Do you see AJ developing significantly while training with Usyk?

Fury: "I don't live a strict lifestyle—I don't even live an athlete's lifestyle... What's the point in being professional for all those years if you can't beat a fat man?".

 

Hard work can beat talent, and this alone is worth it.

 

No. I've never seen a boxer develop at that point of their careers.

 

I think even if he could develop, he is physically not where he used to be, and his chin is china. I think he could turn into a masterful boxer and still get KO'd.

 

I actually like Anthony Joshua a lot. I think the amount of disrespect he gets is absurd and that he's underrated. That being said, he's completely done and should just retire after fighting Fury. You're underestimating the extent to which his athleticism has declined and are overestimating one of the biggest indicators of longevity; ring IQ.

Anthony Joshua has a non-existent ring IQ and is incapable of making even basic adjustments mid fight. This can't be taught or improved, which is why he stopped improving as a fighter just a few years into his career. A fighter that didn't improve his technical ability or ring IQ at all for a decade from 2017 to 2026 isn't suddenly going to turn into Bernard Hopkins. The last top 10 heavyweight he defeated was in 2019, and they were only in the top 10 because AJ lost to them. If you ignore that then AJ hasn't defeated a single reigning top 10 ranked fighter since 2018.

Plus, his chin and punch recovery is the worst of any heavyweight in the top 10, is even worse now than it was before. He's also gun-shy, over thinks in the ring massively and is mentally shot to pieces.

This is compounded by the fact that there are more heavy punchers now than when he was younger. Zhilei Zhang, Fabio Wardley, Daniel Dubois, Moses Itauma etc would all KTFO.

 

I don't see how Usyk will add much other than maybe some personal motivation/fitness, because what he knows is what he'll default to when he's in real trouble.

 

think its more mental with AJ that ko from ruiz did quite the number - he needs to find that aggressive nature again

 

AJ is what he is. The Usyk team can improve his mentality though which could make a big difference for him.

 

i have always thought biggest problem with aj is mental not physical or technical. he is physically capable and his technique can be tweaked to maximize his strengths, but the mental side has to come from him. It affects his concentration in the ring, his resolve, and the way he reacts to adversity. a good coach should be able to help him clear that hurdle, maybe usyk can be successful with that. he is not a born fighter, just a great athlete that reacts like an average guy does under pressure. that doesnt cut it at elite levels.

 

He's got so much glass in his jaw he ought to be called a chandelier.

 

Damn lol

 

It's a line from Rocky V. I couldn't resist.

 

Joshua has all the tools - barring a great chin - but his problems are mental

He suffers from analysis paralysis and as a result he can never relax and let his work flow.

He is also on the physical decline too but like, Fury and Mike Tyson before him, he is still very marketable

 

AJ is one of those boxers that looks brilliant when fighting lower ranked fighters. He has the power to deliver devastating KO’s.

But the same weaknesses always seem to come back to haunt him when he fights someone decent. Not chin, no ring IQ, no heart.

Those things can’t be thought

 

Agree to disagree re heart man. In my opinion he has heart in abundance.