I've just re-watched AJ vs Usyk - Paying close attention, you may think a bit differently....

I was at the stadium watching this fight, and when I first saw it I struggled to give AJ more than 2 rounds.

I just rewatched it for the first time at home on TV. This time I scored it 8-4 Usyk, BUT some of the rounds were closer than I thought. For some reason, watching it a second time and being attentive to it.... it doesn't feel like the same absolute shut out I remembered on the night. 8-4 is pretty dominant, but some of those rounds were close where both fighters landed.

DON'T GET ME WRONG - Usyk clearly won that fight, but it wasn't as one sided as I thought.

-----------------------

Here's some point I'd like tor raise -

1. AJ's corner completely screwed him over. He should consider sacking them.

I know a lot of you agree that AJ got his tactics wrong, but it's worse than you think...

Watch it again and listen to what his corner are saying to him - "Stay behind that jab, and let him come to you".... and AJ's stance was to take a completely un-aggressive approach the WHOLE fight. There were times where AJ hurt Usyk and didn't follow up at all. You may argue it was because AJ was scared, and although that was definitely a factor, his corner were reinforcing a passive mentality the whole game. AJ has been hurt before but it didn't stop him continuing to come forward and finish the fight. In this match, his corner I think were more to blame than anyone. THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE, but it's a factor that matters. AJ is unsure of himself, and his corner are not helping him.

2) Usyk at times does look vulnerable, and his gas tank is not as good as some people think -

I'm convinced now the only reason Usyk makes it to round 10-12 so frequently is because of fantastic management of energy, and because he usually starts slow. It's not because his gas tank is insane.

Usyk's quick and dominant start RNDS 1-4 cost him a bit, and in the 5-8th round he didn't look as sharp, and was noticeably feeling the effects of the previous 4 rounds. In these rounds, AJ had more success, and could AND SHOULD have gone after him. It can be argued AJ won rounds 5,6 and 8, and landed some solid right hands. Usyk was hurt by Joshua in these rounds.

But the main fact of rounds 5-8 is Usyk being more static. That's what happens to Usyk in his slower rounds. It's not just less effort in punches, it's slower body movement.

Usyk, despite what people say about his gas tank, CANNOT keep the same pace up for 12 rounds. Him being slower in the middle rounds was not purely a tactical choice, such as trying to lure Joshua in to counter him, it was mainly because he needed time to rest and conserve energy for the rounds he wanted to make the most impact, and it's in these rounds you need to hurt Usyk or you will lose later.

Usyk is a genius. Even in the rounds where he is the most vulnerable, he will find ways to sort of bluff charge you or hurt you just enough to deter you from finishing him. He's a genius when it comes to fighting, but he's beatable.

You could argue that you may gas yourself out before his 2nd wind, but if you REALLY HURT Usyk, then does that not impact Usyk? No one has really hurt Usyk or knocked him down, and we don't know yet how he'll respond to being knocked down.

Usyk is yet to be properly found out, but I think he will be a nut that is cracked eventually, by more than one person.

3) In relation to the above, I'm not a hater of Usyk, I like him, but p4p ATG? Whooping Ali in fantasy fights? - Do not get carried away just yet. Wait to see what happens in the rematch and in later fights.

Consider rewatching the fight, it's on youtube now - Watch it attentively with no bias.

 

But he took time off in the middle rounds to be able to pick up the pace in the later rounds though, that's part of the reason why Joshua won 3/4 middle rounds.

 

Towards the end, I wanted Usyk to get his decision because he clearly deserved it and I was worried they'd rob him. I want the true winner of the fight to win the fight, regardless of how much I love a particular fighter. I took an unbiased view.

I don't NEED to believe Joshua can win the rematch, I simply noticed flaws and vulnerabilities of Usyk's that are definitely exploitable.

I think I made perfectly sound arguments.

I am fully aware Usyk won and won clearly, I scored it 8-4 which is what the two better judges had it. 2 rounds Joshua clearly won, 2 rounds Joshua did just enough to nick them. It's hardly me being overly biased, is it?

I just don't think it's as one sided as some people think, and if you rewatch the fight and really take notes, you'll see Joshua did better than we thought initially. The things I'm saying I believe are directly observable, especially the instructions from AJ's corner, advising him to lack aggression.