Send in your 176-200 pound fighter to beat Anthony Joshua

Rewatching Joshua vs Dubois this guy's skills look absolutely horrible. I never want to hear about Anthony Joshua supposedly being some sort of skilled fighter ever again.

 

Would you not say that AJ has looked better previously?

Once he gets clocked good the dude definitely unravels and forgets whatever plans he might’ve had.

Robotic is a very good description for him - thrown a spanner in the robot and then all bets are off.

 

Yes but all those wins even at the time had a huge grain of salt. Lots of past prime old men here. Lots of fluff. We all just overlooked it because it was AJ and it was just assumed he was just that good and he was 6'6 he had big muscles how could he ever lose to anyone said all his fanboys. Every time this guy stepped up he got spanked. Badly.

Looking back now he does look like an old man abuser and a can crusher does he not?

 

Lol.

Well, tbh, there is a bit of a senior circuit going down amongst the upper echelon anyway.

All well and good punching it out between themselves.

However, their presumed viability against some younger guns maybe somewhat illusory.

I’m not knee jerking on Dubois, let’s see how he holds up against some other comp.,…

…but just on age alone, he just 27 vs 36/38 yo, the ages of Fury and Usyk respectively - the men to beat who are actually already old but guys he has to go through - at least Usyk he does.

Going in the other direction, Fury picked a debutant to beat up on and we know that went pear shaped and Joshua flattened that same opponent in just two rounds.

 

I like Marciano and his skills are actually underappreciated but these people are living in a fantasy world, Marciano wouldn't get past Joshua's jab or straight rights. Joshua is not gonna have any fear of a 190 pound man and will walk through him.

 

Oleksandr Usyk and Michael Spinks at 200 pounds on the dot maybe. But there's a reason why Usyk bulked up to 221+ pounds and doesn't fight at 200 pounds.

If size doesn't matter like so many armchair experts on here claim then Cruiserweights going to heavyweight would fight as light as they can at the weight to be faster and have better stamina but they don't because it doesn't work like that.

 

Two football pundits discussing boxing is laughable. AJ probably has a better resume than Fury and Uysk is the only one that is far above him

Dillon Whyte, a future top 5 guy that was ranked as the best challenger behind the current champs.

Martin was a belt holder (although a very weak one in a historical sense) may have been in the top 10

Takam was probably just outside the top 10

Klitschko although past it was still one of the longest reigning champions in the division history, likely would have still been top 5 if he was active.

Parker a current title holder & I’m guessing top 5 at the time he beat him.

Povetkin a former world title holder & ranked as the 3rd best heavyweight for a number of years & arguably the third best heavyweight from the previous generation. No doubt in the top 10 when Joshua beat him, has now become a top 3 contender after KOing Whyte behind Joshua & Wilder.

Andy Ruiz a unified champion as well as top 3 ranked heavyweight despite coming in out of shape

Kubrat Pulev - Top 10

Otto Waillin - Top 10

As for the actual thread, I’d pick Joe Louis, with a pinch of salt. Truthfully none of us really know, but if any of these guys attempted it got caught flush by a Joshua power shot they’d be in serious trouble

 

Holy and Usyk

 

A fighter's build, just like good looks, can confuse someone of its actual worth. Because AJ has always looked the part is has had the effect of us waiting, and wanting, for him to become the conqueror which nature seemed to have in mind. Fact is his late start to boxing, lack of intuition, and somewhat overmusuclar build are burdens he always carries into the ring. Now back when he hadn't tasted professional defeat, he at least fancied his chances in a firefight. Once that blew up in his face he stopped trusting himself. Became less hazardous. Against slayers like Dempsey and Louis, he would be dispatched worse than against Dubois. Marciano should also be the favourite.

Langford would thump his knees in.

 

Dempsey faced sub par opponents. No reason to think he'd be the same slayer against more capable opponents. Joshua has yet to lose to anyone under 200 pounds. A guy who lost to Meehan and was dropped by Firpo seems like a stretch to favor over Joshua.

Why aren't middleweights light heavyweights and cruiserweights moving up to beat Joshua if he's so vulnerable

 

Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis

 

Fulton is one of the best superheavyweights in history.

 

Fulton was 210 so not a super heavyweight and was kod numerous times by smaller men so not very durable either.

 

He was 6 ft 6.

 

Lighter than Usyk when he beat AJ

There's 6'4 super middleweights. Doesn't make them super heavyweights