Anthony Joshua vs. Charles Martin (c) - April 9th 2016

[lefty]

Ps i've surpassed Joshua's physique with my boiled chicken breast and veggies and two protein shakes a day. Hardwork and dedication.

[chinarich]

Martin beats Joshua. There, I've said it...

[jameswilson]

Cmon there's no need for the passive-aggressive tone when I just asked a simple question. Anyway, A stone of pretty much pure muscle (because his body fat % is clearly very low) over a two year period is still quite a lot actually unless you're new to lifting with Joshua clearly isn't. On top of that, his training regime would be more rigorous now than when he was an amateur weighing in the low 230's, particularly cardio wise and thus burning more calories and yet his weight has gone up versus down. I mean I guess that's normal though. That's ignoring the fact that he has a rather strange looking stomach which can be a symptom of a certain Hormone but we can give him the benefit of the doubt on that.

Before I write any of this I wanna make it clear I'm not for a second trying to say he is clean. But for me I see a big difference between someone with roid belly and what Joshua has. If he had clear roid belly, it wouldn't matter how hard he sucked it in, he would never get his abs in and they would always be right out beyond his chest. Roid belly is basically a by product of the side effect of water retention which steroid users can in some cases suffer from. To me it doesn't look like Joshua has any water retention at all. Also roid belly quite often goes hand in hand with bitch tits, which Joshua again doesn't have.

Like I say, would I be surprised if he failed a test? Hell no. I just don't think he is actually suffering from the side effect some people are trying to suggest he is. I honestly think some photos are just catching him breathing out. When he stands and flexes on the scales his abs are tucked right in, and when body builders suffer with roid belly they can get a 6 pac going but it is always protruding right out.

[crusader]

AJ's gut protrudes too often (you can see it in weigh-in pics from many fights and his opponents don't have it) for me to think that he just got caught breathing out, and even against fleshy Whyte/Johnson he was the one with the belly.

It looks downright odd in this photo:

[jameswilson]

AJ's gut protrudes too often (you can see it in weigh-in pics from many fights and his opponents don't have it) for me to think that he just got caught breathing out.

Even against fleshy Whyte he was the one with the belly.

For me these are examples of roid belly, or 'protruding guts.'







Even when you factor down how much smaller Joshua is I think there's a marked difference between those guys flexing and not being able to suck it in and what we see in the below images.

[BitPlayer]

I think you cherrypicked some extreme examples there, and all older too. I don't think there's enough evidence to conclude he's on PEDs, but just taking some very extreme examples and him not matching isn't a great counter. It's a bit shitty since you can't really prove you're clean, so it's not like there is a way to get good counters.

[crusader]

RIght, no one is saying his gut matches the most extreme cases you csn find among bodybuilders. I also don't mean to suggest that the gut proves he's on something, but it's part of why his physique clearly looks unnatural to me.

[jameswilson]

I think you cherrypicked some extreme examples there, and all older too. I don't think there's enough evidence to conclude he's on PEDs, but just taking some very extreme examples and him not matching isn't a great counter. It's a bit shitty since you can't really prove you're clean, so it's not like there is a way to get good counters.

Roid belly is an extreme side effect tho. It's extreme water retention in that area. I honestly don't think Iv ever seen any boxer suffering from it, even looking back at ones who have tested positive for steroids. It's something that (in my opinion) only comes out when a guy is going mad with the amount of steroids he's taking, ie bodybuilders or gym rats who don't have to worry about a drugs test and just go ott on it.

My main argument on it tho is that guys with roid belly can not suck their stomachs right in to do a good 6 pack flex. There's too much water retention behind the stomach muscles for them to do it.

On top of that, without knowing what he is on (if he is indeed on something) I'd assume he would be long off the drugs by now. Possibly 6 weeks plus off the drugs. I don't think the side effects would linger for weeks afterwards. But then in saying that I see other British heavyweights getting into the ring displaying blatantly clear side effects of steroids so what do I know.

[balham red]

Anyone got a good explanation for taking the time out after the Ams and before starting pro?

That should tell you all you need to know.

[lefty]

I think you cherrypicked some extreme examples there, and all older too. I don't think there's enough evidence to conclude he's on PEDs, but just taking some very extreme examples and him not matching isn't a great counter. It's a bit shitty since you can't really prove you're clean, so it's not like there is a way to get good counters.

Roid belly is an extreme side effect tho. It's extreme water retention in that area. I honestly don't think Iv ever seen any boxer suffering from it, even looking back at ones who have tested positive for steroids. It's something that (in my opinion) only comes out when a guy is going mad with the amount of steroids he's taking, ie bodybuilders or gym rats who don't have to worry about a drugs test and just go ott on it.

My main argument on it tho is that guys with roid belly can not suck their stomachs right in to do a good 6 pack flex. There's too much water retention behind the stomach muscles for them to do it.

On top of that, without knowing what he is on (if he is indeed on something) I'd assume he would be long off the drugs by now. Possibly 6 weeks plus off the drugs. I don't think the side effects would linger for weeks afterwards. But then in saying that I see other British heavyweights getting into the ring displaying blatantly clear side effects of steroids so what do I know.

Roid gut tends to be linked to HGH usage. So there's going to be a lot of boxers that have failed drug tests for Test or something else along those lines but which don't have the same kind of side effects.

[Sklar]

Roid gut tends to be linked to HGH usage.

It does but that may well be misguided. It's a contentious subject. Protracted and extreme use of insulin and consuming very high amounts of carbohydrate is a more probable explanation of the severe examples that James posted up, rather than water retention.

The bodybuilders of the seventies and early to mid eighties didn't have those guts, and because the appearance of them tied in with the increased use of HGH people put it down to that, rightly or wrongly. That the marked increase in the use of insulin in conjunction with HGH also picked up then was initially overlooked as a cause.

[HellraiserBoxing]

So who wins? And which round?

[palooka]

Anyone got a good explanation for taking the time out after the Ams and before starting pro?

That should tell you all you need to know.

Didn't Campbell also have some time off?

[lefty]

So who wins? And which round?

I've put some money on Martin via stoppage but i'm an idiot.

[lefty]

Roid gut tends to be linked to HGH usage.

It does but that may well be misguided. It's a contentious subject. Protracted and extreme use of insulin and consuming very high amounts of carbohydrate is a more probable explanation of the severe examples that James posted up, rather than water retention.

The bodybuilders of the seventies and early to mid eighties didn't have those guts, and because the appearance of them tied in with the increased use of HGH people put it down to that, rightly or wrongly. That the marked increase in the use of insulin in conjunction with HGH also picked up then was initially overlooked as a cause.

Yeah the old correlation doesnt equal causation. That's a fair comment.

[Oiky]

So who wins? And which round?

I've put some money on Martin via stoppage but i'm an idiot.

i have aswell

war martin

[lefty]

So who wins? And which round?

I've put some money on Martin via stoppage but i'm an idiot.

i have aswell

war martin

fornicate it. The odds were enticing so I went with it

[the_doctor]

I've put some money on Martin via stoppage but i'm an idiot.

i have aswell

war martin

eff it. The odds were enticing so I went with it

Exactly my thinking - I think I got about 6/1 which seems ridiculous considering one lucky punch could do it at any time

Don't get me wrong, I think Joshua will win but it was far too tempting. I must be a bookies' dream

[Casper Gomez]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?site=&s ... 9V3AaaM%3A Andre berto's is similar to AJ and he was a drugs cheat

[wesshaw1985]

embarrassing...

[lefty]

i have aswell

war martin

eff it. The odds were enticing so I went with it

Exactly my thinking - I think I got about 6/1 which seems ridiculous considering one lucky punch could do it at any time

Don't get me wrong, I think Joshua will win but it was far too tempting. I must be a bookies' dream

Yeah im bloody regretting it now .... oh well lol

[Rexob]

Joshua I want some Asda and Ikea sponsor now bitches!

[WildWaylon]

Hughie fury would be a fight that could sell well. There's loads of potential marketing angles and tag lines for it.

That's not a bad call and an interesting fight. Fury would fight like a pit bull unleashed. Couldn't see him beating AJ though. The fight I would really like to see with two belts on the line is AJ versus Wilder. Hard to pick a winner IMO.

[rd350lc]

Hughie fury would be a fight that could sell well. There's loads of potential marketing angles and tag lines for it.

That's not a bad call and an interesting fight. Fury would fight like a pit bull unleashed. Couldn't see him beating AJ though. The fight I would really like to see with two belts on the line is AJ versus Wilder. Hard to pick a winner IMO.

There is no way Fury's team would take this fight at this stage in his career

[wesshaw1985]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY4PZ9gkRg8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nejxa9bqNYE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN_ypwPBnZA

if Chisora wins I'd go with him next, if Parker wins there is an option there. Stiverne and Breazeale would be a good tests aswell...