Was anyone expecting it not to be dull? AJ can't carry a press conference on his own, he needs someone like Whyte to makes things interesting. As for the fight itself... It's being judged unfairly do the gulf in class between the two, which has more to do with how good AJ is than how bad Pulev is. Pulev for all intents and purposes is a top 10 HW.
Pulev is not a dangerous fighter, and thats the problem he has, he finds it hard to pummell journeymen. basic fighter no special effects. low average power, low average speed, okay defence, good jab, not good inside, okay movement.
Well he struggles with cagey journeymen like Arias who clinch a lot... Pulev was not able to get his jab off in that fight. But funnily enough does better against bigger and better fighters like Dimitrenko and Ustinov. If Pulev had even a little more power he'd have a good chance at causing AJ some real issues.
I recall Pulev flunked the final presser with Klitschko. I think he is mentally weak and can't handle public pressure well. He will implode in the area in front of AJ.
I find it surprising that these mental midgets (Pulev, Kovalev etc) managed to make it to the pinnacle (or close) of the sport. Makes me think that maybe there not so mentally weak as some people would have us believe after all.
The biggest thing about the presser is the interview with Kugan Cassius afterwards, when Pulev is asked about street fighting and he says he has fought all different people in all different situations. Then he offers Kugan Cassius out to the cobbles! This content is protected I suspect Pulev does some enforcement work for the Bulgarian mafia. This is a non-fight for me. Pulev is too old and over matched with this fight. However its still the best name on AJs record other than Wladdy.
This Undertaker routine Joshua is doing - talking about taking souls and whatnot - is utterly cringeworthy. Someone needs to take him to one side and tell him that it doesn't make him sound intimidating it makes him sound like a big stiff idiot who has played too much Mortal Kombat.
I suppose to manufacture an "interest" angle in this fight, we might watch it to compare a 28 year old AJ's performance to how a 38 year old Wladimir dealt with a fresher version of Pulev. AJ's getting way more respect and adulation, considered "exciting" and it is respect that Wlad struggled hard to get if he ever got it, so let's see how AJ handles Pulev against Wladimir's bench mark.
Yes, if AJ struggles with Pulev and "only" wins by points, boxing pundits will wonder how a 3-4 year younger version of Wlad would have fared vs. AJ. Because that version bounced Pulev off the floor and utterly dominated him.
Boring. But what I've noticed - AJ looks smaller than before Wlad fight. Expect him to weigh 243-245 lbs on a fight night
