Did Joshua's management target older 'Name' fighters who had lost a step?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Slyk, Mar 25, 2025.


  1. Slyk

    Slyk Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I'm not sure what I'm missing here. Some folks on this forum insist that Joshua basically only ever beat Joseph Parker and a few 40 year old 'name' fighters. I'm not ready to believe that.

    If that's true then he's really following the blueprint set forth in that region of the world. I recall a certain fighter scraping by Roy Jones and Hopkins when they were past it. Maybe I just fell for Eddie Hearn's marketing.

    Is it true that Joshua & management targeted older fighters with name recognition because they knew he has a shaky chin?
     
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  2. Kiwi Fish

    Kiwi Fish Active Member Full Member

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    I don't think so, Joshua and his management actually seemed open to all fights. Out of the champs of that era he was more game than anyone, bar Parker.

    It just worked out that the guys in the division were of the last generation that he cleared out, which is how these things generally go.
     
  3. miniq

    miniq AJ IS A BODYBUILDING BUM Full Member

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    AJ is a bum

    Case closed

    He can't fight anyone who has power and a pulse or he'll get KO'd
     
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  4. lufcrazy

    lufcrazy requiescat in pace Full Member

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    No, he fought the best in the world and Wilder/Fury turned fights down with him.

    His problem was never his level of opposition, it was the fact that he lost to Ruiz.

    Tbf I didn't even know he was relevant any more but you really do keep him in the current conversation.
     
  5. Slyk

    Slyk Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    It is interesting that he is undefeated against 40 year olds and has been defeated four times in a variety of manners against prime fighters. It could be a coincidence.
     
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  6. Ice8Cold

    Ice8Cold Hype Jobs will be hype jobs until proven so. Full Member

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    AJ's career was never the same after he lost to Ruiz. His trajectory was constantly going upwards.

    It didn't help that AJ's ego didn't allow the Wilder fight in the 50/50 split or 60/40 to the winner, and that he filled his career with rematch clauses.

    Overall though, I wouldn't say he necessarily targeted older fighters in his career as they were basically his mandatories in Povetkin the WBA and Pulev with the IBF and Usyk with the WBO. Wilder and Fury were tied with each other. And of course, Dubois who AJ took the risk even as a pretty solid favourite got knocked out.

    AJ though is less of a ducker than Fury. Usyk is the gold standard when it comes to being willing to fight the best.
     
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  7. HistoryZero26

    HistoryZero26 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I have less of a problem with AJ doing this then I do with the characterization that Wilder fighting Ortiz(who fought in the Gilded Age supposedly) was somehow different. Fighting aging legends to get credit for minimal risk is an integral part of boxing going back to the 1890s. It was the dishonesty and double standards that was a problem for me.
     
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  8. Badbot

    Badbot You can just do things. Full Member

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    Both Ruiz and Usyk cost Joshua two years each, I would say.
     
  9. Ice8Cold

    Ice8Cold Hype Jobs will be hype jobs until proven so. Full Member

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    Really silly that AJ almost fights once a year since Ruiz basically.
     
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  10. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He fought 4 times between April 2023 and September 2024 tho. But now it seems like he's getting back to fighting once a year.
     
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  11. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    AJ fought top contedners willing to face him. Some were kinda old, yes, but what was he supposed to do? Fight lower rated guys, just because they were younger? The best win by Wilder is a 38 year old. The best win by Fury is a 39 year old. Top guys just happened to be older at that point.
     
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  12. Badbot

    Badbot You can just do things. Full Member

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    He did and he built up a lot of momentum. In a year he went from damaged goods to a viable opponent for everyone, even Usyk. Seriously, many were talking about a third Usyk fight.
    But then Dubois completely derailed that, and now he is dealing with some sort of injury. Hopefully he fights more than just once this year.
     
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  13. MorvidusStyle

    MorvidusStyle Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Yes, his path was the most carefully managed of any fighter ever. It makes sense due to the money they were making off the 'brand'.
    Of course there were calculated risks involved which is always the case. Wlad and Dubious were calculated risks, one backfired. The whole idea is to safely 'build' and then take a risk in the big fight. These were the only real risks he ever took. And Wlad was old.

    The other fights he lost were not risks at the time. Ruiz was a fill-in fat man who'd beaten nobody. Usyk was a small HW with low power who appeared less effective at HW than at cruiser.

    His first title fight was the most manufactured title fight in recent times, a fake champion who won by default after Fury was stripped and then was paid to fight away.

    Parker was another fake champion who got the scattered belt by beating Ruiz who'd beaten nobody.

    Champs Povetkin/Pulev were shot and Pulev had Covid.

    The rest are 'stay busy' opponents who were never a threat.

    Helenius was old, dragged in after fighting a week earlier and had been KO'd by Wilder just before.

    AJ dodged his two biggest challenges after Wlad, Fury and Wilder. He should have had at least two with each. But it's obvious he would lose at least 1 of 4 there, likely 2 or 3 of 4, maybe all 4.
     
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  14. CroBox29

    CroBox29 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Joshua is willing to fight everyone, he is undeservedly sabotaged and denied big fights and doesn't get enough opportunities to redeem himself, I feel sorry for him..
     
  15. kirk

    kirk l l l Staff Member

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    No.
    AJ fought everyone possible.
     
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