Tua, Parker, Ugonoh - similar problems, common denominator?

As Joe himself said, they had planned on the AJ of the Takam fight. I feel that the biggest disappointment from Joe was he knew he was well behind and he didn't go for it. He was far too defensively minded in the later part of the fight. Joe IS young and he definitely can improve and challenge again. Very likeable young man also.

 

If that's the case they should have just watched some YouTube clips to see he was planing to come In far lighter. Plus the media days etc.

Like Tua Parker struggles against good tall heavyweights.

They can't get inside to do some good work.

 

The problem Parker has is his offence. He basically has no way of getting his shots off without taking punishment back himself and that makes him hesitate and that's why any fight that goes to the scorecards for him is usually close even when he is winning. It's hard to score a decisive points win if you always have to take shots to land them.

Against Joshua it was even harder, because of the size and jab of Joshua. He couldn't even do what he usually does and get off first then take the counter. He might regret not going for it more but that's easier to say after the fight, when during the fight you are being hit. Any normal person will hesitate if they know if they throw they'll 100% get hit back.

He basically hasn't learned or been taught how to transition from offence to defence and vice versa. When he attacks, he has no defence, he throws but when he stops punching he just sits there to be countered. When he's defensive he doesn't counter enough because when he evades a shot he puts himself in bad positions where he can't counter because he is either too far away or his body in the wrong position to land on his opponent.

He needs to learn to be able to attack and then either move, tighten his guard or clinch to smother the counter. When he boxes off the back foot he needs to learn to slip into positions to counter so he can counter, that would make him a much more effective fighter and also make him a more aggressive fighter because he knows he can unload without getting hit back and then we'll see an end to the hesitant Parker we saw.