Most one sided you've seen?

This is what I'm like about it. I watched it again last night with my partner. Apart from the last two rounds when Joshua unravels, it was a very good fight.

Joshua was not naive in choosing to box Usyk, he was naive in not using his own physical advantages to rough Usyk up and try and tire him out as well as box. I don't rate Whyte's boxing ability but he knows exactly how to bend the rules with using his forearm, clinching for a few seconds too long despite the ref pleas to separate, leaning them over the ropes, leading with the head etc. That's exactly what Joshua should have done imo and he will be kicking himself for that.

Whether it's his own ego or whatever, he has tried to mould himself into a boxer and let go of the fighter a good few fights ago. This is a very sanitised version of the lad who stepped in with Klitschko. Imo it was that fight that changed his approach not the Ruiz fight. There are things he can do differently in the rematch but this self preservation 'I don't want to break my nose' version is not good enough to win the belts back.

 

Yeah people are not giving AJ the credit he deserves here. He did quite well and there were alot of very close rounds. I was really enjoying the fight.

Rematch should be interesting.

 

Think i gave him 5, 6 & 8, and i just couldn't see a case for anything else really. I thought AJ was really going to push on after those two good 5th & 6th rounds, but Usyk just seemed to come back and dominant more

 

In asking your question you already named in the answer in Calzaghe v Lacy............

 

Exactly what I thought. It was almost like Joshua was being too nice. He needed to really work Usyk over but he was tentative and never really seemed confident he could land something big. At one point he got warned for holding and all I could think of was Lennox Lewis would have smashed an uppercut in before the ref hand chance to do anything. Joshua was content to get a telling off.

 

I’d have to agree with you. Joshua is a skilful boxer and he can outbox some very good fighters, but Usyk is truly elite and you need something more to beat him. Look at the Chisora fight - he won rounds by being that in your face bully, using his weight and tricks to smack Usyk around. If AJ had mixed that in along with letting his straight right go from the outside I think it’s a different outcome. That said, you could see Usyk just become a different beast now he knows he can compete at the highest level at heavyweight.

 

I don’t think he has that real fighter in him, AJ.

 

I dunno, i don't think its that. Everyone is saying "AJ shouldve done this or that" and imposed himself, but i can only see that playing into Usyk's hands more. I think AJ fought the way he did for so long because he knew what was coming back whenever he tried to up it

If you mean his desire could have gone, maybe, but someone like AJ definitely has a real fighter in him for me

 

The mystique and aura has been shattered with Joshua since the Ruiz fight imo and he's now got serious confidence issues and self doubts.he didn't look confident of beating usyk pre fight to me and his body language post fight wasn't great either...looked like a man who's accepted his limitations.thats not a dig at him either btw because I've got more respect for him than any other heavyweight but there's a definite crack in his psyche as a fighter now imo.

 

Totally agree, Joe was an awesome fighter. Lightning fast, fitter than a butchers dog, and as tough as old boots. He was also a great tactician. As someone said on the forum previously, Joe never looked in trouble even when he was having an off night. He was undefeated for a reason. One of our best.

 

That’s not far off the way I saw it. I thought AJ boxed well. Usyk just had the answers when he needed them.

 

AJ hasn’t been the same since the Klitschko fight imo.

 

Recently during last 2 years in U.K boxing?
Ward ( then 12-0-0 prospect already with WBO euro title ) vs Bolotņiks. Damn and funny.

 

He is the same mate and will never be different - all he can do is adjust tactics or bulk up or down.

Eh Day Earn sold him as the greatest ever without any substance to back his claims up when bowling over puddings, winning his World Title from a pudding and defending it against Puddings Breazeale and Molina - zero risk fights incredibly on Box Office.

Round 2 of his fight with Dullian Whyte exposed his low punch resistance years ago which has always been there.

Puddings fall over easily and he has toiled badly against mediocre fighters with a bit of resilience Parker and Takam indicating his power may not be as hard as we think.

He got Wladimir at 41 years of age when he was an old man at the end of a long career and nearly lost that fight.

He is what he is - a non elite decent World Champion who has never dethroned a credible World Champion in the ring.

 

5 years of smoke and mirrors Eddie and Sky Sports News really were master magicians from the old days when the mugs thought what they were seeing really was magic but the illusion for most is over now.