Who Thought AJ Was Done At Round Six?

[Stuffs]

Thought he was gone. Not just the knockdown but looked out on his feet. Wobbling, slow, lolling off the ropes. Wlad let him off the hook and tried to nick the remaining rounds.

[lillywhite14]

You could say that about any fight that went this way.

But I'm not in saying about this one vlad of five years ago would've finished him

Joshua of 3 years time would take his head off again.

The Wlad of five years ago is like saying a prime Jack Johnson would have outboxed Joshua last night. Completely irrelevant.

Joshua looked finished but showed he has the bollocks to dig deep and come back and win. This isn't getting off the floor against Steve Cunningham and coming back to beat him in an up and downer, this is way above that.

[samwbr]

But I'm not in saying about this one vlad of five years ago would've finished him

Joshua of 3 years time would take his head off again.

The Wlad of five years ago is like saying a prime Jack Johnson would have outboxed Joshua last night. Completely irrelevant.

Joshua looked finished but showed he has the bollocks to dig deep and come back and win. This isn't getting off the floor against Steve Cunningham and coming back to beat him in an up and downer, this is way above that.

He will never get any credit from some no matter what he does.

[Shirow]

I did wonder why Wlad wasn't pressing his advantage but I think he was being very wary and thinking there is no way this musclebound unit will recover so why not take him even deeper before drowning him.
He should have gambled and sold out like AJ did later but Klit is not a gambler.

[Jackson328]

I said to my lad in the 6th that AJ looked like Bruno in there after he got tagged and he wouldn't go the distance now. I felt that AJ had to find a big punch from somewhere as his legs looked completely gone but he rode it out and came out on his toes after round 10, found that uppercut in the 11th and turned it all around to his credit. It was a great night for so many reasons and Joshua ticked quite a few boxes finally; chin check, gut check, temperament too because the occasion was huge. People will say that a younger man than Wlad might have kept the pressure on after rd6 but watching it back again this morning AJ was doing better than I thought last night. Got to say congrats to Wlad, he really turned back the years and I felt quite sorry for him at the end because I don't like to see a great champion floundering around the ring like that, personally felt the ref could have stepped in after the 2nd knockdown.

[Monte Fisto]

Yes thought he was done and at one point thought his corner would be better off throwing the towel, before he takes a punch that completely derails his career. Glad i was wrong

[GlobalBox]

Wlad sadly for him reverted to type and although Joshua was in trouble he wanted to wait for the perfect shot, Joshua on the other hand once getting the knockdowns threw himself forward and just landed (and to be fair missed) a plenty and left the referee with no choice. If Klitschko did that in 6 or 7 and the fight is over.

So pleased for Joshua that he came through, no hater on either man, just love my sport, both deserve plaudits for the way they conducted themselves before, during and after the fight and I would love to see Wlad leave the sport now, despite thinking he could have won the fight with a little more belief.

Well done to both men this fight was a credit to our sport, people are talking about boxing everywhere today and for the right reasons.

[Mimmy]

Yes thought he was done and at one point thought his corner would be better off throwing the towel, before he takes a punch that completely derails his career. Glad i was wrong

Thats very interesting. I wonder what Rob McCracken was thinking at the time. I wonder if that thought went through his mind.

[vidal]

I couldn't understand why Klitchko kept lunging in with that left hook which had barely landed all night once Joshua was on the ropes. Seemed an odd way to try and finish him.

[JimJim2009]

I couldn't understand why Klitchko kept lunging in with that left hook which had barely landed all night once Joshua was on the ropes. Seemed an odd way to try and finish him.

I noticed that. It won him the fight against unbeaten Pulev, and was clearly a tactic last night. I can see why, he lunges in with it, and if it connects, great, if not, hey presto, immediate clinch and he's so close to Joshua that Joshua can't land on him until they come apart again. Afterwards, Wlad praised Joshua for blocking it so many times.

[Tanzio]

I keep reading how Wlad should have finished him, but that is easier said than done when you are fighting back from nearly being ktfo yourself. He was being prudent because he felt he had to be. None of us know exactly how Wlad himself was feeling in there. He expended a massive amount of energy in the fifth himself. He wasn't as wobbly as AJ at the end of the round but that is a relative assessment.

Wlad was in trouble himself and he thought that the kid might be playing a bit of possum to land another gamechanger. Wlad understood by then the concussive power that he was dealing with.

This was a fight for the ages.

[TheGingerBomber]

I was really worried he was done! But I think AJ is tougher than previosuly thought. Think that goes for Wlad too.

[vidal]

I can see why, he lunges in with it, and if it connects, great, if not, hey presto, immediate clinch and he's so close to Joshua that Joshua can't land on him until they come apart again.

Fair point, I never thought of that...... looks reckless but is quite a clever way of attacking......

I always preferred the windmill

[Oiky]

I thought Joshua was done yes

Wlad just didn't/couldln't follow up and it cost him

Only thing impressive about Joshua last night is how he came back from disaster and got the win, his heart and grit basically, I saw nothing to Joshua last night boxing wise that was impressive and he spent alot of times completely blowing out of his a*se

Full credit to both men though, all in all, boxing won last night, whoever you like or don't like both men gave us a fantastic fight, almost a throwback fight, it had everything a heavyweight boxing match should and I thought it was a cracker

[Autobarn]

I love it how people take an idealised version of Klitschko, like with the current skill level, and say put him in a 30 year old body, then say what he'd have been able to do to Joshua.

First off, boxing is all about people at different stages of their careers facing one another.

Second, you can't put someone in a time machine,

And C, have a look at Klitschko when he was in his mid 20s, with more fights than Joshua, wasting loads of energy and getting worn out by Ross Puritty, a very average fighter.

Or later, when he went in for the kill on Lamon Brewster, left himself spent and got taken out in five.

[Autobarn]

Josh has a hell of a lot of work to do

A hell of a lot

To achieve what excatly ?

He was blowing out of his a*se, he looked clueless for most of it, fair play to Joshua for his win, but to achieve elite level,which I doubt he will, he has so much work to do

Ortiz beats Joshua easy, fury beats him easy, wilder who is sh*t quite possibly KOs him

Wilder who hasn't exactly been demanding a fight with Wladimir Klitschko these last few years...

[Ossyrules]

Josh has a hell of a lot of work to do

A hell of a lot

He's just beat the best heavyweight out there, finally got some rounds and learning experience.'I think it's fair to say the future looks good let's not exaggerate he has a hell of a lot to do. His opponents have more to do

[Ossyrules]

To the OP I did think he was done for sure

[Oiky]

Josh has a hell of a lot of work to do

A hell of a lot

He's just beat the best heavyweight out there, finally got some rounds and learning experience.'I think it's fair to say the future looks good let's not exaggerate he has a hell of a lot to do. His opponents have more to do

And fairplay to him for beating Klitschko. I think its fair to say he dug deep within himself and showed alot of heart and grit but I don't think he looked great tbh, still coming forward in straight lines, very little head movement, at times he was extremely sloppy and his punches had nothing behind them at all

I don't think its an exaggeration at all, and for what its worth I think last nights fight was a cracker and boxing won last night, and both men deserve the height of respect but Joshua was open to the body all night, if someone would exploit that Joshua would be crumpled on the floor especially after the way he was gassing

I also don't think Joshua is chinny as such but his recovery skills are terrible he is all over the place until he probably recovers and against someone who wouldln't let him off the hook this will cost him dearly. Not that Wlad wasn't in cracking shape and condition he just couldln't seem to stick on Joshua when it mattered

Not taking nothing away from Joshua he found something last night and he took it and ran with it to get the win, but I wouldln't say Joshua looked great in his work last night I think his boxing basics and fundamentals are still not very good but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve credit for a fantastic win

[rd350lc]

I also don't think Joshua is chinny as such but his recovery skills are terrible he is all over the place until he probably recovers and against someone who wouldln't let him off the hook this will cost him dearly.

I think I asked somebody else this , but who out there at the moment is there that would give Joshua a fight like Wlad did and not let him off the hook ?

[Oiky]

I also don't think Joshua is chinny as such but his recovery skills are terrible he is all over the place until he probably recovers and against someone who wouldln't let him off the hook this will cost him dearly.

I think I asked somebody else this , but who out there at the moment is there that would give Joshua a fight like Wlad did and not let him off the hook ?

No one to be honest unfortunately.

But I do very much believe if Fury can get back into the right frame of mind and shape that he can beat Joshua, I saw nothing last night from Joshua that would make me think otherwise, Fury wouldln't stop Joshua with head shots we all know that, he's not a big puncher, but like someone else said I think Fury could beat Joshua with a well timed body shot, and Fury mixes his shots up very well, even a non puncher can finish a fight if someone is gassing badly and they club them to the body

[rd350lc]

I also don't think Joshua is chinny as such but his recovery skills are terrible he is all over the place until he probably recovers and against someone who wouldln't let him off the hook this will cost him dearly.

I think I asked somebody else this , but who out there at the moment is there that would give Joshua a fight like Wlad did and not let him off the hook ?

No one to be honest unfortunately.

But I do very much believe if Fury can get back into the right frame of mind and shape that he can beat Joshua, I saw nothing last night from Joshua that would make me think otherwise, Fury wouldln't stop Joshua with head shots we all know that, he's not a big puncher, but like someone else said I think Fury could beat Joshua with a well timed body shot, and Fury mixes his shots up very well, even a non puncher can finish a fight if someone is gassing badly and they club them to the body

As good as Fury WAS at his style of boxing , in all the types he fought did he ever stop one of them with a bodyshot ? it's a genuine question cos' I can't remember tbh .

[Counter-puncher]

I think I asked somebody else this , but who out there at the moment is there that would give Joshua a fight like Wlad did and not let him off the hook ?

No one to be honest unfortunately.

But I do very much believe if Fury can get back into the right frame of mind and shape that he can beat Joshua, I saw nothing last night from Joshua that would make me think otherwise, Fury wouldln't stop Joshua with head shots we all know that, he's not a big puncher, but like someone else said I think Fury could beat Joshua with a well timed body shot, and Fury mixes his shots up very well, even a non puncher can finish a fight if someone is gassing badly and they club them to the body

As good as Fury WAS at his style of boxing , in all the types he fought did he ever stop one of them with a bodyshot ? it's a genuine question cos' I can't remember tbh .

Cunningham was basically folded by a right uppercut to the gut although he was already getting buffeted and pushed and mauled around it was the bodyshot that finished the job. Didn't he finish Rogan with one too, first time he boxed southpaw, as I recall it?

[Oiky]

No one to be honest unfortunately.

But I do very much believe if Fury can get back into the right frame of mind and shape that he can beat Joshua, I saw nothing last night from Joshua that would make me think otherwise, Fury wouldln't stop Joshua with head shots we all know that, he's not a big puncher, but like someone else said I think Fury could beat Joshua with a well timed body shot, and Fury mixes his shots up very well, even a non puncher can finish a fight if someone is gassing badly and they club them to the body

As good as Fury WAS at his style of boxing , in all the types he fought did he ever stop one of them with a bodyshot ? it's a genuine question cos' I can't remember tbh .

Cunningham was basically folded by a right uppercut to the gut although he was already getting buffeted and pushed and mauled around it was the bodyshot that finished the job. Didn't he finish Rogan with one too, first time he boxed southpaw, as I recall it?

the point is Fury has a decent boxing and brain and if he saw AJ gassing like that with the way he mixes up his shots I think he would go to the body and if you are puffing heavy even a half decent body shot will put you on the floor irrespective of how powerful a puncher somebody is

[rd350lc]

No one to be honest unfortunately.

But I do very much believe if Fury can get back into the right frame of mind and shape that he can beat Joshua, I saw nothing last night from Joshua that would make me think otherwise, Fury wouldln't stop Joshua with head shots we all know that, he's not a big puncher, but like someone else said I think Fury could beat Joshua with a well timed body shot, and Fury mixes his shots up very well, even a non puncher can finish a fight if someone is gassing badly and they club them to the body

As good as Fury WAS at his style of boxing , in all the types he fought did he ever stop one of them with a bodyshot ? it's a genuine question cos' I can't remember tbh .

Cunningham was basically folded by a right uppercut to the gut although he was already getting buffeted and pushed and mauled around it was the bodyshot that finished the job. Didn't he finish Rogan with one too, first time he boxed southpaw, as I recall it?

Cunningham was a big looping overhand right to the head .