If Joshua is the real deal, he should dominate this fight. Like Tyson vs. Spinks. Like Frazier vs. Foster. Joshua has been a "super" heavyweight really his entire career. He has collected three heavyweight title belts. He is an Olympic Super Heavyweight Gold Medal Winner. He should have at least a 20-pound weight advantage. He has significant height, reach and power advantages. He is years younger. He's fighting at home in front of his rabid fans. He's in the prime of his career. He's fighting an older, middle-aged champion who has moved up from a notoriously weak division. Usyk's injuries have begun to accumulate. He hasn't survived his last two training camps - both the Witherspoon and Chisora fights had to be delayed so Usyk could recover from training injuries. Usyk hasn't looked like anything special against Chazz Witherspoon or Chisora, neither of whom is a ranked heavyweight. He's had fewer pro fights than Joshua, who hasn't had all that many himself. Joshua should jab and hook to the body, just dig hooks to Usyk's doughy body like Tyson did against Spinks and Frazier did to Foster until Oleksandr goes down from body shots or he brings his arms down and the head shot opens up. Usyk has more accomplishments than nearly everyone Joshua has faced, but they came in a lighter division. And the guy who accomplished those things isn't the guy pushing 35 who Joshua is facing. Despite all the smoke, mirrors and hype and all the accolades Usyk picked up decisioning guys like Gassiev (who isn't impressive at all at heavyweight either), this should be a fairly straightforward win for Joshua. If it's not, and the fight goes 12, and Joshua actually needs the judges to bail him out - against a smaller, older, less powerful champ from a bad division - it may be a bigger disaster than the Ruiz fight ... because the "it only takes on shot at heavyweight" excuse won't work this time.
He made the statement about fighting GGG at 155 after GGG said he would move down to 154 to fight Mayweather. There was never a serious attempt to drain GGG and force him to fight below his natural weight.
In the end he made the right decision, he didn't push for GGG to move down to 155. You gotta keep in mind, at that time it became fashionable to drain fighters and fight at catchweights. GGG wanted to fight him, and said he was willing to move down to 154 to fight Mayweather. He was calling GGG out on his own willingness to fight as low as 154. That was just posturing, pre-negotiation banter. Saying what he said at the time is not the same as actually insisting on such a weight and refusing to fight him unless it was at a catchweight.
With this I agree and A.J should win this one. No shame there, pro boxing is about one aim: to entertain people in order to earn money nothing more. All these talks about pride and masculinity symbols are nonsense. It isn't Olympic wrestling for sure, it is entertainment business. Bad division for a lot of US fans Cruiserweight is because this didn't had long term established champs from country that by your opinions should be Mecca of boxing and example as ultimate elite. Especially after the same Usyk had beated Hunter in U.S and Dorticos had finished MVP prospect in undefeated Tabiti, CW division appeared " notoriously bad division " in a lot of U.S fans eyes. If champs aren't from our country, this division is ultimate crap and notoriously bad. While in reality no one since their fights outside of U.S had rushed to fight vs the same Dorticos and Tabiti in U.S. Looks most likely cos they " were bad boxers ", irony of course. I do know how low attention in US does have CW division. Ppl love to watch champs from their countries and doesn't respect ppl who by their assumptions can't beat them. I's not heavyweight is US boxing fans holy mantra. Normal casuals attitude and nothing wrong: good division is where champs are from my own country, they are larger than boxing fan by himself etc.
Any fighter could be robbed anywhere. US, UK, Germany, Russia or Saudi Arabia, robberies are rife worldwide. That being said, Usyk has shown me nothing what so ever at heavyweight that he can beat AJ. Before he jumped up to heavyweight, I was convinced he would trouble them all, I am no longer of that opinion.
I too, Usyk needs to collect paychecks, pro boxing is business to entertain people and olympic " Gold Medalist " A.J will be more suitable there too, he already had get " Olympic Gold " hometown medal. All normal world is laughing at his medal for sure unlike about Lewis medal etc alike. Maybe but I never in my life had saw and hired things worse than British refs, judges cards and commentators.
What a Shock in an Era where Corrupt decision seem to be a common occurrence you think Usyk could ne robbed....I would be more shocked if there was not a robbery in quite a few fights on the card.
Why not? A.J does gets till cards vs not enough old opponents. Parker had struggled vs Chisora considerably more than Usyk, he is larger and heavier, younger, with lesser mileage under belt than Usyk. I even had considered that Parker might beat Usyk before Parker vs Chisora fight I had such opinion. Panda was not enough old but from weight he carries around doesn't looks that he does have more muscle mass than Usyk, ofc he does have________more fat. That's all. Panda, while really is highly skilled and with hands maybe even faster than current shape Usyk's hands, does have short reach for modern division and is most leg lazy boxer from top 15 ranked boxers at HW. Usyk while looks is over the hill, even if will have 230 lbs weight at fight night will be more mobile and agile than Parker or Panda on his legs. Even over the hill Usyk does have best legs from current HW top 15. Usyk also is highly experienced and a southpaw, even if we will exclude all his pro fights experience, he had fought vs boxers like Beterbiev in ams, Russo in ams ( I suspect he is better for short fights than Briedis and Gassiev together taken ) , had sparred vs Wlad and Vitali etc. Don't see that this might have low chances to go till cards. He will be more mobile than anyone A.J had fought as a pro boxer despite he looks that is over the hill. Yeah, Usyk does have cons: he doesn't beat such hard like Gassiev, in good shape Briedis or even if compare with prime shape Huck or prime Glowacki, Dorticos. Still he might accumulate effect from his punches. A.J ofc will have reach advantage and height advantage, some weight and S/C advantage too. If he will keep Usyk at distance all fight, he will won on cards due to reach advantage. He might also attempt to clinch fight vs Usyk, Usyk doesn't looks that loves this stuff at all.
I honestly could care less what country a boxer is from. I don't and never have rooted for someone because they are from a certain country. It is a global sport. And I am no casual. Cruiserweight has been a historically weak division. And its latest top two fighters - Usyk and Gassiev - certainly haven't proven otherwise recently even against unranked competition at heavyweight. If Joshua is a great heavyweight, he should have no problem with Usyk.
