BoxRec

Both look stiff and predictable but I think Wlad at this stage of his career is physically finished for this level.

wlad is robotic, stiff. i wouldnt put anthony in that category, he is more balanced, composed. at this time joshua is better in every single departmant. he punches harder, has faster hands, he isnt as stiff as wlad, he isnt as slow footed as wlad and comparing the ages he sure has better condition than wlad. wlad will get destroyed inside 3-5 rounds. he will panic, clinch as he always does when facing a big time puncher, but that wont help, the ref wont take the money he is offering and it is going to be a fair fight with no excessive holding and clinching, this is wlads last fight.

Wlads days are done

Also I think A.J's size and strength will be too much for old Wlad.

I expect something like a Joshua vs Molina fight, except that Wlad is stronger, taller, more powerfull, better stamina and a bit more fast and experienced.
So against Molina Joshua waited for a couple of minits and then thought he couldn't learn anything from that American so stopped the fight out of boredom. Against Wlad Joshua will probably wait a couple of more minits till he knows for sure Wlad can't do much against him and then finish it anyway, with a bit more struggles as against Molina.

to make the story short. wlad, no matter if prime or old will always lose to an elite puncher or have a very close fight with them. peter 1, brewster, saunders, joshua all punchers and all fights were either lose or close to being a loss, than there was the povetkin fight, where wlad needed 1000000000000000000000000000 clinches not to get blinked by a punch only elite puncher he beat convincingly was haye, a former cruiserweight, like 4 inches smaller than him a guy with power and same size as him, he gets wrecked every time

Look at it this way besides the big punch what else does AJ have?
If Wlad loses its true in the fact that hes just old and past it.
The British love AJ they think he is the second coming of Ali but he himself is very robotic similar to Frank Bruno to a degree

he surely aint as tech as ali, or had footwork as ali. but he is as fast as ali and is stronger, bigger than ali and since heavyweight division is unlimited in weight thats a big advantage. in p4p sense ali > joshua, natural joshua > ali.

AJ is too big and athletic for the jab and grab, that's all wlad has. Seems like a lifetime ago when wlad was a thrilling seek and destroy puncher with every punch in the book. While everyone calls the huggybear version his prime, the younger, more confident fighter would fare better against AJ.

Wlad tore his bicep before he fought Fury and postponed the initial date. I think that played a role in his inability to get punches off in that fight.

That said I see the fight being something like wlad-Peter I. But AJ is bigger and more athletic than peter. Wlad will have trouble trying to contain him close since he is so strong.

I am leaning toward AJ to stop Wlad once Wlad slows down later in the fight.

Jip wrote:he surely aint as tech as ali, or had footwork as ali. but he is as fast as ali and is stronger, bigger than ali and since heavyweight division is unlimited in weight thats a big advantage. in p4p sense ali > joshua, natural joshua > ali.

AJ and Ali really got barely anything on common, Tyson Fury and Ali got way more connections, in the ring, as well as outside the ring.

Wlad comes in looking like a nervous wreck, trying to be very cautious and gets wrecked the first time AJ realizes he doesn't have a huge threat standing in front of him and lets his hands go.

AJ will likely be nervous too so this may take around 4 or 5 rounds.

The way I see it. It's going to be a one round KO or 5 or 6 round TKO. In favor of Joshua. Either Joshua catches Wlad early. Or Wlad with his experience can hang on for 5 or 6 rounds. Joshua is to young and strong for Wlad.

Wlad too old. Can't see him being able to go past 6 rounds. Hope he puts up some real resistance and pushes AJ all the way.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:AJ is too big and athletic for the jab and grab, that's all wlad has. Seems like a lifetime ago when wlad was a thrilling seek and destroy puncher with every punch in the book. While everyone calls the huggybear version his prime, the younger, more confident fighter would fare better against AJ.

Did he ever have more than a jab, straight right hand and a rare left hook? can't remember. Whatever, I do remember him being an offensive beast back then, and actually exciting to watch. Might have to check out some footage of the 'Old, Pre Improvement Wlad' (!!)

He used to have every shot, at least upstairs.

Riddick Blowe wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:AJ is too big and athletic for the jab and grab, that's all wlad has. Seems like a lifetime ago when wlad was a thrilling seek and destroy puncher with every punch in the book. While everyone calls the huggybear version his prime, the younger, more confident fighter would fare better against AJ.

Did he ever have more than a jab, straight right hand and a rare left hook? can't remember. Whatever, I do remember him being an offensive beast back then, and actually exciting to watch. Might have to check out some footage of the 'Old, Pre Improvement Wlad' (!!)

He used to even throw uppercuts. I recommend the Brewster fight. Best of both worlds, full arsenal and he loses.

asdfjkl wrote:I expect something like a Joshua vs Molina fight, except that Wlad is stronger, taller, more powerfull, better stamina and a bit more fast and experienced.
So against Molina Joshua waited for a couple of minits and then thought he couldn't learn anything from that American so stopped the fight out of boredom. Against Wlad Joshua will probably wait a couple of more minits till he knows for sure Wlad can't do much against him and then finish it anyway, with a bit more struggles as against Molina.

And more skilled, better footwork, and pretty much nothing like Molina.

marvelous marv wrote:Wlad tore his bicep before he fought Fury and postponed the initial date. I think that played a role in his inability to get punches off in that fight.

That said I see the fight being something like wlad-Peter I. But AJ is bigger and more athletic than peter. Wlad will have trouble trying to contain him close since he is so strong.

I am leaning toward AJ to stop Wlad once Wlad slows down later in the fight.

It was his calf he injured.

BitPlayer wrote:

asdfjkl wrote:I expect something like a Joshua vs Molina fight, except that Wlad is stronger, taller, more powerfull, better stamina and a bit more fast and experienced.
So against Molina Joshua waited for a couple of minits and then thought he couldn't learn anything from that American so stopped the fight out of boredom. Against Wlad Joshua will probably wait a couple of more minits till he knows for sure Wlad can't do much against him and then finish it anyway, with a bit more struggles as against Molina.

And more skilled, better footwork, and pretty much nothing like Molina.

Ofcourse Wlad is a type on his own, but I see quite some similarities in their styles.

Spiker wrote: The British love AJ they think he is the second coming of Ali

No we don't, ya great big slaver

I think, in his prime, Wlad was all wrong for Joshua.

AJ would have had an obvious chance if he could land flush, he has obvious power and a good offensive tool kit and we know Wlads chin can be exposed

But I feel Joshua's lack of quality footwork and movement would have found him struggling to close the distance, with Wlad the master of the half step back. His non-existent head movement would have seen him peppered with Wlads piston like jab and I think he'd have walked into his fair share of right hands too. Joshua has a decent chin but I think it's vulnerable enough to say he's not standing up to too many Wlad rights.

As for the battle inside, many have said he's too strong to let Wlad away with the clinching and wrestling. While I agree he's probably a match for him physically, I still think Wlad would be savvy enough to knock him out of his stride with the clinching he's famed for.

These things combined would have seen Joshua struggle to land in the early rounds and have seen him gassing a little and making mistakes by the mid-rounds where Wlad would have taken over. We know Wlad can do the distance.

I think of all the top level heavies, of the last few years, Wlads style, at his best, would have been the best suited to defuse Joshuas impressive arsenal

As it happens, it's a bit of a moot point. Wlad is fading and I reckon will probably be a little gun shy in there, Joshua will likely be too quick and busy for him and this fight has come too late for Klitshko.
What I would probably have called a 70/30 fight for Wlad in his best shape and at his sharpest, is probably now a 70/30 for Joshua

davie wrote:I think, in his prime, Wlad was all wrong for Joshua.

AJ would have had an obvious chance if he could land flush, he has obvious power and a good offensive tool kit and we know Wlads chin can be exposed

But I feel Joshua's lack of quality footwork and movement would have found him struggling to close the distance, with Wlad the master of the half step back. His non-existent head movement would have seen him peppered with Wlads piston like jab and I think he'd have walked into his fair share of right hands too. Joshua has a decent chin but I think it's vulnerable enough to say he's not standing up to too many Wlad rights.

As for the battle inside, many have said he's too strong to let Wlad away with the clinching and wrestling. While I agree he's probably a match for him physically, I still think Wlad would be savvy enough to knock him out of his stride with the clinching he's famed for.

These things combined would have seen Joshua struggle to land in the early rounds and have seen him gassing a little and making mistakes by the mid-rounds where Wlad would have taken over. We know Wlad can do the distance.

As it happens, it's a bit of a moot point. Wlad is fading and I reckon will probably be a little gun shy in there, Joshua will likely be too quick and busy for him and this fight has come too late for Klitshko.
What I would probably have called a 70/30 fight for Wlad in his best shape and at his sharpest, is probably now a 70/30 for Joshua

This is an excellent post and I agree to the letter

apollo creed wrote:Both look stiff and predictable but I think Wlad at this stage of his career is physically finished for this level.

Your brain is a little stiff and predictable... Wlad is so predictable that he knocked out several contenders who nobody else was ever able to get a KO shot on.

Nothing stiff about Joshua... He dips under and slips punches with perfect ease... Maybe you should take a look at Gerald Washington, Charles Martin, Robert Helenius, Kubrat Pulev, David Price, Hughie Fury, Johann Duhaupas, and Joseph Parker if you want stiff and predictable.

Joshua stops Wlad in 7 youth will be the deciding factor.