was Joshua just a belt holder or was he real deal

As WBO Champion he did have to though as that was his Mando

Usyk had also chinned Bellew on PPV and the reported numbers were huge so he was well known

 

I meant that he could have vacated if he wanted to. Non-boxing fans weren't desperate for the fight. I am pretty sure most casuals fell into the narrative that Usyk was lucky to beat Chisora.

For the thread topic, Joshua was definitely a "real champion". The competition at the weight wasn't amazing, but he did beat top contenders at the time in Povetkin and Parker.

 

True but Joshua and Hearn seen a small man put under pressure by Old Journeyman Chisora thinking he would crumble when hit by Joshua.

Both guilty of overestimating Joshua's skills, stamina and power while at the same time underestimating Usyk's skills, stamina and power.

The reality is Joshua was always a good non elite Heavweight, picking up titles through the vacated belt line, while Usyk is simply an elite fighter after totally cleaning out a brutal Cruiserweight Division, winning 3 of the World Heavyweight belts after only 3 fights in the Heavyweight Division and best of all he KTFO Tony Bellew.

 

After days of digging that hole, I would go to bed if gold has not been struck yet.

 

Usyk was definitely known in the UK. His fight with Bellew did over 600k buys and his fight with Chisora did 300k.

 

Of course AJ was a legit champ, and a very good fighter.

He just wasn’t as good as people were making him out to be. No harm in that.

 

He was in the WBSS and would have met Usyk in the final if he did not get knocked out in the final round against Gassiev.

All those guys who entered that tournament were real fighting men prepared to meet all successful challengers in the next round. No duckers in the WBSS Jim unlike the top of the tree in the Heavyweight Division.

Probably the most brutal and best tournament seen in my lifetime.

 

Notice Tony Bellend didn’t enter. Wouldn’t have made it past the semis.

 

Dorticos would have seriously damaged Bellew if they fought.

Bellew seen the WBSS line up and went down the retired Haye route for money.

 

Good post. Yeah I'm not saying theres any finesse to the method, and hearns knows fck all about boxing inside the ring, despite being around the sport for decades. Which is why he's never put AJ in with anyone who can beat him (except the little fatty mexican and the little feather fisted cruiser) and why they are at a complete loss how to match him now.

 

The story about Hearn ringing Sims up saying he had an opponent for Darren Barker but didn’t know much about him is a good one. Sims put the phone down.

It was Golovkin.

 

It would have been a bad look ducking a supossed CW

Look at Fury now lol