Boxing Thread

[Alph]

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 

 

[Rev]

2 minutes ago, BaaLocks said:

I actually think that was the worst decision I have seen on a big fight card. Absolute robbery, the only think I thought was that Martinez was pretty much told before there was no way he was going to win the fight - such was the calm with which he took what was an absolute robbery of it all.

Even Hatton looked like he'd accepted defeat walking back to his corner at the end of the 6th!

I often think the ringside judges must have seen something I've missed at home, but that decision was shocking. 

Lost at least 4 of the rounds, if not 5.

[Alph]

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

[Andicis]

1 minute ago, Alpha said:

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

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

[Alph]

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

[Alph]

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"

[Andicis]

1 minute ago, Alpha said:

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

I always feel aggrieved when the American fighter gets the dodgy decisions, but that Hatton one was egregious. The most obvious homefield gift I've ever seen. 

[De22Ram]

Joshua was always going to struggle against a proper boxer!

Bet furys gutted!

Edited September 26, 2021 by De22Ram

[Bris Vegas]

1 hour ago, Alpha said:

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

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. 

 

[Comrade 86]

@BaaLocks  fai play buddy. You called it pretty much as it was ?

[Alph]

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

Edited September 26, 2021 by Alpha

[Alph]

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. 

[Tombo]

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.

[BaaLocks]

Yeah, the few comments he gave during the fight seemed to show he didn't really have a plan for AJ. It was all pretty much "get the jab going" and nothing else. I agree, AJ needs to go Stateside now for a bit of guidance, get a flight to Detroit maybe? Worked for Lennox.

[SSD]

Watched the replay today. Joshua stiffer than a blue bill. Got out boxed and didn't play to this strengths which is his raw power. Hopefully he can have the big fights vs Fury at some point.

[Alph]

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. 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Alpha

[BaaLocks]

12 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.

He didn't 'let' Usyk do anything - Usyk did it because he's too good at it for AJ to stop him. As you said yourself at the end, Usyk is the better fighter. What worries me about AJ in his press conference is that he is just rolling out all the statements, all the things he thinks people need to hear. Compare that with the Fury clip doing the rounds on social media - responding to Wilder calling him out. That's how you show it's from the heart and not from years of being told what to say.

Edited September 27, 2021 by BaaLocks

[Tombo]

1 hour ago, BaaLocks said:

He didn't 'let' Usyk do anything - Usyk did it because he's too good at it for AJ to stop him. As you said yourself at the end, Usyk is the better fighter. What worries me about AJ in his press conference is that he is just rolling out all the statements, all the things he thinks people need to hear. Compare that with the Fury clip doing the rounds on social media - responding to Wilder calling him out. That's how you show it's from the heart and not from years of being told what to say.

Oh yeah of course, I agree on that. Maybe "let" isn't the word. I did say Usyk was just better and the simplest explanation is usually the closest to the truth.

AJ couldn't have done anything, Usyk was just better 

[De22Ram]

It looks as if AJ was trying to prove hes a boxer and hes never been a technical boxer, simple as! He outboxed ruiz in the second fight but its not hard for a taller man to outbox a much shorter man! All he had to do was keep him on the end of the jab and move, stay out of range, which he did! I know its easy for me to say that but u get my point! Just jab move, jab, right hand move and he wins! Hes a puncher! Usyks movement meant AJ couldnt plant his feet and get his big shots off! 
 

The worrying things for me is his ring IQ and how he cant seem to, or is just too stubborn to adjust his game plan during a fight! And also his engine! He gasses out! Usyks game plan would have been, lots of movement, keep him off balance, keep turning him, throw a few pot shots and counter until Aj slows down and then step it up safely! AJ should have worked out after a few rounds that his plan to box him wasnt going to work and tryed to bully him more! 

[De22Ram]

Full fights on you tube now! The sky sports channel!