Wladimir Klitschko sparring with Gerald Washington

[gp.]

If Joshua wins he'll be the most popular heavyweight champion here in the UK since Bruno.

Credit to both guys for taking the risk, especially Wlad for taking the bigger one. He probably sees AJ's lack of speed and movement (British boxing disease far from being eradicated even in 2017) as a chance to tie him up and test his chin. The big problem is that AJ punches harder than Fury, a lot harder. There is a real risk of this ending early.

This could be Tyson v Holmes all over again, and Wlad doesn't have Larry Holmes' legs or chin. The detractors can say what they like but these guys are fighting in the most dangerous division and, not to mention Deontay Wilder, are the best we have right now.

You don't think he is already? The most popular ... since Bruno that is.

I think AJ's supposed lack of speed and movement is a fallacy. I reckon it was the speed and the movement combined with the power, that produced that look of sheer disbelief on Charles Martin's face when he got dumped on his arse for the first time. "WTF was that !?" his expression said.

Joshua is making his third title defence. Even allowing for the fact that none of them have been world beaters, does it not seem incongruous to anyone else that for a guy allegedly lacking in movement, that we should still be wondering about his ability to take a punch?

I believe there is a tendency to mistake a lack of movement for an economy of movement, AJ it seems to me, is very adept at slipping punches with very small movements. Whether he will be able to reproduce that feat against a shrewd cookie like Klitschko is another question, but I'm going to stick my neck out and predict that we will still be asking questions about how AJ might react to getting hit really hard on the chin, this time next month.

You see, I would have read Charles Martin's body language and expression from the opening bell to be pretty much saying "Shit, I wonder how long it is before I get knocked on my arse". This is no knock on Joshua but Martin was so far out of his class it was painful to watch, and I think he knew this as well as anybody.

[candyslim]

He didn't look at all relaxed from the start I'll give you that, but was that the occasion and the atmosphere rather than any preconception about any class disparity? He probably found out quickly about that (class disparity) but as the first bell rang their achievements were very similar in fact Martin as defending champion probably had the edge.

You didn't offer a comment about speed and movement which is of course your prerogative but I'm interested in your opinions whether or not they coincide with mine.

[Thomastearns]

If Joshua wins he'll be the most popular heavyweight champion here in the UK since Bruno.

Credit to both guys for taking the risk, especially Wlad for taking the bigger one. He probably sees AJ's lack of speed and movement (British boxing disease far from being eradicated even in 2017) as a chance to tie him up and test his chin. The big problem is that AJ punches harder than Fury, a lot harder. There is a real risk of this ending early.

This could be Tyson v Holmes all over again, and Wlad doesn't have Larry Holmes' legs or chin. The detractors can say what they like but these guys are fighting in the most dangerous division and, not to mention Deontay Wilder, are the best we have right now.

Joshua's lack of speed? His speed at putting punches together is one of his strengths

OK! Perhaps I should have been more specific - its his movement around the ring, (footwork - lack of), that whilst not in the Frank Bruno class of statue impersonations, is still very ordinary and will get exposed against the more elusive opponents he will have to face. Brave Bruno suffered enormously under the Terry Lawless coaching regime when faced with US fighters.

It was Sheffield's Brendan Ingle who introduced a more mobile style of boxing (quick feet plus head movement) here in the UK with great fighters like Herol Graham, Naseem Named and Johnny Nelson etc.

Foot speed can be taught a lot easier than hand speed, and should be. The good thing about Joshua is that he seems genuinely keen to learn, and here's a great opportunity.

[Ossyrules]

If Joshua wins he'll be the most popular heavyweight champion here in the UK since Bruno.

Credit to both guys for taking the risk, especially Wlad for taking the bigger one. He probably sees AJ's lack of speed and movement (British boxing disease far from being eradicated even in 2017) as a chance to tie him up and test his chin. The big problem is that AJ punches harder than Fury, a lot harder. There is a real risk of this ending early.

This could be Tyson v Holmes all over again, and Wlad doesn't have Larry Holmes' legs or chin. The detractors can say what they like but these guys are fighting in the most dangerous division and, not to mention Deontay Wilder, are the best we have right now.

Joshua's lack of speed? His speed at putting punches together is one of his strengths

OK! Perhaps I should have been more specific - its his movement around the ring, (footwork - lack of), that whilst not in the Frank Bruno class of statue impersonations, is still very ordinary and will get exposed against the more elusive opponents he will have to face. Brave Bruno suffered enormously under the Terry Lawless coaching regime when faced with US fighters.

It was Sheffield's Brendan Ingle who introduced a more mobile style of boxing (quick feet plus head movement) here in the UK with great fighters like Herol Graham, Naseem Named and Johnny Nelson etc.

Foot speed can be taught a lot easier than hand speed, and should be. The good thing about Joshua is that he seems genuinely keen to learn, and here's a great opportunity.

I agree with that post except the stuff re Joshua

When he won Olympic gold he didn't ko his way there. He needed foot work. I think his foot work being labelled slow or poor on these forums is exaggerated. Only against Whyte when he was tagged and heavy legged did it look ponderous. But I attribute that as much to that he had been buzzed. The rest of his pro career I do t see much wrong.

He doesn't fight like fury, he wants to engage, so he's planting his feet a lot more.

We will see vs Wlad how his foot work features