Firstly - Congratulations to Oleksander Usyk. I am now a bigger fan of yours than I was. I was wrong. I never expected you to be able to perform at that level at HW after being injured, often inactive and fighting sub par fighters for the last 3 years. Usyk is P4P the best technical boxer around right now. I also admire his emotion. He looked nervous before the fight and I appreciate his emotional vulnerability after the fight also. I love and respect Usyk and his crazy Ukraine fans who lit part of the stadium up. "USYK, USYK, USYK". I was at the fight, and I pity those who couldn't make it. It was insane atmosphere. Ok so onto my main point - The stupidity of all these "AJ exposed" crappy posts and thread, similar to the ones after the Ruiz defeat. People calling AJ a fraud. I'm not going to make excuses for his loss, but I'm defending him more as a person. 1. He got beat by an amazing fighter, no shame in that. Some people would consider Usyk #1 now as he has the most impressive victory and legacy by a mile out of anyone else in the division. 2. Look at this list below. In red are the fighters in an around the top 10 that AJ has either fought, or called out. (List doesn't include AJ) This content is protected AJ wasn't to blame for this fight not taking place. This content is protected Wilder has basically admitted he ducked AJ to fight out of shape Fury instead. This content is protected Joyce This content is protected Hunter Ortiz ---------- This content is protected who were top 5 easily in 2017/2018. Despite being past their prime, were still good fighters at the time. Povetkin was a mandatory, Wlad was a title fight. AJ may not be the best in this division, and has clear flaws, but you cannot accuse him of being a fraud like Wilder. Can AJ have done more? I don't know, maybe, but I think he is the fight least deserving of any accusations of ducking anybody. Even if AJ does lose a few more fights before he retires, he has entertained us and been part of some dramatic fights, and over the last few years, as seen above, has probably done his best to please the fans and give them the best fights possible. If you want to see a fraud - Look at Wilder. He's built a career of trying to look good but do nothing really that impressive. The first time he calls someone out who's remotely a big name, he fought him because he thought he was a finished and would be an easy big name to add to his list, and has since refused to accept defeat and make ridiculous excuses. That my friends is a real fraud, not AJ.
Solid post OP and I agree on each and every point. Respect for being a man and admitting you were wrong Residing from the other side of the globe, I believe I am what should be considered an impartial fan. I've always wondered how far Joshua would go or how long it would be until his weaknesses were exposed. I've always thought he was robotic and would struggle against someone that moves well. The way Hearn ripped off Parker hit a nerve, as that should have been a better fight - should there have been inside fighting. However, to say I haven't been a fan would be a lie. More so since his loss to Ruiz. I understand people love to hate him for his fake good-guy persona, but how can you possibly be a fan of Fury or Wilder if that's the only reason you dislike him? Honestly, Joshua is levels above them as a likeable character outside of the ring. Resume wise, people will always find a way to twist the narrative and bend someone's record. Joshua's record is by far the best in the HW division, there is absolutely no argument about that. US fans love to drag his resume because it's not filled with American fighters. I don't understand how that's his fault when Americans weren't belt holders? The only one that held a belt has gone on record saying that Joshua wouldn't offer enough money - even though it was significantly more than his trilogy with Fury... a duck is a duck. He lost to Ruiz in one of the biggest upsets of recent history but avenged it by arguably shutting Ruiz out in every round. Say what you want about the way he went about it, it's boxing - the idea is to hit and not get hit. He did exactly that and improved his skillset in the process. Something we cannot say about his rival in the US. Let's move on to the fight at the weekend. He took on Usyk knowing full well how skilled he is. Up until round 8, Joshua hadn't fought a bad fight. Sure, he could/should have rushed Usyk and imposed himself, but to Usyks credit he ensured that wouldn't happen from the outset. There was nothing dirty in the fight, the ref didn't ruin the fight, Joshua genuinely tried to beat a significantly more skilled athlete. His questionable gas tank proved its worth, going the whole 12 (almost anyway) and fought through adversity with the eye. Now, where are all the excuses that his counterpart in the states made up? Where were his excuses after the loss to Ruiz? Hate him all you like, but he's a credit to the sport. Sure, he's not the best, but he has the best resume and will fight anyone. Unlike the fighter that all of his detractors love.
I admitted I was wrong. I knew Usyk was a fantastic cruiser, but I didn't think he could do it at heavyweight, especially after 3 years without a big fight, and only fighting once a year. If I admit I was wrong and show the fighter respect and that's not good enough for you, then I don't know what to say.
Yh me too. I underestimated Usyk as a HW. Didn't think he could pull off what he did at CW the same at HW. He's the man now.
Next thing you know they'll be claiming that Usyk is a dynamite puncher just like Pudding Ruiz Jr. and that AJ would still easily beat Wilder, who is the real hypejob at HW. They have no shame.
You are a real man for saying that you were wrong. As for AJ, he has fought the best he can get his hands on, his place in history is already secure, and he is still #3 in the division, so he has nothing to prove to anyone and should enjoy the rest of what will be a good career.
The bodybuilder has become a fraud after Ruiz 1. Ruiz took his soul. The second fight with Ruiz was a joke, he won sticking and running like Bugs Bunny. Last night he was saved by the bell like Wilder with Grampa Ortiz in the first fight. Nah...these are not elite fighters imo. Elite fighters have to be chinned and have High IQ Ring.
Absolutely. Funny how Rice Pudding Jr became a dynamite puncher, when he couldn't even wobble Liakhovich, Zumbano Love or Franklin....
You might want to add Ortiz in red. Joshua publicly tried to bring Ortiz in as a replacement for Miller. Offered him 8m, and Ortiz' team foolishly called it a low ball, then they had to apologize and blamed it on a communication breakdown between Ortiz and his management.