Anthony Joshua isn't scheduled to fight Sprott any more

[black panther]

I understand what people are saying about one fight at a time but if he's good enough and professonal enough it shouldn't matter if his entire career path is mapped out ahead of time. He'll still either win, lose or draw. Should he come a cropper, plot a new course.

This is a good point and I heard a good interview with Paulie Malignaggi about this sort of thing recently. The process for fighters in America is generally (Deontay Wilder aside, it would seem!) for them to fight the best out there as soon as possible so they don't stagnate, you don't generally see 'gimme' fights for American world champions for example to keep busy. The gist of what Paulie was saying is that essentially you don't know how good a fighter is until you put him in that position. Look at George Groves; a lot of people were saying Froch would spark him out in a couple of rounds and he wasn't world class etc, that was proven to be incorrect, and he showed he belongs in the top category at SMW by stepping up to a level he hadn't got anywhere near before.

I say Joshua needs to be fighting big names ASAP, and as you say, plot a new course if he does lose. Didn't do Mike Tyson much harm, statistically there are very, very, very few fighters who will remain unbeaten, and most that do lose, say they learn most from those fights. David Haye being a perfect example.

Joshua v Lewison soon, test him, and them if he wins, get him in with the fringe world class fighters, the loser of Fury/Chisora for example.

Have you ever boxed mate? Sorry if this sounds condescending but the conditioning, experience, nuances and skills to compete at world level takes years to acquire.

Joshua hasn't been boxing very long at all and still has a lot to learn. To step in with Fury/Chisora this early is a silly risk.

[Horse]

Bit of a contradiction...

Rankings aren't based on ability

[MarkMcBurney]

Rankings aren't based on ability

Nope but we're talking about Horse's rankings.

That's Horse, as in sh*t.

[MarkMcBurney]

I understand what people are saying about one fight at a time but if he's good enough and professonal enough it shouldn't matter if his entire career path is mapped out ahead of time. He'll still either win, lose or draw. Should he come a cropper, plot a new course.

This is a good point and I heard a good interview with Paulie Malignaggi about this sort of thing recently. The process for fighters in America is generally (Deontay Wilder aside, it would seem!) for them to fight the best out there as soon as possible so they don't stagnate, you don't generally see 'gimme' fights for American world champions for example to keep busy. The gist of what Paulie was saying is that essentially you don't know how good a fighter is until you put him in that position. Look at George Groves; a lot of people were saying Froch would spark him out in a couple of rounds and he wasn't world class etc, that was proven to be incorrect, and he showed he belongs in the top category at SMW by stepping up to a level he hadn't got anywhere near before.

I say Joshua needs to be fighting big names ASAP, and as you say, plot a new course if he does lose. Didn't do Mike Tyson much harm, statistically there are very, very, very few fighters who will remain unbeaten, and most that do lose, say they learn most from those fights. David Haye being a perfect example.

Joshua v Lewison soon, test him, and them if he wins, get him in with the fringe world class fighters, the loser of Fury/Chisora for example.

Have you ever boxed mate? Sorry if this sounds condescending but the conditioning, experience, nuances and skills to compete at world level takes years to acquire.

Joshua hasn't been boxing very long at all and still has a lot to learn. To step in with Fury/Chisora this early is a silly risk.

I didn't suggest Chisora or Fury now, I suggested Ian Lewison now....

He's not stepped up in level at all so far!

[Counter-puncher]

The process for fighters in America is generally (Deontay Wilder aside, it would seem!) for them to fight the best out there as soon as possible so they don't stagnate, you don't generally see 'gimme' fights for American world champions for example to keep busy.

that seems, to me, to be nonsense if you really study the careers of a lot of the top american fighters

[Horse]

Nope but we're talking about Horse's rankings.

Which are based on achievements.

That's Horse, as in sh*t.

What an idiotic comment.

[Tomasino]

The process for fighters in America is generally (Deontay Wilder aside, it would seem!) for them to fight the best out there as soon as possible so they don't stagnate, you don't generally see 'gimme' fights for American world champions for example to keep busy.

that seems, to me, to be nonsense if you really study the careers of a lot of the top american fighters

X2

[ILikeBeer]

I understand what people are saying about one fight at a time but if he's good enough and professonal enough it shouldn't matter if his entire career path is mapped out ahead of time. He'll still either win, lose or draw. Should he come a cropper, plot a new course.

At the level he is fighting at the moment, I don't think it's too big an issue.

Much though I like Sprott, he's not exactly a glamour fight. Or a fight that Joshua is going to get ahead of himself thinking about. Sprott is a former British champion who isn't young any more, but will still give it a go. I have a lot of respect for Sprott, but he's being brought in as a stepping stone, not a genuine contender as somebody who would beat Joshua.

I could understand it more if people were saying; "Win three more titles and you'll get a big title", then he might start thinking ahead and not concentrating on his next opponent.