Lets make a case for Pulev

AJ cautiously boxes Pulev and looks gun shy. Pulev has a good jab and wins a decision. This probably won't happen.

 

A case for Pulev is Anthony Joshua has more in common with Jeff Lacy, isn't nearly as good as people were led to believe, and Pulev "Calzaghe's him."

A case for Pulev is this win would make him the greatest sports star in his nation's history, while Joshua just views this as a tuneup to bigger opportunities ... and Pulev simply wants it more.

A case for Pulev is Joshua hasn't looked good in the ring in two years and the last time Joshua was in this position (win this and you get a big unification with the WBC champ) ... Joshua went down four times and quit, and Joshua isn't mentally tough.

A case for Pulev is Joshua thinks he can lose and nothing "really" bad is going to happen to him. It's just business. He's still a draw. So, no big deal if he wins or loses.

On the flip side:

A case against Pulev is Joshua just hits too hard for him, Joshua wants to end this quickly to look impressive and Pulev gets crushed.

A case against Pulev is Pulev backed out of his last fight with Joshua and never really wanted this ... he was just hoping to fight for a vacant belt if Joshua dumped it ... and Pulev is the mentally weak one.

A case against Pulev is he's almost 40, Joshua is in his prime, and this title fight just came too late for Kubrat.

A case against Pulev is it's easier to quit when there's nobody in the stadium.

I won't be surprised if it's a war or if someone quits early. Anything can happen. I'm looking forward to it. Hope it's a good fight.

 

Pulevs best chance is if AJ slips on the ring apron and hits his head on the stairs....that's it.
he'll be back to bussing tables at the hookah lounge by next week.
mark my words

 

Pulev's chances are really slim.

I could see a way for him to possibly control AJ with the jab if AJ is tentative, but let's not forget that the judges are going to be heavily on Joshua's side. If it goes the distances AJ is very likely to get the nod even if he lost the actual fight.

But maybe Pulev has risen to the occasion and is on his best form in years whereas AJ, assuming that Kubrat is going to topple over like the ancient mummy that he is, hasn't trained that hard.

Maybe Kubrat has a torrid first few rounds but survives, and AJ blows his wad and is exhausted. If Pulev catches AJ in a state of fatigue, all bets are off. Pulev isn't known for his punching power because he prefers a technical approach, but on the times he's sat down on his punches, it's been clear that he has some steam on them. I think that if he can get AJ to burn out, he could KO him.

 

It's a tough case to make. I guess anything can happen in heavyweight boxing, but I just don't see what Pulev can use to win.

Pulev doesn't fight at a high enough pace to hope AJ get tired.
Pulev doesn't have good particularly good defense. He fights with his arms wide open. His main defense is putting up his guard and sliding back. Even when he does this he gets hit because his guard is very loose. So this take a lot of the outside game away.
Pulev can't really fight inside. So this takes the inside game away.
We saw how Wlad basically rag dolled Pulez. Wlad hits harder than AJ, but AJ hits plenty hard, plus AJ has power on the inside.
Pulev doesn't even really counter-punch. He fights in a "your turn/my turn" style.

If Pulev has a plan to win, he'll need to fight in a way he has not before.
If I had to come up with a game plan, given Pulev's talents. I'd say he should forward with a high guard and throw bombs hoping to get lucky.

 

Pulev Strengths:

He’s a forceful kisser?
He can throw bombs in hopes of hitting AJ’s suspect temples.

/fin

 

Well a little fat man rolled AJ around the canvas

so anyone can I guess.

 

Hard to make a case for Pulev here. He is feather fisted, has very low ring-IQ and is outmatched physically and technically in every department.

 

Aj knocks pulev down a couple of times in the early part of the fight. Aj gets over excited and goes in for the kill, pulev somehow survives and by rounds 8-9 Aj is tired from throwing everything into trying to finish pulev and he starts shying away from pulevs jab which has been pumping into his face the whole fight, pulev coming forward catches Aj with some sharp rights, Aj goes down exhausted and doesn’t want any more.

 

It's the way Pulev stands in front of these bigs guys, leaning back and trying to establish his jab

No head movement

No foot movement

Funny as hell. Looks really amateurish.

 

There's easily a case to be made that Pulev is going to have his moments and cause AJ problems. He's fit , in shape and is coming to win.
He's also awkward and has a very good jab.

He's 39 but his style ages well and he keeps himself in good condition. . There's not much of a difference between Pulev of the Fury and Bogdan fights to the Pulev of the Thompson and Joey Abel fights.

Povetkin is proof that Pulev can still be dangerous. . I'll make a case that Pulev is a good boxer and will make an interesting fight of it

 

AJ chose pulev after he asked this same question and he received no answer.

Had he received any answer he would not have chosen pulev.

 

I’ve got a feeling Pulev might do him.