I gave Wilder the edge in athleticism over Joshua before their last fights..... But the leaner Joshua is certainly more athletic than Ortiz. Wilder has held advantages over opponents in all his fights....I don't see what he holds over Joshua. Power? Maybe slightly in the right hand....But hasn't showed anything in his left. Athleticism? Wilder was getting walked down by Ortiz. Joshua was moving around Parker for 12.
Joshua isn't a southpaw. Wilder had to adjust and play safety due to the awkward style of Ortiz along with his power. You won't see Joshua walking Wilder down, because that's the direct route to getting his head knocked off his head. Joshua has only faced one top opponent who had power to threaten who was the same size as him and that was Klitschko who was coming off a 2 year lay off. Breazelle of course was taller but he posed no threat at all. No power, no defence and no idea what to do in the ring. The young ones who did have power in Whyte he almost got knocked out by. For Parker he lost a ton of weight for so he could work behind the jab towards a safe dull UD win. The advantages Wilder holds over Joshua are - Better chin - Better jab - Bettter footwork - And most importantly devastating one punch knockout power that sends his opponents to sleep for good.
Better chin? He's been hurt by Molina. Better jab? He was outjabbed by Washington. Better footwork? He was walked down by Ortiz. Stop this nonsense. Wilder beats Joshua by a right hand. Joshua beats Wilder by a right hand, a left hand or as you put it 'A safe dull UD'. I'd like to point out to you that a 'safe dull UD' is the most comprehensive way to demonstrate you're a superior boxer.
Breazeale has no power? 85% KO ratio and stopped Molina faster than Wilder did. He broke Mansour's jaw too. All he has is power and size. As for Wilder... Better chin, based on what being rocked by Molina, dropped by Sconiers and Nicols? Better jab, really, he was out jabbed by Washington who's jab is awful. Look at how Miller just wlaked through Washington's jab. I don't think Joshua has a great jab, Wlad's was better, so was Lewis', but it's better than Wilder's little flick jab which has no authority to it. Better footwork, lmao. Joshua doesn't move well, as he holds his feet, but he's Ali like in comparison to Wilder who trips over his own feet. Wilder does hit hard, maybe even harder than Joshua but the problem he has he's not great at applying that power effectively. Which is why guys like Joshua, Breazeale and Povetkin have stopped guys he has fought quicker than Wilder.
This fight ain't gonna happen anytime soon, folks. This is why.... https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/joshua-wilder-not-gonna-happen.609308/
There’s a lot of tunnel visioned nonsense on this thread. Wilder has two chances in this fight The first is his home run right hand punch which carries enough power to either end the fight or put Joshua in so much trouble that Wilder can jump on him and finish it. The issue for Wilder is getting enough room to land it, Wilder has to stand back and then sling the punch out wide to generate the power, like the tip of a baseball bat. He won’t be allowed that room by Joshua because Joshua matches his reach and will be comfortable standing right in front of Wilder. The second is he may show us something we haven’t seen much of from him before! He’s obviously been working on his jab, although contrary to some opinions, it’s nowhere near as good or authoritative as Joshua’s jab. However, Wilder looks as though he’s trying to generate an old fashioned straight one-two off that jab and maybe he can bring that into play to some effect and unsettle Joshua’s game plan. I think on what we’ve seen and what we know of both fighters, Joshua is a big favourite to win. Forget 40 fights Vs 20 fights it’s who they are right now that matters and it’s their recent experiences that will serve them in this fight. On that front Joshua comes to the fight better prepared than Wilder because of the recent quality of his opponents and his experience of huge occasions, big stadium atmosphere and the pressure of a unification contest. The fact that Joshua delivers his punches more directly, by that I mean they travel the shortest distance, means 99 times out of 100 he’ll beat Wilder to the punch and Joshua’s most dangerous power shots like the left hook and right uppercut are delivered from that range. He’ll be right in Wilders face closing the distance throughout the fight, one thing I noticed during the Parker fight was that Joshua had improved his footwork to cut off the ring and has obviously studied how Golovkin does it, watch the fight with this in mind and you’ll see it as clear as day. Much like Wilder, if Joshua lands and buzzes his opponent he will finish him off in brutal fashion. Finally I think Wilder will realise that if Joshua comes in at around 240lbs - 244lbs then stamina won’t be a problem and Wilders advantage in athleticism will be marginalised. So I think Wilder will come in heavier than previous fights in an attempt to build his own durability and endure Joshua’s power and strength in the early rounds and that might be a big mistake. Joshua by TKO round 7
Joshua beats Wilder because he has size, power and a jab. Wilder couldn't handle Washington, he's in way deep against Joshua. If Wilder suddenly developed some footwork and a jab he'd have a chance to stop Joshua late. No signs yet.
He was hurt by Molina you say? How many guys have hurt Joshua? Lets name them Wladimir Whyte Price Okolie Dubious. Some of those men didn't just hurt Joshua, they either knocked him down or completely rendered him unconscious As for the safe UD, my point was that there is no way Joshua is going 12 rounds with Wilder. It gets to the later rounds and it's over for your darling. No opponent has ever taken Wilder to the distance, EVER.
Wilder is taller than Joshua at 6'7 and has the longer reach, and hits harder. So how on earth can you say he has size and power over Wilder? He's has a more compact frame at 240, yet he gave up size and power for movement against Parker so he could jab his way to victory against the smaller man. He won't have that reach or height advantage over Wilder. He either throws caution to wind by coming in heavy and seeking to take Wilder out in the first 5 rounds or he goes in lighter and hopes to jab his way to a UD against a guy who has taken every single opponent out within the distance. It's one or the other, he can't do both.
https://www.understood.org/en/learn...ntial-skills-needed-for-reading-comprehension He's going to have a substantial skill advantage over Wilder and coupled with his size and power, it's going to be decisive. Or, he could just box normally and beat Wilder's beanpole frame into a pulp. Every single one of Wilder's wins has an asterisk next to it. Most of them are (*bum) but others are: Ortiz skilled but ... (*really old) Duhaupas big but ... (*featherfist) Washington big but ... (*big stiff idiot) Szpilka skilled but ... (*little guy) etc ... They're all lacking in some key area that made them fall sort. Joshua is lacking in no key areas and ticks all the boxes. Wilder is going to be dog treats.
There’s less than inch difference in height (around 2cm) so neither fighter can really claim an advantage in this respect. That said Joshua has fought opponents who are taller than him, Breazeale being an example while Wilder hasn’t fought anyone with a height advantage and a decent skill set. With regard to power, I think it’s obvious to anyone thinking objectively that Joshua is physically more powerful than Wilder. Wilder does not hit harder, he has a very powerful haymaker punch that he need room and time to deliver, room and time that he’s been allowed when fighting poorer boxers, room and time he’s unlikely to get easily against Joshua. In general Joshua hits harder via the jab, left hook and right uppercut, all of which are infinitely and continuously more deliverable than Wilders Hail Mary. Again there’s a 1inch reach advantage in Wilders favour, it’s there but it’s so small it’s really not worth talking about. However, since it’s being mentioned, it is negated by Wilders lack of footwork and inability to judge distance, Wilder does not have the ring smarts or Generalship to get close without being hit by Joshua’s more direct punching. Joshua will box behind a ramrod jab and a tight defence, he’ll catch Wilders stock short shots on his gloves and shoulders while denying Wilder the room the leverage and distance he requires to throw his bomb. Joshua will physically bully Wilder in the clinches while landing hooks and uppercuts in close. Wilders propensity to retreat in a straight line with his arms flailing outward will leave him wide open for Joshua right cross. Wilders in trouble in this fight!
This. I see the fight going the same way as Bonecrusher Smith Vs. Frank Bruno with Joshua gassing out and Wilder swinging for the fences until he knocks Joshua out. This content is protected I can hear it now when Joshua gets knocked out "The end of the Joshua story" or "Anthony Joshua's career must now be in tatters" from the overly dramatic British announcers.
He has a significant speed advantage...his greatest attribute IMHO because it's how he generates his power. If you don't think Wilder moves faster and more athletically than AJ, then you obviously don't watch the two guys fight very often.
I'll give Wilder this specific edge: he seems to have a great engine and doesnt gas. If Wilder can get through the first 4-5 rounds unscathed while making AJ work, he could gas him out. If Joshua is gassed, then I think Wilder could stop him. But it's getting through the early parts without being tenderized that's the hard part.