If Ruiz Jr & Usyk can chin AJ

Francis has the power and reach to trouble AJ, the reach and switch hitting stance as well as very strong clinch work. My question marks about him are his chin (yes decent but will it hold up against AJ's power) and speed, yes he's definitelyfast and awkward enough to hit AJ but is he fast enough to get out the way of AJ's punches when he needs to.

AJ has the power, speed and experience to win this but my questions are his chin and recovery skills (seems to fold when he's hurt).

Interesting fight that will be fun to watch. Probably have to lean towards AJ to win but at the same time if he's badly hurt at so.e point I really don't think Francis will let him recover.

 

Ruiz came at AJ with a handspeed and workrate beyond what Francis will be able to bring... And was much more proven having gone 50/50 with a fit, fully prepared contender in Parker.

Usyk brought a ring IQ, footwork and technical ability way, way beyond what Francis will be able to bring.


Nothing suggests that losing to these guys means Joshua loses to Ngannou... And I would imagine his strong clinch game will be restricted by a referee clamping down on it, as they're supposed to and rarely do (because unlike the Fury fight, AJ won't be coming in planning on using consistent clinches - so there's likely to be words had).

Joshua will be a very strong favourite, for very good reason.

 

If Steve Cunningham can knockdown and wobbled Tyson Fury then Usyk for sure can do same.

But lets be real. Ruiz in close range got very quick and pretty heavy hands. He catch Anthony on right spot and he cant comeback after this.
Usyk wobbled AJ because his shots lands clean when Joshua totally dont expect that.

Francis is slow. He can catch also slow 130 kg Fury who is catch almost in all fights. Anthony is quicker and more responsible fighter.
Off course Francis can catch him but if Joshua take it seroius he should be able to outbox and destroy later Francis Ngannou who is nothing special same as few other boxers who grow up very high after giving Fury problem in fights and then later they are exposed brutally.

Joshua must win because boxing need that. Only massive haters (probably 90% of them is just Fury cheerleaders) want him to lose/look bad.

 

Ngannou is no joke.

Ngannou won't be afraid of Joshua's power, he knows how to fight and land shots, just look at the Fury fight. He also has good timing, and will be full of confidence from the Fury fight.

Joshua should be able to box to a conservative win but it won't be the same performance as the Wallin fight. It will be Joshua back to his hesitant self.

 

If this was Francis' debut and the Fury fight never happened, then I see a NG win very likely as AJ would probably underestimate Francis the way Fury did.
But Joshua has now seen that Francis is a legit heavyweight and will not be a walkover, so he will be preparing for this like he did for all his title fights.
I see AJ winning in an even fight. But Francis could certainly catch him. And if he does, its not out of the realms of possiblilty that he KOs AJ ala fatty.

 

That's what you're hoping for. If AJ wipes Francis out in a few rounds, that really makes Fury look terrible. The look of the Wallin and Wilder loses on the 23rd were bad for Fury. If another tough opponent of Fury gets beat easily by another top heavy, then the question of smoke and mirrors start to come into play. And if he loses to Usyk, he will never be regarded as anything special in boxing history. Fury needs to beat Usyk and AJ needs to struggle mightily against Francis for Fury to have any historical significance. He may just end up ranking just under Buster Douglas when it's all said and done. LOL

 

If John McDermott can beat Fury then surely so can Usyk.

 

AJ is a proven contender with numerous wins over other contenders, will be fit, well prepared and know what to expect.

Francis is a boxing newb who went 50/50 with unmotivated and stylistically disadvantaged McFury - who didn't know how Francis would fight, went in planning to clinch not knowing it was a really bad idea.

This has easy AJ win written all over it and you know it.

 

If Kell Brook can beat Porter then surely he can become HW undisputed.

 

When did Usyk "chin" AJ ?
Usyk got AJ when he his self confidence was zero and outpointed him but I missed the knockdown.