Is AJ's head in the game

[Gnome]

I wouldn't read too much into it. Fair play to him for taking the positives out of the night. I'm sure he's into all that mindfulness jam - certainly better than a cocaine binge or beating up your missus as a way of coping with a loss.

[Crease]

Is AJ's head in the game?

That's a great question. It's an interesting one because I've been pondering it since the fight and there's a few points that have come to my mind.

AJ saying that he has improved as a fighter (and is always learning)
I don't know who it was (Rob McCracken?) but has someone told AJ that he has to change his style to maintain his success?

Since being blasted out by Andy Ruiz in their first fight, AJ looks to me that he thinks of himself as a boxer rather than they powerhouse heavy-hitting that got him to the top. I think that he has tried to make a transition to become a more technical, defensively sound fighter and that it's not really going to work for him compared to his old, hard-hitting style. Many people have already said it, but he do really look afraid to engage in the battle...

I defo agree with what was said before (on another thread):

You didnt hear the true fighters e.g. Floyd talk about "still learning" and game plans when you are an experienced world champion in his 30s.

So is AJ really just overthinking the whole thing and making it too over-complicated?

[orbtastic]

I don’t think he’s capable of overthinking. I think He genuinely believes he’s actually improving. I mean you could say he is because he’s won a rematch and is apparently now boxing more. You could even argue he’s had that reinforced by getting more money for the rematch than the original fight and he’s getting more and more money each fight.

[Crease]

He does seem to have lost that eye of the tiger. If that goes, it's usually over for a fighter. Unlike the Rocky movies you don't usually get it back.

All he needs to do is:
A. Buy and wear a yellow vest.
B. Get shouted at the beach by Talia Shire.
C. And to beat Carl Weathers in a foot race (Oul Carl is well into his pension age)

After that he'll be grand...

[orbtastic]

D, chase a chicken

[Crease]

You don't get it back when your bank account is stuffed full, everyone around you says your the man, and hardship is what you skip over when your reading the financial pages

To quote The Marvellous One;
"It’s tough to get out of bed to do roadwork at 5am when you’ve been sleeping in silk pajamas"

[Crease]

D, chase a chicken

You're right, forgot about that...

"Speed.... Greasey fast speed!!!!" - as Mick would say

[banjo]

I don't think his head has ever been in the game, always seemed more focused on his image as a celebrity than being a serious fighter.

[JamesPhilips]

I don't think his head has ever been in the game, always seemed more focused on his image as a celebrity than being a serious fighter.

Well everyone knows he's a manufactured fighter who has had every helping hand on his 'journey'.... lost at least twice in the Olympics. Won his title against Charles Martin who won his title on an ankle injury..... He's had the best training facilities, advice, nutrition and supplements.

[KiwiRider]

You don't get it back when your bank account is stuffed full, everyone around you says your the man, and hardship is what you skip over when your reading the financial pages

To quote The Marvellous One;
"It’s tough to get out of bed to do roadwork at 5am when you’ve been sleeping in silk pajamas"

Yes, I remember that quote. More fiting than my post

[HomicideHenry]

I don't think the man ever truly mentally or emotionally recovered from losing to Andy Ruiz. Yeah, he regained the belts back but you can argue that the win was more the fact that Andy Ruiz showed up almost 300 pounds more than anything else.

I don't think knocking out the 40+ year old Kubrat Pulev in nine rounds really demonstrated he was back in the game considering Klitschko knocked out Pulev in five rounds years back, and the Bulgarian was essentially inactive fighting journeymen waiting for his IBF title shot.

And I think he got suckered into believing that Usyk was not really a threat to him, on the basis of the two matches the Ukrainian head at heavyweight. He only called Usyk a threat to the general public to elevate his image had he won, but I don't think he honestly believed he could lose to a man who is usually 200 pounds.

I like the perspective of "HatmanStrikesBack" on YouTube where he said it's one thing coming back from a knockout loss because you can correct the mistakes you made but it's a whole other kettle of fish losing a decision like that being completely outboxed and outsmarted.

[margaret thatcher]

if guys are respectful in losing they arent taking it seriously enough

if they are angry or think they won then they are poor sport excuse makers and delusional

if they cry or something they are mentally weak

if they win a fight but cant get their head straight for a rematch and go on a 3 year cocaine binge they are heros and inspirational mental health warriors and the people's champ

[Counter-puncher]

I don’t think he’s capable of overthinking. I think He genuinely believes he’s actually improving. I mean you could say he is because he’s won a rematch and is apparently now boxing more. You could even argue he’s had that reinforced by getting more money for the rematch than the original fight and he’s getting more and more money each fight.

agreed

[DrDuke]

Joshua is a big and strong guy with huge power and good basics, but that's it. Sure, it's an impressive set, but it's a definition of a good boxer, not a great one. It's not enough to defeat a grandmaster of boxing like Usyk and we've seen it. Joshua badly lacks fluidness, creativity and toughness.