AJ: Career thus far

[jamesmcdonnell]

His career has been incredible in terms of PPV buys, commercial acumen and selling out stadiums. His popularity has definitely waned a bit however in the last couple of years, but take nothing away, he has been a breakthrough sportsman of the type you barely get in Boxing anymore.

In terms of his boxing, he just doesn't have that standout victory or performance at the top level. He has lots of very good wins over fighters who were Top 10 HWs at the time, albeit a number past their peak.

There'll be a large number of fighters who now genuinely believe they can beat Joshua, when pre Ruiz 1 it would have only been Fury and Wilder.

I suspect that we've already seen the best of Joshua. It's a real shame the fight with Fury wasn't made a few years back. It's not a top draw fight now.

[stujones]

this "gun shy" post Ruiz 1 Joshua I disagree with.

He was never the same after Klitschko -

Look at the negativity vs Takam and Parker - two dull fights.... Povetkin also until he tagged him and yes for the opening few stanza's vs Ruiz it was AJ the boxer.

Now it could be that post Klitschsko his level of opponent also went up - Molina, Breazeale and Martin aren't in the same category as Takam, Parker, Povetkin - etc.

I've mentioned it a few times - Joshua shouldn't talk the way he does. 31 year old fighters with multiple title fights shouldn't be talking about "learning" like he does. That's something you'd expect from Campbell Hatton. Just not a natural fighter and whether its for show or a PR exercise - no one, after such a heavy one sided upset should be talking about "feeling good" and "its all good" immediately after the fight.

[(craig)]

Former landlord currently seeking refuge from hungry tenants.

[Counter-puncher]

I've mentioned it a few times - Joshua shouldn't talk the way he does. 31 year old fighters with multiple title fights shouldn't be talking about "learning" like he does. That's something you'd expect from Campbell Hatton. Just not a natural fighter and whether its for show or a PR exercise - no one, after such a heavy one sided upset should be talking about "feeling good" and "its all good" immediately after the fight.

ha, it's like he has been media trained to such a degree that he literally can't help himself. blessed, losing a fight is an opportunity and a blessing you know, etc

[jamesmcdonnell]

this "gun shy" post Ruiz 1 Joshua I disagree with.

He was never the same after Klitschko -

Look at the negativity vs Takam and Parker - two dull fights.... Povetkin also until he tagged him and yes for the opening few stanza's vs Ruiz it was AJ the boxer.

Now it could be that post Klitschsko his level of opponent also went up - Molina, Breazeale and Martin aren't in the same category as Takam, Parker, Povetkin - etc.

I've mentioned it a few times - Joshua shouldn't talk the way he does. 31 year old fighters with multiple title fights shouldn't be talking about "learning" like he does. That's something you'd expect from Campbell Hatton. Just not a natural fighter and whether its for show or a PR exercise - no one, after such a heavy one sided upset should be talking about "feeling good" and "its all good" immediately after the fight.

I concur, every man needs to live with defeat at times, but you're not supposed to actively enjoy getting beaten.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I loved watching Bellew after the fight doing his typical attention seeking sullky bullshit. Such a whiny annoying bloke. Very scouse. The victim, the drama queen the kernob jockey

Loved it!!

Was he hugging Fraizer?

Then he's walking away from Koog, apparently, Bellew had the blueprint on how to beat Usyk and there was a article on Bellew saying how not to fight etc. But did he ever tell AJ this?

Bellew is a joke.

I also liked Whyte's reaction. Like he just found out he can LOSE in the UK as well.

[Cyclops]

I loved watching Bellew after the fight doing his typical attention seeking sullky bullshit. Such a whiny annoying bloke. Very scouse. The victim, the drama queen the kernob jockey

Loved it!!

Was he hugging Fraizer?

Then he's walking away from Koog, apparently, Bellew had the blueprint on how to beat Usyk and there was a article on Bellew saying how not to fight etc. But did he ever tell AJ this?

Bellew is a joke.

I also liked Whyte's reaction. Like he just found out he can LOSE in the UK as well.

I think Whyte's reaction is that of a man who has just seen his almost nailed on biggest ever payday disappear forever.

[HomicideHenry]

A young man who was pushed to the top too fast and too soon, whose career was guided in such a way that he never quite fought anyone who was all in their prime or a legitimate threat.

Amassing so much money in such a short amount of time becoming a celebrity, he bought into the hype until he was exposed by a underachieving fringe contender.

And although he would win the rematch, albeit fighting like a scared rabbit rather than the former heavyweight champion, the doubts never left his mind.

Still gun-shy, it takes him nine rounds to put away a man well over the age of 40, when he possibly could have stopped such an opponent much earlier. And the doubts were still there.

Talks himself into believing he can beat the legitimate heavyweight champion of the world Tyson Fury, but when that opportunity slipped out of his grasp he lost seemingly all interest and passion for what he assumed would be a step down in competition: His mandatory.

Telling the public that the former cruiserweight champion would be the toughest fight of his life, surely was not how he genuinely thought or believed but rather trying to put a good spin on a bad situation since everybody wanted Fury-Joshua for the undisputed title.

For some reason the big man has it in his head that he is in the same class as Lennox Lewis in terms of scientific boxing and makes the school boy error of trying to outbox a much faster and more polished tactician--- and looks like a deer caught in the headlights throughout most of the match.

He wants to let the hands go, but in the back of his mind is the nagging doubt that never left him: "If I get hit I'll get dropped because my chin is soft and I don't bounce back fast enough," so he refuses to mix it up--- knowing the man with faster hands most likely could land on him, even if the man doesn't hit anywhere near as hard as most heavyweights out there.

After the fight, in the post fight press conference, he tells the public that he wants the rematch, and yet he says something peculiar: "I will fight Wilder or Fury with or without the belts," as if to imply that he mentally already knows that he cannot beat Usyk--- but believes himself to still be a star in the business, and somehow is still on the A-side and therefore a worthy opponent that is legacy building.

The problem is the young man hasn't got it through his head just yet that it was bad enough losing once, it's even worse losing twice, especially in a business that is so geared towards perfect records--- it makes no real business sense or legacy building sense to face a man so deeply flawed that the public simply doesn't buy into anymore.

If and only if Joshua can beat the Ukrainian will he ever be able to get a fight with Tyson Fury. Unless someway somehow some organization strips Usyk just like the IBF did to Tyson Fury after beating Klitschko--- or someway somehow Usyk is given a ton of money to drop one of his belts, just like Lennox Lewis did--- and Joshua goes after that vacant strap, once again repeating history.

[ewenhay]

Despite being in his 30s and amassing a fair bit of pro experience by this point his corner still have to repeatedly remind him to jab in between just about every round.

Which is quite alarming.