Is Anthony Joshua playing it safe?

AJ - Fury would be an interesting fight, I think it goes to trilogy (1-1) and Fury wins 2-1 in the end, just because he's more adaptable tactically.

AJ - Wilder is an easy AJ win, Wilder has always had a massively padded record and we've seen just how far off Fury's level Wilder is, he'd be easy pickings for AJ.

Usyk is unproven at HW yet and I'm not completely convinced that he hasn't lost a little of his edge through age and weight increases - he could surprise me, but AJ will have all the advantages that any champion gets on cards at very least, it needs to be a very clear victory or a KO for Usyk to win and whilst clear points win is possible I can't see Usyk ever knocking out AJ. Tough fight, but even if it's close (and then it'll be controversial) it will go AJ's way.

Whyte has declined a bit the last few years, comfortable AJ win.

Joyce would be too easily hit and although his chin seems decent I don't this would be difficult to win on points.

Parker gave him a good fight but he's declined since IMHO, it would be a much easier win if they fought again.

Ruiz is having a bit of an identity crisis since AJ-II, instead of going back to what had worked for him in the past, he lost even more weight and seems to have lost durability and confidence in equal measure - much easier win if they fight again.

Pulev was already toyed with and wouldn't be any more of a threat again.

Ortiz is like Wilder in that his resume is pathetic, criminally overrated fighters, very easy AJ win and always would've been.

...

Honestly, Usyk may give him a few things to think about but flukes aside I don't think anyone but Fury is likely to beat him.

And as I said before, AJ's record is only as good as this era allows - if he's not elite, it's because nobody in this era is elite, his resume is untouchable right now.

(I'd be more than happy to see someone come from nowhere and take that mantle, but it is what it is.)

 

This is a mini super fight in itself and offers a new stylistic challenge to AJ. Meanwhile Fury is fighting a guy he already beat up twice. Who’s playing it safe?

 

If you want to play it safe the last thing you do is take a fight with a slick, unbeaten southpaw like Usyk. Personally I think AJ's size and power give him the edge in this but it's close, very close.

 

Tyson Fury is a scary dude. 6'10, 345 pounds of pure muscle, and destroyed elite fighters like Wilder, prime Klitschko and 36 year old Steve Cunningham. Imagine meeting him in a dark alley.

Undoubtedly the GOAT

 

Having a towel thrown in is not quitting

 

If you mean fight with " reanimated " Wlad this was fight with 41 y.o former ex champ not current champ. Boxer reanimated by eddie for A.J.
Wlad in his best years was great but then he did not had belt, also he did not had fought more than 12 months before this fight.
Wlad's last fight before this was fight vs Fury, where he looked enough boring to loss fight on german cards in Germany while being A side vs Fury. Germans does have holy phrase " this is enough " and Fury get win on cards in Germany.
Before this he had more watchable fight vs then undefeated Pulev, this was with 20-0-0 record and not all Wlad fans had predicted his win in Pulev vs Wlad. Reasons there were a lot: very rich person, not enough " hungry " businessman - investor.
Okey, Pulev had put lethargic rich Wlad in trouble and he let his hands to go, then he was also younger. Btw Pulev weighted in with not less weight than Wlad, a bit more.
_________________________
Actually for me like A.J vs Ruiz II fight: good distance control, nice evasion and better discipline.
Normal real elite level.
While vs Pulev from A.J fight I did not had mind to box with. Not vs younger than this Pulev version.
Also vs Pov version from Whyte vs Pov fight II.

 

People will not accept that...

 

Here's two cents coming your way,,,there's a lot of commentary how Joshua has never been in the ring with a southpaw like Uysk who has skills and there's truth in that.,,,,But , when has Uysk ever been in the ring with a fighter like Joshua? What 6'6 240 -250 pounds with a good jab, good movement and excellent power? Of the two fighters, with Joshua's established resume at heavyweight I believe Usyk has the greater questions to answer when they enter the ring. I'd say AJ' might be a 3-1 favorite

 

Boxing fans in rare cases are enough critical.
Wlad had been enough lethargic and boring even for Germans to loss on their cards vs Fury. Imagine?
Then after this he did not had belts and did not had fought more than 1 year.
Fury after this fight had other priorities rather than boxing and still Wlad's era already was gone forever with very boring fight. Like even by german criteria like " this is enough " and this was harsh contrast if compare with his fight vs then undefeated 33 y.o Pulev.
____
I think that old and rind rusty very rich Wlad had agreed to fight vs A.J only because he did not had wished to last in fans memories as very boring boxer from Fury fight. Both of them, Fury and Wlad were very boring but Wlad looked so boring and lethargic.
Otherwise I do not see reason for someone with net worth in 9 digits to fight anymore.
__________________

 

Every era has a monster puncher or two, but Wilder has not got a fraction of the resume required to be mentioned in the same breath as Wlad - a paper champion who spent his time knocking out almost exclusively bums does not enhance a resume nearly as much that.

Beating Wlad was mighty impressive, but Wilder is the only other name of note on Fury's resume and Wilders level is basically unknown due to his policy of ducking everyone remotely threatening.

I would still maintain that AJ has a far better resume than Fury (and I'd still have a feeling Fury would just about win H2H)

 

I love the sarcasm here, though it seems to have evaded Dubblechin Jnr.

 

It has to be accepted up to a point.

Wlad was definitely way past his sell by date, but equal AJ was pretty green - one pre-prime and the other over the hill...

It's inarguably less impressive than the Wlad on Fury's resume but also clearly levels upon levels better than everything combined on Wilders resume.

IMHO.

 

The main problem for Wlad was that he was ring rusty ( did not had fought more than 1 year ) and this if you are 35+ matters a lot, not to talk about 41 y.o boxer.
He also was not that actual as boxer cos his last fight was really very boring and he did not had belts anymore.
For U.K fans, especially if bearing in mind A.J last chinny opponent and how impressively he looked vs this ofc this was different thing.
Wlad era already had been ended then. Yeah, father time beats every one.

 

Hmmm. Conspiracy theory incoming - since the OFFICIAL announcement of AJ - Usyk has yet to be made.

What if Hearn is waiting for the Wilder fight to see who wins - then switching AJ back to fight Fury instead?

Is this possible?