Joshua vs Pulev June the 20th 2020 London

[sturm vogel]

Oluwafemi Olaseni will be retiring soon. He's had enough embarrassment for a lifetime.

[samwbr]

Pulev got deported from the US yesterday whilst trying to board an internal flight to Vegas.

Is there a report on this?

Mike Coppinger tweeted it

[Sagaroth]

Fake news...
Pulev said to the bulgarian journalists that he has a problem with his luggage. He is in the USA.

[walterfancie]

Joshua KO round 2

[Sagaroth]

Finally both Hearn (via Twitter) and Pulev (via Facebook) confirmed the date and the signed contract!

[Woodster23]

Well it seems to be confirmed now, Joshua v Pulev, likely to be at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium! Disappointed Fury isn't Joshua's next opponent, and if that is going to happen in the near future AJ cannot afford any slip-ups in this one.

[funso banjo baby]

still an ok fight

I may watch this

[boxing_rocks]

Goossen announces he will be training Pulev for his upcoming title shot against Joshua in June. Can he help Pulev pull off the upset?

Kubrat Pulev, right, hired Joe Goossen to prepare him for his upcoming title challenge against Anthony Joshua, left. So what will having Goossen in his corner mean? Geoff Caddick/Getty Images
Joe Goossen is one of the best trainers in the sport. He has a long history of developing fighters from scratch, from Gabe and Rafael Ruelas to Michael Nunn; but he also has taken over the careers of guys such as Diego Corrales and Joel Casamayor and led them to productive careers.

Will any of this be of service to Pulev, who is a heavy underdog to Joshua?

That remains to be seen, but this much is known: Goossen also is one of the elite troubleshooters in the sport. You give him some time to formulate a game plan, and really work with a fighter over a few months, and he can absolutely make a difference in a fight. He also is one of the best corner jockeys you'll ever see.

Case in point: In August, he took a shopworn Chris Arreola and led him into battle with Kownacki, and they gave the popular Polish fighter hell over 12 entertaining rounds. While they didn't come out with the victory, there's no doubting Goossen made his mark.

And let's not forget that Joshua is still looked upon as a vulnerable guy because of his knockout loss to Ruiz in June. Joshua then played it really safe against Ruiz in the rematch. The key for Goossen will be to get Pulev to buy in to his game plan, which will most likely feature aggression and then looking for openings.

The presence of Goossen alone makes this matchup more interesting, at the very least.

[Paci]

Lets hope for a even better fight then we thought.

[candyslim]

It won't take much to be better than I'm expecting. The only top fighter Pulev ever fought destroyed him. He has made a career of picking opponents that are not likely to beat him, yet are well known enough to earn a little credit, keep him relevant and maintain his ranking.

His best win is probably Dereck Chisora who always struggles with movers and/or technicians. Other names he's beaten Alexandr Ustinov, Sam Peter, Tony Thompson were well past their best when he beat them. When he's been around for so long how is it he's never faced perennial contender Povetkin or any of the other guys who are currently looking for a title shot ?

I think he's well past his peak. I'll credit him for his win over Hughie who I thought would be too young and mobile for him. Pulev proved me wrong but he looked very unsteady at one point when non-puncher Hughie hit him on the whiskers. His reaction was alarming, on that evidence AJ will crush him in short order.

Final point. I agree I'd like to see Joshua be a little more active but someone mentioned Muhammad Ali who defended against quality opposition and also the likes of Chuck Wepner, Richard Dunn, Rudi Lubbers and Jean-Pierre Coopman.

Now if AJ's defences for 2020 were Kubrat Pulev (IBF mandatory), Herve Hubeaux (voluntary), Oleksandr Usyk (WBO mandatory) Travis Kaufmann (voluntary) would you be so much more satisfied than if it were just Pulev and Usyk ? Genuine question I'd be interested in your answer.

[joshj909]

Final point. I agree I'd like to see Joshua be a little more active but someone mentioned Muhammad Ali who defended against quality opposition and also the likes of Chuck Wepner, Richard Dunn, Rudi Lubbers and Jean-Pierre Coopman.

Now if AJ's defences for 2020 were Kubrat Pulev (IBF mandatory), Herve Hubeaux (voluntary), Oleksandr Usyk (WBO mandatory) Travis Kaufmann (voluntary) would you be so much more satisfied than if it were just Pulev and Usyk ? Genuine question I'd be interested in your answer.

I think AJ has better sparring partners than Hubeaux and Kaufmann, so definitely not. If he faced some competition at the level that Wilder had previously been facing but at non-stadium events to fill the time between respectable opponents then I'm sure you won't hear many complaining.

AJ vs the Breazeales, Stivernes and Washingtons of the world between Pulev, Usyk and unification might keep people happy. Maybe the likes of Helenius, Hammer, Hughie etc. (alliteration not intended). Maybe even cherry pick some unbeaten heavyweights that would be easier to sell like Fury did between Wilder fights against Schwarz and Wallin.

[candyslim]

The reason I picked Hubeaux and Kaufmann is that I felt they were comparable with Coopman and Wepner in terms of quality.

Wilder fought twice last year, Breazeale and the Ortiz rematch. Twice in 2018 Luis Ortiz and Tyson Fury. Twice in 2017 Washington and Stiverne II. Twice in 2016 Szpilka and Arreola. He defended twice in 2015 after winning the title against Stiverne- Molina and Duhaupas.

This is almost identical to Joshua who defended twice in 2016 after winning the title against Martin.

You don't think it a bit unfair to expect AJ to take on Deontay's annual workload in between Pulev and Usyk?

[joshj909]

The reason I picked Hubeaux and Kaufmann is that I felt they were comparable with Coopman and Wepner in terms of quality.

Wilder fought twice last year, Breazeale and the Ortiz rematch. Twice in 2018 Luis Ortiz and Tyson Fury. Twice in 2017 Washington and Stiverne II. Twice in 2016 Szpilka and Arreola. He defended twice in 2015 after winning the title against Stiverne- Molina and Duhaupas.

This is almost identical to Joshua who defended twice in 2016 after winning the title against Martin.

You don't think it a bit unfair to expect AJ to take on Deontay's annual workload in between Pulev and Usyk?

I wouldn't call what Wilder was doing a workload. But if AJ is going to face an easier opponent between tough opponents, then I think that's the lowest sellable opponent in my opinion. He would wipe the floor with them in a similar manner as he did with that level of opponent pre-Klitschko.

I think 3 times a year is a good number at championship level, 2 times for a unified champion is fairly low and the mandatories have already started catching up. So, 2 mandatories or unifications plus an easier opponent of the manner I mentioned would surely satisfy the demands of the people complaining?

[candyslim]

I think two good fights a year is fair enough if the opponents are of high quality and/or mandated by one of the governing bodies. After that anything else is a bonus.

Back in the seventies we didn't give Ali sh1t for fighting a Richard Dunn because he'd earned the right. It was as well as facing the top guys not instead of.

Joshua doesn't seem to work like that. He doesn't seem interested in tickover fights, or maybe he feels the mandatories are all he needs while awaiting the unification.

Of course I'd like to see every top fighter, fight once a quarter but then what I'd like doesn't nor shouldn't mean sh1t.

[Tevfik1907]

I don't see Joshua's mentality well after Ruiz Jr. knocked him out and he failed to knock him in the second fight and avenge his defeat in a same way (though his strategy was to win by pts I know) but I still don't see the same confidence from AJ after the Ruiz Jr. fight,

Lewis lost to Rockman and Oliver by KO, and he avenged his surprise defeats by KOing his opponents in return, that KOes gave him confidence to Lewis, not winning the fights by points.

I think that first fight between Ruiz Jr. and Joshua affected both fighters mentally bad, Ruiz Jr. lost his hunger and went on being a party boy, and AJ lost his confidence by following a weak and scared mentality; ''I can't lose the second fight, I need to go for points'', which will make him gun shy in the next fights as well.

Once you back down like that, it's hard to return to your former self. I think that's the difference between Lewis and AJ.

But luckily for Joshua, Pulev is the perfect fight for him. Pulev is old now and yes he beat Hughie Fury (thanks to early cut in the fight) in Bulgaria, but he can't do that to Joshua.

I don't see Pulev even beating a gun shy, post-Ruiz Jr. KOed Joshua, Joshua will follow the same strategy and he will win by points.

If this was against someone like Whyte, or Wilder, or even old Luiz Ortiz (let alone Fury), I would say post-Ruiz Jr Koed, gun shy Joshua might lose it. But not against Pulev.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

I don't see Joshua's mentality well after Ruiz Jr. knocked him out and he failed to knock him in the second fight and avenge his defeat in a same way (though his strategy was to win by pts I know) but I still don't see the same confidence from AJ after the Ruiz Jr. fight,

Lewis lost to Rockman and Oliver by KO, and he avenged his surprise defeats by KOing his opponents in return, that KOes gave him confidence to Lewis, not winning the fights by points.

I think that first fight between Ruiz Jr. and Joshua affected both fighters mentally bad, Ruiz Jr. lost his hunger and went on being a party boy, and AJ lost his confidence by following a weak and scared mentality; ''I can't lose the second fight, I need to go for points'', which will make him gun shy in the next fights as well.

Once you back down like that, it's hard to return to your former self. I think that's the difference between Lewis and AJ.

But luckily for Joshua, Pulev is the perfect fight for him. Pulev is old now and yes he beat Hughie Fury (thanks to early cut in the fight) in Bulgaria, but he can't do that Joshua.

I don't see Pulev even beating a gun shy, post-Ruiz Jr. KOed Joshua, Joshua will follow the same strategy and he will win by points.

If this was against someone like Whyte, or Wilder, or even old Luiz Ortiz (let alone Fury), I would say post-Ruiz Jr Koed, gun shy Joshua might lose it. But not against Pulev.

- You only one post in managed to fit the stereotype boxing fan and official always diminishing the slugger for going to decision while applauding the boxers unexpected KO.

AJ the only guy to ever KD Andy and then rematch him in Saudi Arabia no less.

AJ ain't Superman, but he's closer than any heavy currently in the mix with top heavies like Fury and Wilder turning down record purses to sugarcoat each other for you candies.

[Tevfik1907]

I don't see Joshua's mentality well after Ruiz Jr. knocked him out and he failed to knock him in the second fight and avenge his defeat in a same way (though his strategy was to win by pts I know) but I still don't see the same confidence from AJ after the Ruiz Jr. fight,

Lewis lost to Rockman and Oliver by KO, and he avenged his surprise defeats by KOing his opponents in return, that KOes gave him confidence to Lewis, not winning the fights by points.

I think that first fight between Ruiz Jr. and Joshua affected both fighters mentally bad, Ruiz Jr. lost his hunger and went on being a party boy, and AJ lost his confidence by following a weak and scared mentality; ''I can't lose the second fight, I need to go for points'', which will make him gun shy in the next fights as well.

Once you back down like that, it's hard to return to your former self. I think that's the difference between Lewis and AJ.

But luckily for Joshua, Pulev is the perfect fight for him. Pulev is old now and yes he beat Hughie Fury (thanks to early cut in the fight) in Bulgaria, but he can't do that Joshua.

I don't see Pulev even beating a gun shy, post-Ruiz Jr. KOed Joshua, Joshua will follow the same strategy and he will win by points.

If this was against someone like Whyte, or Wilder, or even old Luiz Ortiz (let alone Fury), I would say post-Ruiz Jr Koed, gun shy Joshua might lose it. But not against Pulev.

- You only one post in managed to fit the stereotype boxing fan and official always diminishing the slugger for going to decision while applauding the boxers unexpected KO.

AJ the only guy to ever KD Andy and then rematch him in Saudi Arabia no less.

AJ ain't Superman, but he's closer than any heavy currently in the mix with top heavies like Fury and Wilder turning down record purses to sugarcoat each other for you candies.

Eh, ok but you're doing the same by saying that AJ is the only one who ever KD Andy, according to Andy that was a ''lucky shot'' as well.

You also didn't mention the fact that Andy Ruiz Jr. was weaker in the rematch in Saudi due to not working and not listening his own trainer while AJ's only focus was winning the fight by points, by not getting close to Ruiz, and he still gave 2 rounds to a weaker Andy Ruiz Jr. in the rematch despite this strategy? Sorry if it didn't impress me a lot.

I think AJ isn't better than Wilder, let alone Fury. Wilder lost to Fury, who is a more skilled boxer and with a huge reach and height advantage in comparison with Andy Ruiz Jr.

As for this fight, as I said AJ will win because of the numerous factors; styles makes fights and Pulev is definitely not a knockout artist, he usually wins by points and that wouldn't work on a faster and stronger AJ, who is also a skilled boxer. Another factor is Pulev is old now, that would even open the physical gap more between Pulev and AJ. And lastly, they will fight in England where AJ can get the benefit of the audience and the supporters, as he usually did in %95 of his fights (he only fought 2 times outside of England, and it's 1-1 against Ruiz).

[candyslim]

Ruiz has an excellent chin and possibly the fastest hands of any top heavyweight currently active. Assuming he would be just as effective in the rematch (AJ would have been a fool not to expect that whatever the scales read) then it would have been foolish to approach the second fight the same way as the first.

Maybe he treated Ruiz with too much respect, but then he'd seen what happens when you treat him with not enough respect.

He won't need to be so careful with Pulev, he can safely revert to his previous style. He just needs to be aware that there is a certain type of fighter out there that requires him to play it safe. Thankfully there aren't too many around like a fit Andy Ruiz Jnr.