Alph

4 hours ago, Kathcairns said:

You loved him as england manager then, nobody was queuing up to employ him, only us, but thats just my opinion which is different to yours. So we will agree to dissagree

I was only joking that Newcastle don't like any manager.

I loved him as Derby manager because we played good football and won a lot. That's what it's about for me. Fun

7 minutes ago, norwichram said:

They loved Rafa 

 

1/100. 

Have they ever warmed to Bruce. Oof they hated that appointment ? 

fwiw I'm enjoying getting older. Tbh I feel like I can connect with more people about more topics

With food I used to think idgaf what I eat. But now I don't think 'idc'. I actually like more flavours

My taste in music hasn't changed much imo. Lmao.

Also I feel more relaxed about football. If Derby lose I'm like 'ggs' 

Anyway, I gtg rn because I'm ngl but I'm really busy. I won't go into detail, I'll keep that on the dl. So I'll stfu

ttfn guys. 

EZ. 

1 hour ago, Kathcairns said:

As i said am not a nigel fan. The geordies never wanted him and were happy when he went

Have they ever had a manager they want? 

2 hours ago, Tombo said:

With the height, reach and weight advantage, it wasn't a bad idea in theory to try to keep Usyk at distance.

Problem is that AJ isn't good enough at it. He just stood there like a big dumb statue and let Usyk inside. Man of his power should not let the smaller man inside without retribution via a big stiff heavy shot.

Usyk was just better, end of story. There was no tactical decision he could have made to win that fight. Usyk is just the better fighter.

Usyk is the better boxer. Everyone knew that before the fight. So don't box him. Rough him up. There were moments where AJ closed the gap and did nothing. I think there was maybe 3 or 4 clinches in 12 rounds and AJ stupidly was happy to break on the refs command without imposing his size. 

AJ said in the interview after "I wanted to prove I'm the better boxer. I'm a boxer fighter" (you're very much a natural powerhouse first)

McCracken worryingly said "There is no going back to the drawing board. We don't scrap anything we build on it" (build on what? It was a war he managed to lose with dignity despite being unarmed)

Sometimes you gotta win ugly. Like when Lewis managed to stop the Vitali Klitschko fight. He used the laces of the gloves to rake cuts on Klitschko.

I look at a guy like Lewis Hamilton who will push the boundaries and test every corner of the rulebook. That's where AJ needs to go here

He's gotta get horrible. He's got to spoil the boxing imo. And from there he can get some right hands off and take that punchers chance. 

Watching the fight back

AJ, ditch Rob McCracken. Other fighters have had to seek out other trainers. It's not unusual. 

He may be great for team GB and bringing people through but he isn't winning you those titles back. 

9 hours ago, Bris Vegas said:

It’s a tough one.

He was his normal bullish self against Andy Ruiz but quickly found out Ruiz had faster hands and AJ was there to be hit.

In the Ruiz ll fight, AJ stayed behind the jab and just controlled it comfortably.

I think the tactic was similar tonight. The difference being Usyk has far more head and lateral movement AJ couldn’t tag him while being out of range for counters. It became a boxing match which Usyk won.

If AJ goes bullish again in the rematch, I think he’s in danger of getting knockout out to Usky’s quick counterpunching. 

I think AJ’s corner envisioned a similar fight to Ruiz ll and opted for similar tactics. I predicted it pre-fight and thought AJ would win on points and it being a bit anti-climaxing.

But Usyk I think surprised AJ and his team wirh how good his movement is. 

I could be wrong, but on that evidence I only see AJ with a puncher’s chance of winning the rematch. 

 

And to add to that I think AJ is likely to get caught swinging that right if he continues to try and soften Usyk up with jabs to the head imo. He's simply not skilled or quick enough. Stiff low jabs will be enough to stall what is still a small framed heavyweight and then try to use that to put pressure on and control the ring. 

In 36 minutes I only remember Usyk being backed up once where Joshua could have applied some pressure. 

Joshua is also too clean. Like @Andicissays, he's terrible in a clinch

3 minutes ago, Andicis said:

Nope. Absolutely robbery. They weren't even being subtle. 

That's horrible for everyone including Hatton. Imagine that kind of "gift"

7 minutes ago, BaaLocks said:

The 7th round was pivotal - AJ came back into it in six and seven but the Usyk came back and that seemed to break Joshua. By the end he had that rather 'what's going on' look about him. I respect him totally for testing himself against the best, he could have ducked this fight for the big payday but he didn't because he wants to have the big fights. But I really struggle to see much different that AJ could do in a second fight that would reverse the decision.

I know, it's a big worry now. 

Who came up with the tactics? 

Right AJ, I want you to work off the jab and wait patiently for an opportunity to land the right. One punch will knock him out. He's not undisputed, unified cruiserweight champion with Olympic medals, World series championships who's known for his high punch output and elusive movement. Slim down and box him. 

Riiiight

I was distracted during the Hatton fight but I didn't give him a round. Did anyone?

1 minute ago, Rev said:

You were tonight, I think.

What did you make of the ground/occasion?

Ground is pretty generic imo. Impressed by the size and there's not a bad view to be had. 

But the event was amazing. As show it was great mate. Great backing for Joshua. Great atmosphere and a positive one. Not a knob head in sight 

All AJ can do is wait for pockets of success and pile on pressure. He'll never win Usyk at boxing. 

Fury would use his height. He'd use his reach and his weight. He'll come for Usyk now

He might as well have come in at 16st. He has weight, height, reach and power advantage and spent all night trying to box. 

I wanted to see more jabs to the chest from AJ. The chest doesn't move. Pin Usyk. 

He also should be looking to tie up more often. Use that weight. 

And twice Usyk looked shaken and hid it behind behind unusually wild swings. But he never followed it up

The fight went exactly as I thought for 7 rounds and I thought any minute now AJ is going to start throwing. Coincide pressure with Usyk feeling the extra weight last 5 rounds of a HW fight he should be piling it on  

Instead he fought clean. He tried to jab the head and work from there. Terrible game plan.

Usyk boxed great. Changes height, angles and distance at will. Controlled the fight. Responded well to being knocked by getting busy and buying himself time and control of the ring. 

Ruiz lived on 1 punch that scrambled AJ. Which he delivered after being put on his backside.

Ruiz fought Arreola since and looked 2nd best often

8 minutes ago, Beetroot said:

Ruiz was a mess for that second fight. I'd have beat him. AJ got his head boxed in tonight.

Ruiz got smashed and would again in a third fight

Come on AJ, lad!!!

50 minutes ago, BaaLocks said:

Yeah, that was not the way to manage the pre-fight hype. Just about his only chance was to get taken too lightly but he pressed the detonator on that option.

Yep! He's going to get crushed. He even lost the fight at the conference on points ? 

Double post

Hey what about Caleb Plant v Canelo

How smashed up Plant going to be? As if anyone needs an angry Canelo

Buy a 25th anniversary Lamborghini Countach

Crash it

Regret buying a 25th anniversary Lamborghini Countach

12 hours ago, BaaLocks said:

Can't argue with that as a proposal - gonna make things pretty interesting if AJ goes into the championship rounds behind on the cards

You just have to hope for a fair scorecard

I want Joshua to win of course but when a boxer gets robbed it's horrible. 

I heard there's a rematch clause but I assume it's only one way? I hope it's not in play if AJ wins. 

The Fury undisputed fight will be even less likely than it already is. 

Jourdan, you sound quite cynical.

You could be 100% right. Rooney could turn out to be a complete con. 

But I would rather be an idiot and believe it all. Just because I find it unhealthy to be so cynical about everything. If newspapers were about all the good things that happen in the world then I'd read one. 

Believing Rooney is speaking from the heart gives me great encouragement and positivity. Ultimately it doesn't even matter if it was a PR stunt because it's worked on a lot of people. 

The alternative is rolling my eyes and thinking he's just another mercenary that will look after #1. Then I'm left feeling miserable. My chance to feel happy comes when? When proven right and Derby fall even further into despair? Nope, there's no chance of happiness then. 

I said enjoy the good times under Mac, some people moaned and missed that chance. Are they happier now? 

I would advise anybody to be gullible sometimes . To be naive sometimes. If it brings you happiness and doesn't leave you any more vulnerable than being cynical then what harm can it do? 

I mean, at the end of the day he might be sincere and you've robbed yourself of the chance to feel positive and rejuvenated. 

As for results proving anything? I guess it depends what you consider a good result in this mess. Promotion would be a good result but we have to be realistic about our capabilities and if more deductions come then finishing with 35 points could be a result! 

40 minutes ago, BaaLocks said:

Usyk is a whole different level to Takam, Povetkin or Ruiz in technical skills, he's obviously not quite Loma in terms of footwork but his technique is top level indeed. Joshua is a great boxer and you can't deny he has much on his side but he has always been prone to being a little wooden and open - it's something he's worked on a lot but Usyk will have a pretty solid game plan around angles and speed that Joshua is going to have to work hard to not get caught out by.

And this idea that Usyk is somehow small and doesn't pose a danger - I'm sure Bellew would have a view on that and the David Allen interview on Sky Sports Boxing suggests also this is not some puffed up lightweight going for a dance around points win.

In conclusion, yup I agree - I think AJ will come through after a tough old scrap, probably late rounds TKO, but if Usyk wins there will be something inside that says 'yup, can't say I didn't see that coming'.

I'm basing my opinion on Usyk being too small on his fights with Witherspoon and Chisora. I don't think he looked comfortable in clinches and even shots he blocked seemed to momentarily take his balance slightly. Neither man was able to pile on pressure but I think someone the height and speed of AJ will be able to follow up. 

I rate Usyk. I've seen all his fights that there are to see. I know he's very dangerous. 

Boxing, I agree that he's levels above Takam and Povetkin. Boxing, I'd say he's the best heavyweight. 

But those guys have the build and natural weight. Usyk doesn't look natural at that weight imo. 

But I'm not saying this is easy for Joshua at all. If Usyk wins I wouldn't be shocked either. It's a very good match

I know he's going to be the better boxer and he's going to land so many more shots than all of AJ's opponents possibly including Wlad. Definitely no dismissing him. 

Wouldn't surprise me if Usyk take 5 or 6 of the first 6 or 7 rounds and inflicted some injuries. But I just think when AJ has some success that Usyk is going to struggle with a 6ft 6" athletic 17-18st very heavy handed heavyweight. 

Oh, I do think AJ is gonna take some heavy shots though. Usyk will cut through his defence. 

But ultimately I think he's too small to get the stoppage and when AJ senses his chance to put the pressure on that he will be too big and strong for Usyk. Just like with the Pulev fight AJ's power will start having an effect past the halfway stage. 

Definitely going to know he's been in a fight though. Like the Takam and Povetkin fights where he had to battle through some pain

I'm there Saturday night. Can't wait. 

Although I really don't like Okolie. Have to resist the urge to celebrate if he somehow loses. I imagine he's massively popular in that part of the world. 

AJ by TKO in 11.