Anthony Joshua

[Bard of Boxrec]

Agree with those who say he's too bulky. What is a heavyweight of Joshua's size thinking when he hits the weights like he must do? He's doing himself no favours whatsoever. Has there EVER been an example of an already-big heavyweight who benefitted in some way from getting more muscle mass?

I could almost understand Haye doing it to get bigger but Joshua doing it is crazy.

[leejoorin]

Which was ?

That promoters tend not to really promote all that much any more, and that outside the big names the shows depend on ticket selling by fighters.

Wait, I managed to get that and you didn't.

[Parson Cross]

You don't get me.I just like making Columbo get on his orange box.
Stop spoiling my fun - whoever you are.

[lefty]

You don't get me.I just like making Columbo get on his orange box.
Stop spoiling my fun - whoever you are.

I didnt comply though

[Parson Cross]

[reggaereggae]

Joshua is the new Bruno. He will flatter to deceive

[Bard of Boxrec]

Way more fluid than Bruno.

[fizzjambo]

Joshua's career progress will be an interesting test for Matchroom. Moving young heavyweights is as challenging as any weight as with the talent pool as shallow as it is it can be easy to have 12-16 fights and then get thrown in the deep end to early. The media hype that surrounds any young heavy adds to this, especially one with Joshua's amature pedigree and Gold at a home Olympics.

He obviously has huge potential but there is a world of difference from facing the like of Sexton to Sprott. Neither has great power, both are short and of similar build, but Sprott has faced many a 6,6 monstor and knows how to take them deep. I'd back Joshua to deal with Sexton fairly easily this summer, but Sprott is an undue risk at that stage.

He obviously needs to be constantly tested but not rushed. Price could point to the difficulty in that

[reggaereggae]

Way more fluid than Bruno.

Yes you're right, but I think Bruno punches harder

[lefty]

Way more fluid than Bruno.

I disagree. He looks stiff as a board. He's got fast hands when he throws in combination but his footwork looks like shit. He's flat footed. Lewis moved far better than Joshua does and I'd say Wlad does aswell.

[Parson Cross]

Extra extra read all about it.
Novice pro not as good as Bruno Lewis or Wlad.
fornicate me if he was a Yank he'd be a national hero.
Get behind him ffs.

[palooka]

Extra extra read all about it.
Novice pro not as good as Bruno Lewis or Wlad.
eff me if he was a Yank he'd be a national hero.
Get behind him ffs.

well said

[orbtastic]

Makes me laugh how much of a critic everyone is. Wasn't so long back people were adamant he should stay pro.

If he fights anyone half decent before ten fights then he's either rushed or they're washed up bums (speculation so far).

If he keeps winning with ease he's fighting pushovers.

If he bombs them out they've been paid to fall over or the ref is in on it.

If he turns up in good nick he's hitting the weights too hard, or put too much bulk on.

[lillywhite14]

One of Wlad's strengths is his footwork, it's hardly surprising Joshua isn't quite as good in that department!

The comparisons with Lewis are to be expected but eff me, Lennox Lewis was one of the greatest ever heavyweights.

He is on to a hiding to nothing with some it seems.

Right now he looks better after four fights than any British heavyweight since Lewis. That's not a bad start.

[SNG]

Makes me laugh how much of a critic everyone is. Wasn't so long back people were adamant he should stay pro.

If he fights anyone half decent before ten fights then he's either rushed or they're washed up bums (speculation so far).

If he keeps winning with ease he's fighting pushovers.

If he bombs them out they've been paid to fall over or the ref is in on it.

If he turns up in good nick he's hitting the weights too hard, or put too much bulk on.

...lasts longer than three rounds with a perceived pushover and his careers over and he was never any good to begin with.

He should be having at least 15/16 fights before he starts stepping up his competition. I never understand the reason to rush fighters, look at Price as a prime example. Should have been nowhere near a guy like Tony Thompson at 15/0.

[lefty]

Makes me laugh how much of a critic everyone is. Wasn't so long back people were adamant he should stay pro.

If he fights anyone half decent before ten fights then he's either rushed or they're washed up bums (speculation so far).

If he keeps winning with ease he's fighting pushovers.

If he bombs them out they've been paid to fall over or the ref is in on it.

If he turns up in good nick he's hitting the weights too hard, or put too much bulk on.

...lasts longer than three rounds with a perceived pushover and his careers over and he was never any good to begin with.

He should be having at least 15/16 fights before he starts stepping up his competition. I never understand the reason to rush fighters, look at Price as a prime example. Should have been nowhere near a guy like Tony Thompson at 15/0.

No the issue was that he went from the likes of Skelton, Mcdermott, and sexton to Thompson, that was the problem.

[lefty]

Extra extra read all about it.
Novice pro not as good as Bruno Lewis or Wlad.
eff me if he was a Yank he'd be a national hero.
Get behind him ffs.

Well going on that logic, I guess Degale should be a national hero then.

[palooka]

I can't see your logic there pal; Joshua has been boxing about (or less than) 5 years's been a pro less than a year and had 4 bouts; it is unfair to compare any aspect of his game to a reigning world champion or a retired great. It'd be unfair to compare Luke Campbell to Gamboa or Danny Garcia - they have to develop and improve before a comparison is fair.

[SNG]

Makes me laugh how much of a critic everyone is. Wasn't so long back people were adamant he should stay pro.

If he fights anyone half decent before ten fights then he's either rushed or they're washed up bums (speculation so far).

If he keeps winning with ease he's fighting pushovers.

If he bombs them out they've been paid to fall over or the ref is in on it.

If he turns up in good nick he's hitting the weights too hard, or put too much bulk on.

...lasts longer than three rounds with a perceived pushover and his careers over and he was never any good to begin with.

He should be having at least 15/16 fights before he starts stepping up his competition. I never understand the reason to rush fighters, look at Price as a prime example. Should have been nowhere near a guy like Tony Thompson at 15/0.

No the issue was that he went from the likes of Skelton, Mcdermott, and sexton to Thompson, that was the problem.

That was kind of my point.

[lefty]

...lasts longer than three rounds with a perceived pushover and his careers over and he was never any good to begin with.

He should be having at least 15/16 fights before he starts stepping up his competition. I never understand the reason to rush fighters, look at Price as a prime example. Should have been nowhere near a guy like Tony Thompson at 15/0.

No the issue was that he went from the likes of Skelton, Mcdermott, and sexton to Thompson, that was the problem.

That was kind of my point.

It wasnt the number of fights though. It was the drastic jump in competition.

[lefty]

I can't see your logic there pal; Joshua has been boxing about (or less than) 5 years's been a pro less than a year and had 4 bouts; it is unfair to compare any aspect of his game to a reigning world champion or a retired great. It'd be unfair to compare Luke Campbell to Gamboa or Danny Garcia - they have to develop and improve before a comparison is fair.

No that is true but you can compare their natural attributes.

[stevedoc]

i think some times we forget that lennox wasn't that brilliant at first , i see a couple of his early fights live and he wasn't amazing more just got the job done . and josh looks the same .as for big frank the guy had a brilliant jab and power and he did very well to be the heavy weight champion of the world beating the man who beat the man .
i think joshua will be the real deal ,obviously it's easy to say that about an olympic gold medalist but i think we will all enjoy the ride while it lasts

[CiganoBoxer]

I am not quite there on the AJ hype train yet , wanna see what is chin and gas tank is like when the going gets tough .
Wonder what all the muscle mass is gonna feel like after 5 rounds ? ,when he's in with a live dog that can take a punch and give one back

[palooka]

I can't see your logic there pal; Joshua has been boxing about (or less than) 5 years's been a pro less than a year and had 4 bouts; it is unfair to compare any aspect of his game to a reigning world champion or a retired great. It'd be unfair to compare Luke Campbell to Gamboa or Danny Garcia - they have to develop and improve before a comparison is fair.

No that is true but you can compare their natural attributes.

It would be very difficult to judge what is 'natural' and what has been improved by specialised training, particularly with elite amateurs being on full time training regimes and professional sportspeople having very efficient methods of training available. No doubt Joshua was a very athletic specimen before he began to train regularly but it's a bit like the chicken and the egg.

[palooka]

[quote="stevedoc"]i think some times we forget that lennox wasn't that brilliant at first , i see a couple of his early fights live and he wasn't amazing more just got the job done . and josh looks the same .as for big frank the guy had a brilliant jab and power and he did very well to be the heavy weight champion of the world beating the man who beat the man .
i think joshua will be the real deal ,obviously it's easy to say that about an olympic gold medalist but i think we will all enjoy the ride while it lasts[/quote]

I saw Lennox at Sheffield beating Dan Murphy and he didn't look half as good as I imagined he'd be and he was about a tenth as good as he ended up being.