If Joshua and Fury Fought Now, Who'd Win?

[mickey1975]

He's not that young! Better than a 20 year old Mike Tyson?

[Loynesy]

Far better. Not trying to be smart decades letter, but I always though Tyson would struggle with a tall front foot fighter.

[Boxerbeetle]

Far better. Not trying to be smart decades letter, but I always though Tyson would struggle with a tall front foot fighter.

Joshua is far better than a 20 year old Mike Tyson?

[THEBUTCH]

Tyson was also banging out contenders at 20, not Michael Sprotts and Matt Skeltons at the tail end of their career.

As good as Joshua is, when someone like Fury (both Furys) doesn't let him plant his feet, set himself to launch those power shots I think a lot of his game will diminish and over 10 or 12 rounds he will be beatable by the likes of Tyson Fury.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Far better. Not trying to be smart decades letter, but I always though Tyson would struggle with a tall front foot fighter.

Joshua is far better than a 20 year old Mike Tyson?

Yeah right, better than the youngest undisputed heavyweight champion in history. Go figure huh?

Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis both had more impressive resumes than Joshua at the respective stages of their careers.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Respect the views of James and Stu completely, but I'm just not seeing AJ as over trained/too muscular. I'm just seeing a powerful guy, whose overhand right is reminiscent of Lennox. The way he then follows up is frightening

His hand speed is good, and the only two question marks are (a) chin and (b) stamina.

On (a) I'm told by every gym rat, that he's solid. (B) is the variable.

I think he works through everyone easily rather than Vlad. Of course we will see.

Best young heavy I've ever seen.

If so, then how come he's added over 20 lbs of solid muscle since his pro debut?

[jamesmcdonnell]

Yeah I don't understand how Joshua has people around who don't seem to be worried about this. Could be a terrible waste when he starts to slow down. guys of a similar size like Lennox started out wiry and nimble, there's no upside to all that weight

Yes, Lennox was pretty slim in his early career, and quite light on his oversized feet, he weighed around 230, (from memory) but that was evenly distributed over his frame.

There can be absolutely no doubt Joshua is into his weight training, he's bulked up enormously in a pretty short time frame, I'm not sure what advantage this is perceived to confer on him, other than looking good in the mirror, and/or intimidating his opponent. He has good hand speed, but over the long haul, he's going to suffer, it's a trade off, you simply cannot add lots of muscle without a detriment to stamina, it is physiologically impossible.

Fury despite not looking Adonis like, is just a big guy, who has not added much if any bulk, and as a result, has good stamina for a big man.

Wlad is also pretty bulked up, but he has developed a style that is not high output, and where he never allows himself to be put under any pressure, as a result his stamina is never tested. Perhaps Joshua is aiming to do the same, we will know better when he fights someone who is actually a threat.

[Loynesy]

Far better. Not trying to be smart decades letter, but I always though Tyson would struggle with a tall front foot fighter.

Joshua is far better than a 20 year old Mike Tyson?

Yeah right, better than the youngest undisputed heavyweight champion in history. Go figure huh?

Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis both had more impressive resumes than Joshua at the respective stages of their careers.

You are misquoting me. I said "young fighter", which clearly means where they are in terms of their development and potential, not of course, finished product.

He's far better a young pro than Bruno - though AJ would benefit from a Jumbo Cummings type of fight, but I doubt he would get tagged.

Lennox is the standout, which is why I used him as the benchmark.

All successful super -h ams pack on the muscle when they turn pro - it's to turn the hand speed into Ko power, which is t needed in the ams.

Anyway, we can re-visit this in a few years, Joshua may be the bees knees a has been or somewhere between the two.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Bulking up doesn't increase punch power - that's the thing. Punch power comes from technique, not being able to bench press an additional 50 kg, or adding 20 kg to your weight. Natural size is really what matters most, and unless you're a guy moving up from a lower weight, I'm not convinced that adding extra weight confers any real benefit. It might offer a little assistance building up, but the majority of punch power is technique.

Lewis didn't bulk up on turning pro, he just gradually filled out over the years, and I've seen few if any heavyweights with better one punch ko power.

Bruno has beaten far better opposition than Joshua by the same age. He was challenging for the European by age 23. Bruno was only a pro 18 months when he faced Cummings. Joshua has been a pro just over a year, - let's see where he is in another 6 months.

There's a lot to like about Joshua, but I'm not quite sold just yet.

[mickey1975]

You need power in the ams now the head guards have gone. Some real wars going on. The refs don't mind. It's a 3 round pro fight.

[bripez]

Joshua -v- Tyson Fury would be very interesting.

If Fury gets beat next time out then I can't see this happening as I think that he will mentally implode, however if he wins then this could be a mega fight.

[keithmoonhangover]

I can understand people questioning AJ's stamina, but what about Fury? How would he manage in a fast paced twelve rounder? Fury has never once stepped into the ring in peak condition. That's one of the problems with Tyson, what him and his team class as good condition ain't what elite fighters class as good condition. Look at the all time great heavyweights in their primes, they were all in amazing shape. Fury lets himself down with his conditioning.

[lillywhite14]

You need power in the ams now the head guards have gone. Some real wars going on. The refs don't mind. It's a 3 round pro fight.

Will certainly reduce the 'can he take a shot' questions regarding promising lads turning over.

Regarding Joshua and his size increase/power. I didn't think he carried serious power in the early days but he's destruction of Johnson had me thinking maybe he does have serious power.

[WildWaylon]

AJ, even though he has less experience, he is doing better than Fury was in his early fights. Fury lost to big John McD although he got the decision. Fair enough he did beat him in the rematch, he had to, if he hadn't he was going nowhere. Fury is European level and no better. AJ would floor him.