When Wlad Lands Clean

[davie]

Joshua is going to brutalise him, and I'm both a fence-sitter a lot of the time and an AJ-hater.

(And a Wlad disliker???)

[Taansend]

The early tactics will be interesting.

Does Wlad think he can win on points? Will he try to lure Joshua into a trap? Or will he go all out in a war?

We saw Joshua get hurt by Whyte when Dillian had a go so what can a bigger, smarter, & bigger punching operator like Klitschko do?

But Joshua is also more experienced now. He's been through being hurt early while Wlad has just gotten older & more stale.

I'm not ruling out a Klitschko knockout but he hasn't stopped anyone after the 6th in SEVEN years. He either wins early or not at all.

[Counter-puncher]

Joshua is going to brutalise him, and I'm both a fence-sitter a lot of the time and an AJ-hater.

(And a Wlad disliker???)

#TeamHumble is more in my face than Wlad, so I dislike them more

[SAPFO]

The thing is that Wlad has never fought to his physical potential. If he went on the attack more he'd be a killer, and he'd blow people away early. But boxing is not just physical power as we learned with Audley.

I keep harping on about this but that left hook on Pulev was a beauty, and something we've not seen much of.


No way on earth AJ takes that shot

[Bard of Boxrec]

The thing is that Wlad has never fought to his physical potential.

Yes he has, at the start of his career. He was good then. At least offensively. Then his style just became offensive to watch.

[Rob3_142]

The early tactics will be interesting.

Does Wlad think he can win on points? Will he try to lure Joshua into a trap? Or will he go all out in a war?

We saw Joshua get hurt by Whyte when Dillian had a go so what can a bigger, smarter, & bigger punching operator like Klitschko do?

But Joshua is also more experienced now. He's been through being hurt early while Wlad has just gotten older & more stale.

I'm not ruling out a Klitschko knockout but he hasn't stopped anyone after the 6th in SEVEN years. He either wins early or not at all.

I get the feeling that the first 1-2 rounds will be extremely cagey, but once Joshua settles and throws a few test the water punches, he'll take off. I don't like that people use the Whyte fight as a yard stick, Joshua was not boxing then, he was in full brawl mode. He was leading with emotions, and it took him until round 4-5 to start boxing behind the jab again.

But you're right, Joshua is only a few years more polished, and Klitschko us only a few years older, so it's only moving in one direction, and that is with Joshua.

[Oiky]

Wlads finished I reckon

[Boxerbeetle]

The early tactics will be interesting.

Does Wlad think he can win on points? Will he try to lure Joshua into a trap? Or will he go all out in a war?

We saw Joshua get hurt by Whyte when Dillian had a go so what can a bigger, smarter, & bigger punching operator like Klitschko do?

But Joshua is also more experienced now. He's been through being hurt early while Wlad has just gotten older & more stale.

I'm not ruling out a Klitschko knockout but he hasn't stopped anyone after the 6th in SEVEN years. He either wins early or not at all.

I get the feeling that the first 1-2 rounds will be extremely cagey, but once Joshua settles and throws a few test the water punches, he'll take off. I don't like that people use the Whyte fight as a yard stick, Joshua was not boxing then, he was in full brawl mode. He was leading with emotions, and it took him until round 4-5 to start boxing behind the jab again.

But you're right, Joshua is only a few years more polished, and Klitschko us only a few years older, so it's only moving in one direction, and that is with Joshua.

The momentum is definitely with Joshua - Wlad looked poor against Jennings and completely shot against Fury.

And for all the talk about Joshua's chin because Whyte wobbled him momentarily, Wlad would probably have dropped like a sack of spuds if he'd walked onto the same punch.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Wlad would probably have dropped like a sack of spuds if he'd walked onto the same punch.

Indeed. it was a crunching left hook.

[TheLeprechaun]

Wlad would probably have dropped like a sack of spuds if he'd walked onto the same punch.

Indeed. it was a crunching left hook.

Good point, never thought of it like that. I doubt Wlad would have eaten that shot and stayed upright. If he did, he'd be in panic mode.

[boxingknockout]

Much as I'd like to see the Humble One (TM) properly humbled, I just don't see Wlad's usually tactics of holding and pushing around his opponent working on Joshua. Joshua is very strong and won't be pushed around. I don't think a UK ref will put up with the holding either. Wlad's chin is extremely suspect and he gets wobbled by seemingly innocuous shots.

BUT he can punch and his jab is good. I just feel Joshua will be too strong, too young and too aggressive.

(However if Wlad uses the same tactics as Gary Cornish did for 50 seconds....for 12 rounds.... we have a fight ladies and gentlemen! )

[gilgamesh]

If he lands clean with the straight right or left hook he has the power to hurt Joshua. He might not get the chance to though. We'll see.

[Bodyshot3]

The early tactics will be interesting.

Does Wlad think he can win on points? Will he try to lure Joshua into a trap? Or will he go all out in a war?

We saw Joshua get hurt by Whyte when Dillian had a go so what can a bigger, smarter, & bigger punching operator like Klitschko do?

But Joshua is also more experienced now. He's been through being hurt early while Wlad has just gotten older & more stale.

I'm not ruling out a Klitschko knockout but he hasn't stopped anyone after the 6th in SEVEN years. He either wins early or not at all.

Agreed on the above Taansend and lots of these permutations early on should make it interesting....

...definitley going to be worth seeing what Wlad can do on the road and as a challenger and also if he's prepared to take a risk or two early on to unsettle AJ and set the tone for the fight.

I am still unsure how that goes to be honest - so many of his German stadium fights have been cruise control numbers - where he's fought to a formula and not had to really crack on and make the running.

He's got to do something a bit different against AJ and I am looking forward to seeing out that pans out.

[dbf]

It just so stacked in AJ's favor. We saw how rusty Haye looked early doors - I think, although a shorter layoff, Wlad will look equally rusty if not at all wild.

Think it will be a sad sight seeing Wlad getting beaten but it's only inevitable at this stage. AJ really has good opportunity to rule the division for some time - just can't see who beats him at the moment.

[crusader]

If the humble one is even 1/2 as good as often hyped, he should easily deal with the old, shot, inactive Wlad.

[Rob3_142]

Much as I'd like to see the Humble One (TM) properly humbled, I just don't see Wlad's usually tactics of holding and pushing around his opponent working on Joshua. Joshua is very strong and won't be pushed around. I don't think a UK ref will put up with the holding either. Wlad's chin is extremely suspect and he gets wobbled by seemingly innocuous shots.

BUT he can punch and his jab is good. I just feel Joshua will be too strong, too young and too aggressive.

(However if Wlad uses the same tactics as Gary Cornish did for 50 seconds....for 12 rounds.... we have a fight ladies and gentlemen! )

I just watched back on the Cornish fight, out of interest. I see what you're saying, but when AJ engages, a jab might no count for much...

[tobyh5]

And for all the talk about Joshua's chin because Whyte wobbled him momentarily, Wlad would probably have dropped like a sack of spuds if he'd walked onto the same punch.

Sorry but what does that mean and where is the relevance to anything? What does your conjecture that Wlad would have dropped like a sack of spuds have to do with the first part of your sentence - Joshua's chin?

[TheGman]

Knockout?

Im sure if any heavyweight had a clean shot at another boxer there can only be one outcome, even if you have a chin like Oliver McCall.

Lewis landed clean a good few times in the 2nd fight and so did bruno and McCall didnt budge

[TheGman]

Whoever wins, as long as they do a Sam Peter and shout "WHO NEXT" I will be happy.

Hahaha "WHO NEX" i thought he said haha

[TheLeprechaun]

McCall made a living taking hidings from prime Tyson as a sparring partner. He probably had the best chin in boxing history

[Boxerbeetle]

And for all the talk about Joshua's chin because Whyte wobbled him momentarily, Wlad would probably have dropped like a sack of spuds if he'd walked onto the same punch.

Sorry but what does that mean and where is the relevance to anything? What does your conjecture that Wlad would have dropped like a sack of spuds have to do with the first part of your sentence - Joshua's chin?

Well I thought it was obvious - what's confusing you?

[boxingknockout]

Much as I'd like to see the Humble One (TM) properly humbled, I just don't see Wlad's usually tactics of holding and pushing around his opponent working on Joshua. Joshua is very strong and won't be pushed around. I don't think a UK ref will put up with the holding either. Wlad's chin is extremely suspect and he gets wobbled by seemingly innocuous shots.

BUT he can punch and his jab is good. I just feel Joshua will be too strong, too young and too aggressive.

(However if Wlad uses the same tactics as Gary Cornish did for 50 seconds....for 12 rounds.... we have a fight ladies and gentlemen! )

I just watched back on the Cornish fight, out of interest. I see what you're saying, but when AJ engages, a jab might no count for much...

Yeah.... I actually think Joshua's power is maybe underrated on this forum. He bowls people over without hitting them clean.

I think that may be the difference.

Having said that this Is one of those fights where very few results (whatever happens) would freak me out. Except maybe Wlad Ko 1-3, as he's safety first.

We might even see a Bruno - Coetzee type ending. I think round 5 will be the key round.

[crusader]

'That punch would've dropped anyone/fighter x' reasoning is often based largely on the reaction of the fighter who actually took the shot, but that calls into question their own durability.

Whyte is nothing more than a solid puncher and the shot didn't look particularly impressive to me. Del took loads of clean punches from him without being wobbled like AJ was...

[tobyh5]

And for all the talk about Joshua's chin because Whyte wobbled him momentarily, Wlad would probably have dropped like a sack of spuds if he'd walked onto the same punch.

Sorry but what does that mean and where is the relevance to anything? What does your conjecture that Wlad would have dropped like a sack of spuds have to do with the first part of your sentence - Joshua's chin?

Well I thought it was obvious - what's confusing you?

Uhm, what does any of that have to do with AJ's chin though? Just because a former champion with a notoriously shite chin may go down from the shot means nothing.

[Boxerbeetle]

Sorry but what does that mean and where is the relevance to anything? What does your conjecture that Wlad would have dropped like a sack of spuds have to do with the first part of your sentence - Joshua's chin?

Well I thought it was obvious - what's confusing you?

Uhm, what does any of that have to do with AJ's chin though? Just because a former champion with a notoriously shite chin may go down from the shot means nothing.

It does when he's fighting the guy we're talking about