I'll be completely honest and say I have always been high on AJ. I have been a boxing fan since Hagler beat Minter for the MW title and have trained a bit of boxing on and off and still go to a boxing gym now at 50 to do a bit of bag/pad work, cardio and shunt a few weights. The point I'm making is I saw AJ as a ever present top 10 HW in the current scene, likely holding at least one belt and being a threat to any other HW but, last night was a humiliation and AJ seems to have regressed when he should be hitting his stryde. He looked gun shy and clueless and although most of that was down to Usyk, I saw a genuine vulnerability in AJ's self belief and total lack of a plan B. AJ lost the first 4 rounds by a mile and other than slightly increasing his output for a few rounds, did nothing differently. His corner advised him like it was an even tactical battle when it was anything but and I see AJ as damaged goods now. He might be saying all the right things in defeat but, there's no conviction there or self belief. If I was AJ, I'd scrap the rematch, see if Shane Mcguigan is up for training him, get a decent sports psychologist and take some confidence builders at the 02 Arena. Unfortunately, commercial pressure will dictate AJ take the immediate rematch, he will lose and AJ will steadily fade into obscurity.
You're right that AJ has regressed mentally since the Ruiz loss but his power and intensity are not what they once were for example the AJ who hurt Whyte with every meaningful shot 6 years ago is gone. Best course of action would be a new trainer followed by at least 2 tune up fights but suspect he'll take 6 months off stay with McCracken and go straight into an Usyk rematch if that's the route AJ takes he's done.
I really do think there are too many people not realising how difficult Usyk is to fight. AJ is limited along with countless other fighters out there. With the best will in the world, was AJ ever going to get to grips with Usyks mobility and technical skills. It’s not a wrestling or strength competition. The only chance he had was to catch Usyk with a damaging, fight ending punch. Poor old AJ has a couple of blips on the radar and it’s all over. Let’s see how Usyks future fights go before we judge too harshly on AJ. Usyks cv is outstanding. He is a formidable foe for any fighter of any era. Usyk put a career defining performance in on Saturday night that very few fighters of any weight could of dealt with. As I have said many times, ‘It’s no good having a shotgun if you can’t hit the rabbit’
Most one sided fight I've seen? Campbell Hatton Vs that fella last night was pretty one sided. He still won mind you, so it doesn't really matter what happens in the ring.
Ricky Burns winning despite a very early knockdown against him against Roman Martinez was pretty one sided after the first round.
It wasn’t ridiculously one sided as everyone is making out. I scored it 7-5 Usyk on the night, and could have seen 8-4 depending on how you scored the second but AJ was still in the fight after 10 rounds, but Usyk stepped it up and ran away with it in the championship rounds.
The Pride of Wales is one of our greatest ever yet he gets serious stick on here and little credit from same people. 46 wins from 46 fights and fighting nearly all his career with badly damaged hands. The Lacy example is a classic way to discredit a great by ridiculing his opponent after a loss. Calzaghe was the outsider with the Bookmakers in this fight and most thought he was getting knocked out. The performance that night was right up there with the best boxing skills seen in any ring - an absolute clinic.
I can see why you think that - I can assure you I’m not bias towards AJ but I wanted to be what I thought was fair. I scored 2,4,5,6 and 8th to AJ but could see Usyk winning the second. I’d felt after 6 AJ was going to pull away and Usyk would stop engaging after he’d shipped a couple of right hands, but to his credit Usyk increased on the tank there and wore AJ out. Even though I gave AJ the 8th I felt he was in serious danger, and then I had it level after 10 but then Usyk upped his gears even more in the championship rounds and ran away with it in the end.
It wasn't quite the dismantling that Lacy Calzaghe was. Round 2 was close with no much happening and AJ probably won a couple of rounds in the middle of the fight. Lacy didn't win a minute. I thought the cards were fairly decent. I had it something like 117-111 was there a 115 card? That was too close but the decision was thankfully correct. I thought AJ would be able to impose himself on Usyk but never really came close other than a couple of rounds where Usyk either took a breather or felt a heavy shot in the middle of the fight. Usyks agility and movement were next level
