Anthony Joshua: Thoughts

[SteveDow]

Just thought I'd start up a thread getting the thoughts of people on Anthony Joshua in terms of his skills, future and of course the Olympic final result.

To start with the Olympic final result, I thought he lost the fight narrowly and was lucky to get what was basically a hometown decision. I can't see that he did nearly enough to get the verdict by 3 points in the last round and if I'd had any vested interest in Camerelle I'd have been fuming. That said, for a guy who has had only 43 amateur bouts it's a remarkable achievement to have won an Olympic gold medal and he seems like a nice guy so good luck to him regardless of the controversy.

In terms of his skills, I have to say I'm not especially impressed. I'd never seen him fight before the Olympics but had heard a lot of hype on here and other boxing forums about how this guy was the next Lennox Lewis and the most talented heavyweight boxer we've had for a while. Maybe I'm being harsh but I just don't see it. Joshua, for me, has really poor footwork and head movement and looks to have stamina problems as well. It is difficult to comment on his power but that did not seem exceptional either although he looked like he could take a decent shot. All in all, I think he has a huge amount to work on in terms of fundamentals.

With regard to the future the temptation to go pro will be almost certainly too much to resist financially. However, I think he would be better off having another couple of years as an amateur given his age just to tighten up his obvious flaws.

Thoughts?

[RJP]

Just thought I'd start up a thread getting the thoughts of people on Anthony Joshua in terms of his skills, future and of course the Olympic final result.

To start with the Olympic final result, I thought he lost the fight narrowly and was lucky to get what was basically a hometown decision. I can't see that he did nearly enough to get the verdict by 3 points in the last round and if I'd had any vested interest in Camerelle I'd have been fuming. That said, for a guy who has had only 43 amateur bouts it's a remarkable achievement to have won an Olympic gold medal and he seems like a nice guy so good luck to him regardless of the controversy.

In terms of his skills, I have to say I'm not especially impressed. I'd never seen him fight before the Olympics but had heard a lot of hype on here and other boxing forums about how this guy was the next Lennox Lewis and the most talented heavyweight boxer we've had for a while. Maybe I'm being harsh but I just don't see it. Joshua, for me, has really poor footwork and head movement and looks to have stamina problems as well. It is difficult to comment on his power but that did not seem exceptional either although he looked like he could take a decent shot. All in all, I think he has a huge amount to work on in terms of fundamentals.

With regard to the future the temptation to go pro will be almost certainly too much to resist financially. However, I think he would be better off having another couple of years as an amateur given his age just to tighten up his obvious flaws.

Thoughts?

He looks and fights like exactly what he is: a big, athletic novice.

Lots of promise and great physical attributes and, by the looks of things, a good head on his shoulders, but equally very raw and lots of flaws.

As I've stated a few times, this lad needs to ignore the shark smiles and empty promises that'll come his way and stick around the ams for a few years yet.

So much still to learn and he'll gain far more in the amateur circuit than he would fighting stiffs in the pros.

[NazNaci1]

The main thing I have noticed, lack of skills apart, is that he is slow and too mucslebound. His speed wont improve and that will cause him problems. As I said in a previous post, I have no axe to grind but he wasnt the best SHW in Olympics and that was a poor, poor division.

The Pro ranks and hype will ensure he doesnt stay AM. He just reminds me of a raw Bruno.

[yiddo14]

Fair amount of potential there, the 12-18 months is huge for his development.

Remember though, David Price, a seasoned vet who plenty tip for the top never got close to Cammarelle every time they fought. The Italian would always outclass him, yet Joshua has given him two tight battles in the past year and as mentioned above, he is still a novice.

Certainly agree with him being a bit too heavy muscled. Stiffens him up.

Could do with getting around the world for sparring. Get involved with the Klits, Haye, go over to the states etc.

[NazNaci1]

Fair point, Yiddo. The version that beat Price would have cracked Joshua too. Joshua squeezed past and older, slower, tired Cammerelle twice. Today's 'win' was fortuitous but we shall watch his progress

[jameswilson]

Fair amount of potential there, the 12-18 months is huge for his development.

Remember though, David Price, a seasoned vet who plenty tip for the top never got close to Cammarelle every time they fought. The Italian would always outclass him, yet Joshua has given him two tight battles in the past year and as mentioned above, he is still a novice.

Certainly agree with him being a bit too heavy muscled. Stiffens him up.

Could do with getting around the world for sparring. Get involved with the Klits, Haye, go over to the states etc.

That's one thing that will stand him in decent stead if he turns pro was he took some fairly flush shots off Camarelle and he didn't look like getting put down. I dunno if he ever has been put on his backside or stopped as an amateur but he seems to have a decent chin. He didn't seem to clever tactically tho, almost constantly circling the wrong way against a southpaw which made life very difficult. I'll be suprised if he boxes again in Rio but he may fight at a World championship before turning pro.

[SteveDow]

Don't misinterpret my original post as one that thinks Joshua has no chance of making it as a pro. Itwas more just an assessment of what I saw duringthe games. I'm suretheguy could have a good pro career with a few more years experience butthe chances of him beingthe next Lennox are extremely remote for me.

[Bennyblanco]

Let's not forget he's only 22 and he's only been boxing 4 years. For the record I think he just did enough to win the final, although his first fight against savon was a definite hometown decision.

Staying in the ams for a few years would definitely benefit him but on a strictly selfish point I would love to see him go pro now. I think he's got all the right attributes to be a good pro ie size, power, height etc he just needs the right team around him to point him in the right direction.

[yiddo14]

Fair point, Yiddo. The version that beat Price would have cracked Joshua too. Joshua squeezed past and older, slower, tired Cammerelle twice. Today's 'win' was fortuitous but we shall watch his progress

Not sure any version of the Italian would have battered Joshua. The big lad seems sturdier than Pricey.

If he makes the right decisions regarding his set up etc over the next couple of years he can make a sizeable impact on the pros.

[yiddo14]

Don't misinterpret my original post as one that thinks Joshua has no chance of making it as a pro. Itwas more just an assessment of what I saw duringthe games. I'm suretheguy could have a good pro career with a few more years experience butthe chances of him beingthe next Lennox are extremely remote for me.

Lennox Lewis is one of the top 5 or 6 heavyweights of all time! Fighters of his ilk rarely come around. Joshua ain't the new Lennox, it's unfair to compare him to such a great.

[NazNaci1]

Fair point, Yiddo. The version that beat Price would have cracked Joshua too. Joshua squeezed past and older, slower, tired Cammerelle twice. Today's 'win' was fortuitous but we shall watch his progress

Not sure any version of the Italian would have battered Joshua. The big lad seems sturdier than Pricey.

If he makes the right decisions regarding his set up etc over the next couple of years he can make a sizeable impact on the pros.

I think the Beijing version would. This version hurt Joshua on occasion, it seemed. Squeezing past an older, slower, heavier version, twice doesn't really stack up as being better, potentially or otherwise, than Pricey. Both Fury and Price will still be about and it will be interesting to see how he fares against them. For now, I sense 2-3 yrs of knockover jobs which wont actually do him any good or help improve him but will interest SKY TV and public.

[yiddo14]

I think he can reach their level no problem. Potentially he can beat both. Will be fun to watch it all unfold.

[NazNaci1]

That is the main thing mate. It will be fun. Hopefully we are still both about to see it and discuss

[jessi]

The guys just won an Olympic GOLD and we seem to be picking thoughts already, but that's the world we are in I suppose !
I think the first fight and the last fight of his olympic campaign were both close and could of gone either way, the fact it was in London helped !

His skills are novice like but that's exactly what he is, 40 wins from 43 bouts !

As much as I think he would benefit from another 4 years as an amateur I think he will make the move to the pros fairly soon, I don't see any reason why he can't be a successful professional in the right hands !

I shall follow the rest of his career with huge interest. Congratulations Anthony your the new super heavyweight olympic champ

[yiddo14]

Forgot to say I'm delighted for him!

Top stuff

[Old bones Ian]

Alot on here are forgetting that the Olympic boxing program is changing for Rio, some pro's will be allowed to box in it. Joshua might be tempted to go into the Aiba pro boxing team, as he will get good pay and be allowed to box in the next Olympics, providing he qualifies.

There are alot of changes coming up, and he'd be wise to take his time in deciding what to do.

Good luck to him,

[ArtOfWar]

Let's hope this AIBA thing is more organised than the other pro/am outfit that some of the boxers in these Olympics qualified from. Apparently all the boxers were told that they would be paid and their results wouldn't count towards their pro records. However, it appears the results of these contests DO count towards the fighters pro records.

http://www.maxboxing.com/news/max-boxin ... g-fighters

As for Joshua I thought the Italian did enough to win. Joshua has a lot of physical tools, but his very rigid at the moment. I would stay in the ams for a couple more years if I were him. The expectation in the pros will be massive, and I don't think he's ready for it. It will be a massive headache for him.

[iamasadlittleboy]

Let's hope this AIBA thing is more organised than the other pro/am outfit that some of the boxers in these Olympics qualified from. Apparently all the boxers were told that they would be paid and their results wouldn't count towards their pro records. However, it appears the results of these contests DO count towards the fighters pro records.

http://www.maxboxing.com/news/max-boxin ... g-fighters

As for Joshua I thought the Italian did enough to win. Joshua has a lot of physical tools, but his very rigid at the moment. I would stay in the ams for a couple more years if I were him. The expectation in the pros will be massive, and I don't think he's ready for it. It will be a massive headache for him.

The more we blur the lines between amateur and pro the messier records are going to get. Whether thats a good thing or a bad thing is up for debate but it we count them then when will we begin to count white collar fights?...

[Bard of Boxrec]

Wow, lots of negative on here. I think he could be a good pro. He did look better in the worlds though. All that muscle won't be helping him, who on earth is advising this guy to hit the weights like that???

[yiddo14]

Time waits for no man, he has just won Olympic gold. Got to ask what can he achieve to top that?

Go pro. If he makes the right choices he will develop correctly.

[He's Gone Jim!]

Thought he won a close but deserved verdict. No way did he deserve to be 3 down going into the last, if anything I had him slightly ahead.

Physically I think his limitations have been covered here already. Slow,raw and muscle bound but seems to have a decent attitude. He held it together well in a high pressure situation unlike the more talented Evans.

[Deadendgeneration]

Hear that he's staying am, at least until after the Worlds next year. A wise choice.

[Tommy Gunn13]

I thought he lost 2 of his 4 bouts,but he is the Olympic champion..For someone so young the world is his oyster&he has massive potenial

[ILikeBeer]

Bit rubbish.

[mickey1975]

Hear that he's staying am, at least until after the Worlds next year. A wise choice.

Crazy, could write his own cheque right now and fight alot easier opponents than he will in the Worlds.