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

I agree with your assessment , I had it 116-112 and can't really give Joshua any other rounds. Defense and ring generalship clearly was on Usyk's side. I also think Usyk would get cracked by a fighter that puts pressure on him and comes in with a destructive attitude. Joshua's corner was as bad as Gerry Cooneys against Larry Holmes telling Cooney to box, box one of the greatest boxers in heavyweight history? His only chance was to KO Holmes, same as Joshua he had to put pressure on Usyk and impose his size , strength and power on him. I kept waiting for him to get going later in the fight but got zilch. By all appearances Joshua was unwilling to risk getting hit to save his title so he just sat back and accepted the decision loss.

 

Well it was Joshua who allowed that pace, I thought Usyk was getting tired but Joshua had no interest in pressing him

 

Like Del boy?

 

If Fury fought Usyk like he did Wilder Usyk's in trouble. Any big guy who can punch and comes forward will give him trouble. I thought Usyk tired in the second half of the fight but Joshua did nothing.

 

I've watched it back, I am just not seeimg what you're seeing.

The only fighter who was genuinely visibly hurt was AJ, on several occasions.

I'm sure Usyk felt a few shots, his face told the story, he got hit, but there wasn't a single second in that fight I jumped or sat up and thought Usyk was in any sort real trouble.

I suggest you watch the Matchroom video of the fight and look at the absolute state of AJ at the end of the fight, he was in serious distress, serious.

He looked like a fighter that had taken a beating, mentally and physically. He was say 30-60 seconds away from either being dropped or stopped when that bell went.


Of course, different tactics, different circumstances are a different fight, could be a very different result, it's Heavyweights, we all know one shot, on the right target, at the right time can end a fight.

Povetkin Whyte 1 being an example, Whyte on total control and BANG, all over and that's heavyweight boxing.

So I am not saying AJ can't win a rematch, I've seen too much boxing and too many strange, bizarre, incredible and amazing things.


All I'm saying is, I didn't see anything in that fight that remotely points to AJ turning it all around, if anything I saw Usyks corner telling him to NOT go for a stoppage against a clearly gassed and finished AJ and in the last minute he did what he wanted to do and nearly got it.

 

Maybe that's because Usyk was forcing AJ to fight at a pace he was not accustomed to and simply wasn't capable of pressing it?

 

Exactly N17. This guys are trying to convince us that somehow Usyk was in danger, and if Joshua want to step it up he will stop Usyk.
But there is a reason why he didn't step it up in the first place to stop Usyk.
AJ always go for the kill after land a hard shot. He didn't go for the kill this time, simply because he wasn't able to land a Hard rocking shot, because of Usyk incredible movement and defense.
And just like AJ can stop Usyk, Usyk can stop AJ as well.
So just because people think AJ becomes more aggressive and decide to go all IN, doesn't mean he will:
- first find Usyk and then rock him, and then been able to KD or KO him
- second he may very well eat a rock solid counter that will actually send him to Oblivion, which is way more possible, than the first point
- third this is a huge risk, cause he will waste tons of his energy, and if he doesn't get the KO, he is in a BIG, BIG trouble.

People always forget that when you are on the front foot, and putting everything to try to KO, even not so hard counter shot is enough to rock you hard, because your going forward and of the weight distribution as well.

And to be quite frankly fair I'm not sure that AJ could get better in the given time. He was prepping for long, long time, and throw tons of energy to actually improve and give it all in the camp, and he was prepping for the biggest fight - Fury, and then have a full hard camp for Usyk. Whatever he and Hearn wants you to believe that he is fresh, and all that b.c., he firstly took a very very serious beating, that in a lot of case affect the fighter and his next performance(at least in the near future), and he for god damn sure is damn exhausted of the hard, hard camp and trainings he have, as well as the match goes full 12 rounds and took a beating.

And while Usyk is on the decline from some time, he wasn't fully recovered from injuries, Covid and so on till now, and he wasn't 100% acclimatized.
So I doubt we will see at least in physical shape see a better AJ, maybe gameplan wise, but it may turn out to be that the so call go full physical and aggressive on Usyk, may not turn out as a good gameplan, and get him KTFO. And on top of that Usyk himself said that this wasn't the best of him, even for this advanced age, and he could improve and done better.

So the rematch may turns out, that Usyk comes even more improved, and actually Joshua comes in worst physical condition.
I just don't ***** see a better Joshua coming for the rematch. Just don't see it.

This wasn't a fight where X fighter just doesn't show for the night, not throwing enough punches, it's too inactive, and not being mentally there, and just had a f***** off day in the office, like Loma against Lopez, and Klitschko against Fury in my mind.

Joshua absolutely throw it ALL in this match, and he wasn't even close.

And NO the fight was a clear 9-3. You can even make a stronger case for 10-2, than 8-4.
Sorry.

 

When I rewatched it very first time, I had Usyk 9-3 , second time 7-5 , so I turned volume off and watched it again, you know what I have Joshua winning it 8-4 . Just watch it without audio.
Same thing with Fury vs Wilder 2 ,watch it at home without audio and you will see that Deontay actually won .

 

And on the third time, you awake from your sleep? Or you had the 12 round 10-8 round for Joshua? Or straight up KO victory and Joshua was robbed in UK with all the corrupt judges ???

 

Exactly brother, AJ clearly won 11 and 12 . I would say round 12 is 10-8 joshua round.
Poor Anthony was robbed and we know why!!

 

Yeah and we both agree with the judge that give AJ the 1st round. Joshua won that too.
I think it's fair to say that fight was a wide clear Joshua win. To be real it was something like 11-1 12-0 type of result.

 

Uh oh, I think I've just done a 180 on the Cat ...

Rewatched the fight earlier today, and started with the ring walks, particularly Usyk's, and I saw something big.

Look to about 3:35 in the Sky broadcast. Usyk is supposed to turn a corner towards the ring but clearly walks the wrong way briefly.

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Would a GOAT boxer make a mistake like that? A 'master technician'? A 'boxing genius'? Maybe we have been overrating Usyk.

 

What on earth was that right hand Joshua was trying to throw?

 

I had it 8-4 as well, but absolutely believe AJ will win the rematch, assuming he doesn’t try and box a superior boxer.

 

He was desperate