his ears off. Williams changed his strategy and knocked him out in one in the rematch. Williams dropped Sergio Martinez and fought him to a 12-round draw. Martinez changed his strategy and wasted Williams in two.

Strategies matter in boxing. For a big heavyweight with big power to decide to try to "outbox" Usyk was beyond dumb. Nobody picking Joshua thought THAT is what he'd do.

No skin off our backs. He won't do that next time.

And if Joshua is a fraud, he sure busted Usyk open and was in it the whole fight. Never saw Usyk's face that battered after fight. Joshua matched him jab for jab the whole fight.

He just failed to fight like the bigger man. He will next time ... unless he's completely mentally wrecked. His power isn't his problem. It's the mental game.