Anthony Joshua......a bit too much hype.

[Quix]

First off, i think that Joshua has some talent, is young, confident and reminds me of a young Lennox Lewis about the time that he fought Frank Bruno. After only 19 fights Joshua has done well and though the heavyweight division at the moment is extremely weak, you can only fight what is put in front of you. This criticism isn't necessarily towards Joshua himself, it's towards the media in general who seem eager to claim Joshua as the king supreme and one of the best heavyweights of all times before he has achieved anything of real significance. It seems as if everyone is in a bubble of adulation, that is affecting their judgement and their memories. For me, this is one of the weakest heavyweight era's i can think of and i can go back a long way. This era is weaker than with pre Tyson days of Gregg Page, Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas and Tim Witherspoon. It's certainly nowhere near the Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis and Bowe era. I don't follow boxing as closely as i once did, but if Tyson Fury is seen as one of best future fights, than that doesn't say a great deal. The stiff who Joshua fought before Klitschko was terrible and i don't know that much in all honesty about Deontay Wilder. I may be wrong, but from what i can tell, the heavyweight scene is very thin on the ground with regards to quality fighters and i think that your career is ultimately judged on the quality of the opponents you faced and beat. This is essentially why Lennox Lewis is seen as a true heavyweight great for the fights he had, particularly the two against Holyfield and the fight with Tyson. Of course, there is still times for two or three great fighters to come along over the next few years and create great rivalries for Joshua.

I thought the fight with Klitscko was good and it was entertaining. It was always going to be about whether Klitschko's experience but aging body would prevail or succumb to Joshua's lack of experience, but youthful athleticism and confidence. In the end Joshua prevailed and won a good fight and due respect for that. He did beat a former world champion and a man who until recently had dominated the heavyweight division, so he deserves praise and respect. However, i think some of the comments by the main stream media have been over the top to say the least. It was a tough fight for Joshua. He was put down in the 6th round and was almost out on his feet. He struggled somewhat in the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th rounds, before having a great 11th round and credit for the tremendous upper cut that led to the stoppage. However, Klitschko is 41 years old !! He was dominated quite a bit for most of the fight and a younger fighter would have taken Joshua out when he was put down. Yet i am reading that the likes of Martin Samuel are saying that Joshua ought to be knighted for what he has done so far for Boxing and Jeff Powell saying he put the Klitschko - Joshua fight in his all time top five heavyweight fights. He is even being talked up in the same terms as Ali !! All for fighting in a very weak division and beating an ex world champion who is 41 years of age. The only thing i can think of is that there is a collective bubble of people who gain financially from over hyping Joshua. This is essentially done through clever marketing and that part of the over hype and marketing strategy is an over exaggeration of his abilities and achievements to date. The hope is to bring about a huge fan following who believe the hype and see the money roll in. I'm not being cynical, it's just what i see happening at the moment.

Thoughts ?

[rd350lc]

You can only beat what is in front of you and at the present time he will beat allcomers .

The heavyweight scene maybe a bit weak but that isn't Joshuas problem .

Great win against and all time great for me .

[Quix]

You can only beat what is in front of you and at the present time he will beat allcomers .

The heavyweight scene maybe a bit weak but that isn't Joshuas problem .

Great win against and all time great for me .

Well, ive more or less said the same about it being a good win, but i am on about the over the top reaction to the fight. It doesn't seem balanced or measured in anyway, it's just superlatives and hype. Klitsckho is 41 years of age and the division is weak, so its silly in my eyes to claim he is some sort of king of boxing akin to Ali and up their with the greats who could be knighted tomorrow lol. Klitscko is a good fighter, but his best years were spent fighting weak and inferior fighters, which isn't his fault, but that is why i wouldn't put him as a future hall of famer. I wouldn't say that Joshua will beat all comers, not after seeing large parts of that fight. If his opponents are like the guy before Klitcscko, then yes, but he was just a punching bag and nothing of any note at all.

[CaptainSpacerod]

I agree that he's greatly over hyped but if an Olympic champion with an unbeaten record and a 100% KO ratio can't be over hyped then who can. If he knocks out Wilder and Fury in the next year or two then he probably deserves the hype.

I thought the fight itself was probably the best heavyweight title fight for 20 years or so.

[Stuarty]

Maybe a bit too much hype. It's went in to overdrive since Saturday. I like the guy as a fighter I have to say but he showed some vulnerabilities on Saturday. That probably makes him even more marketable.

When you cut through all the bullshít and media savvy pish he spouts he seems a fairly grounded guy. He knows he's not the finished article and will continue to keep trying to improve.

I'd like to see him come in lighter next time, move his head a bit more and work on his feet. I thought he looked a bit slower than we're used to seeing him against Wlad.

[Mimmy]

Of course he's over hyped its called marketing. His team are doing their upmost to secure AJ's long term future and doing a great job, but while AJ is over hyped hes not doing bad for a 19 fight novice to beat a 65 fight ex world champ with 19 title defences.

IMO the hype is working.

[rd350lc]

I'd like to see him come in lighter next time, move his head a bit more and work on his feet. I thought he looked a bit slower than we're used to seeing him against Wlad.

Agree with this , he did look slower , maybe Wlads lightness on his feet ( For a 41 year old !) made it look worse and his team must have had a reason for the all time high weight , but I don't think it did him many favours.

[cold187]

AJ can be great

but on 01/05/2017 his resume is still below the likes of bloody john Ruiz
remember john ruix beat names like TONY TUCKER, HOLYFIELD, RAHMAN and GOLOTA
like AJ, he beat good guys whom were past their peak

[forcefraser]

I just watched the fight again in full. I actually had it level going into the 11th. Originally I had Wlad 1 up.

The first 4 were very tight, but josh edged the majority.

The fight was obviously epic, but when you know the result many of the rounds were not great.

Joshua didnt look as hurt as I originally thought. He winked going back to his corner at the end of the 7th. That was when he knew he was back in it, then he started the talk. Mighty impressive from Joshua to come through that like he did. The guy is still a novice.

[lillywhite14]

I just watched the fight again in full. I actually had it level going into the 11th. Originally I had Wlad 1 up.

The first 4 were very tight, but josh edged the majority.

The fight was obviously epic, but when you know the result many of the rounds were not great.

Joshua didnt look as hurt as I originally thought. He winked going back to his corner at the end of the 7th. That was when he knew he was back in it, then he started the talk. Mighty impressive from Joshua to come through that like he did. The guy is still a novice.

That's why I feel the hype is almost justified. He's a novice, yet despite his faults, he is answering questions, in the limelight and is now pretty much recognised as the main man at heavyweight ( Fury being inactive ) and all after 19 fights. He's getting better with every fight, showing a bit more here and there etc

[KiwiRider]

Maybe a bit too much hype. It's went in to overdrive since Saturday. I like the guy as a fighter I have to say but he showed some vulnerabilities on Saturday. That probably makes him even more marketable.

When you cut through all the bullshít and media savvy pish he spouts he seems a fairly grounded guy. He knows he's not the finished article and will continue to keep trying to improve.

I'd like to see him come in lighter next time, move his head a bit more and work on his feet. I thought he looked a bit slower than we're used to seeing him against Wlad.

Agree, and train at altitude so he doesn't get gassed!

[BitPlayer]

Agree, and train at altitude so he doesn't get gassed!

It probably wouldn't do much. There's a massive genetic component to your how "fit" you can be. He just needs to work on his pacing.

[Quix]

I agree that he's greatly over hyped but if an Olympic champion with an unbeaten record and a 100% KO ratio can't be over hyped then who can. If he knocks out Wilder and Fury in the next year or two then he probably deserves the hype.

I thought the fight itself was probably the best heavyweight title fight for 20 years or so.

He deserves praise, but the hype has been an over kill in my opinion. I think you have to keep things in proportion, especially the journalists and commentators who have covered the sport for the last 30 odd years. Talking about being knighted and being akin to the next Ali after beating a 41 year old ex world champion who has been inactive for a while, is slightly embarrassing on their part.

[Quix]

Of course he's over hyped its called marketing. His team are doing their upmost to secure AJ's long term future and doing a great job, but while AJ is over hyped hes not doing bad for a 19 fight novice to beat a 65 fight ex world champ with 19 title defences.

IMO the hype is working.

I would prefer to see journalists call it as it is, ie, a novice fighter who is talented and has done well to gain a world title in a short spell of time, albeit in a very weak division. If Joshua is the business and the heavyweight division has sufficient quality, he will make loads of money anyway, without all the hype which has been slightly embarrassing on the part of the Journalists since Saturday.

[Quix]

AJ can be great

but on 01/05/2017 his resume is still below the likes of bloody john Ruiz
remember john ruix beat names like TONY TUCKER, HOLYFIELD, RAHMAN and GOLOTA
like AJ, he beat good guys whom were past their peak

Casuals look at a fight like Klitscko vs Joshua and believe what the main stream media tells them, in relation to how good a victory it was. Die hard fans that look at the sport in a more nuanced way can see a different narrative and your example of John Ruiz beating some good names is an example of that. Its all about when you fight a named and great fighter, not just simply fighting him.

[straali]

Thank goddess for a sensible original post with some perspective.
The adulation from supposed expert mainstream writers has been hyperbolic.
Ron Lewis listing the fight as comparable to all time 5 best HW bouts. It's absurd.
HW division seems to hold some mesmeric appeal for the public. I have tended to view it as a circus sideshow in comparison to the rest of boxing for the last 10 years. A big blob like Ruiz Jr is a top 10 fighter for gods sake.
It's all too much.

[Nightmare Roy]

He had a few amature fights and won a Olympic Gold, he's not even had 20 pro fights and won two world titles and beaten an ATG who turned up to really win and he's KO'd everyone put in front of him. Not sure what else he's expected to do. He deserves huge credit after the other night, he answered a lot of questions.

[Tanzio]

Agree, and train at altitude so he doesn't get gassed!

It probably wouldn't do much. There's a massive genetic component to your how "fit" you can be. He just needs to work on his pacing.

. . . and avoid getting kicked in the head by mules.

[Controversial]

Social media creates legends and heroes out of people that most of us would never have heard of pre-internet times. I often shake my head at some of the halfwits on trash TV that are then described as 'celebs' and treated as such. That's the way it works now.

I would agree that AJ is being held in almost godlike status now, as others have said the HW division is really weak, the fact Charles Martin can claim he was the IBF world champ says it all. Saying that none of this is AJ's fault, he is a fantastic role model and appears so far to be doing and saying all the right things. He's a Olympic gold medalist and unbeaten world champ and he has only been boxing 10 years. That still requires talent and dedication. Good on him thats all I can say, he will bring new interest to the sport and inspire others to follow in his steps, thats how new talents are often found.

[Tanzio]

Ron Lewis listing the fight as comparable to all time 5 best HW bouts. It's absurd.

What is "absurd" about comparing Joshua v Wlad to the "all time 5 best HW bouts?"

Can you name five heavy weight championship fights that you have seen that were better?

This fight and these fighters deserve all the hype that they have received for this game changing event for boxing. If anything has been over hyped it is Fury v Wlad which was absolutely horrid for promoting the sport. On top of that the worship of a person who has made a mockery of himself and the heavy weight championship itself is what is 100% absurd.

[Mimmy]

Of course he's over hyped its called marketing. His team are doing their upmost to secure AJ's long term future and doing a great job, but while AJ is over hyped hes not doing bad for a 19 fight novice to beat a 65 fight ex world champ with 19 title defences.

IMO the hype is working.

I would prefer to see journalists call it as it is, ie, a novice fighter who is talented and has done well to gain a world title in a short spell of time, albeit in a very weak division. If Joshua is the business and the heavyweight division has sufficient quality, he will make loads of money anyway, without all the hype which has been slightly embarrassing on the part of the Journalists since Saturday.

This day and age and especially with the weakness of the division do you think that most boxers these days are in it for the money or for the guts and glory, blood sweat and tears? I personally think there will be a small number of top rated boxers and not only boxing but other sports too where money is big that top quality sports persons are in their chosen sports not for the blood and guts, but purely to make as much money is a short space of time possible. While their profile is big everyone wants to know and thats where the cash cow is.

Sports stars come and go in a short space of time, possible 10 years max their potential is where they can makae a huge amount of money. The working man on the street has to keep up his profile for 40 or more years to earn enough to keep his family afloat and get a holiday a year.

AJ was lucky enough to win a gold medal, have a great body and made to be a likeable person, the cash register was kerchinging from the olympic games and has been bursting ever since. Lets see what is money making potential is in another 10 years time now he is at his peak of financial gain.

If you are good at something cash in asap, people are fickle and someone is aruond the corner to take over when AJ has gone.

[TheGingerBomber]

At one end of the spectrum, Tyson Fury could beat the top 90's fighters.

At the other end, Szpilka and Browne are fighting for titles.

[youngrell]

Prior to Saturday night there absolutely was way too much hype surrounding Joshua, as we had yet to see him tested properly to be declaring him the best at anything.

However, Saturday night he answered pretty much every question that boxing fans had about him and has proven he deserves the hype after all.

Bizarre to come up with this now after his performance at the weekend.

[pablothunder]

I just watched the fight again in full. I actually had it level going into the 11th. Originally I had Wlad 1 up.

The first 4 were very tight, but josh edged the majority.

The fight was obviously epic, but when you know the result many of the rounds were not great.

Joshua didnt look as hurt as I originally thought. He winked going back to his corner at the end of the 7th. That was when he knew he was back in it, then he started the talk. Mighty impressive from Joshua to come through that like he did. The guy is still a novice.

That's why I feel the hype is almost justified. He's a novice, yet despite his faults, he is answering questions, in the limelight and is now pretty much recognised as the main man at heavyweight ( Fury being inactive ) and all after 19 fights. He's getting better with every fight, showing a bit more here and there etc

Good points, I get caught up in the head movement thing but I couldn't agree more.

[smiling assassin]

Prior to Saturday night there absolutely was way too much hype surrounding Joshua, as we had yet to see him tested properly to be declaring him the best at anything.

However, Saturday night he answered pretty much every question that boxing fans had about him and has proven he deserves the hype after all.

Bizarre to come up with this now after his performance at the weekend.

Sorry mate I disagree with you there. He deserves massive credit for the heart and desire he showed but I don't think he deserves the hype. He got out boxed for large parts of the fight. He gassed badly and was lucky that Wlad didn't put it on him a bit more otherwise it could of been a different story, he didn't and Joshua came out the other side fair play to him.with The hype he's been getting he should of won Saturday in good fashion and people would be comparing him with great heavyweights instead of saying who wins out of him and Deontay Wilder