Stephen A Smith on Joshua-Ruiz
Posted: 02 Jun 2019, 11:57
He overdoes everything anyway.
This is how I see it. They’ll both have no belts and will probably fight for the vacant WBC Pearl titleHomicideHenry wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 12:13
I can see Wilder-Joshua happening in 2020. Maybe both men will have no belts at that point, and the winner will face Tyson Fury. It's still a marketable fight.
One thing is for sure, though... If Joshua cannot rebound from this.... The division is basically going to tank in popularity.... No offense to Fury (even though he is the man) or Wilder, but without a marketable dance partner I don't care what division it is business will stink.Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 12:36 This is how I see it. They’ll both have no belts and will probably fight for the vacant WBC Pearl title![]()
Or the WBF HW belt.
Does Ruiz beating Joshua, Open the HW division up a lil?HomicideHenry wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 12:39 One thing is for sure, though... If Joshua cannot rebound from this.... The division is basically going to tank in popularity.... No offense to Fury (even though he is the man) or Wilder, but without a marketable dance partner I don't care what division it is business will stink.
It's a shot of temporary excitement, for sure. However, the question is, "Who is a long term investment?", and that's Joshua. Ruiz I can see being a spoiler & pain in the ass for alot of guys, but I don't see him as the guy who will keep the division jumping.Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 12:51 Does Ruiz beating Joshua, Open the HW division up a lil?
These results are a good thing. Changes things up a lil.
It's still a marketable fight no doubt. It's not a megafight anymore though. 2 days ago it was one of the 2 or 3 biggest fights possible in Boxing according to most everybody. Now it might not be Top 5 or Top 10 anymore.HomicideHenry wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 12:13 Ruined? Nah.
Joshua has a mountain to climb to get back to the titles. But he can potentially do it. If he wants it. Lennox Lewis was written off after McCall but he rebuilt himself with fights against Tommy Morrison and Ray Mercer.
I wouldn't look passed Ortiz either. He most likely will not win but Wilder's not showing any effort to shorten up his punches, actually try to box, etc--- and he's going to need that against Tyson Fury.
I can see Wilder-Joshua happening in 2020. Maybe both men will have no belts at that point, and the winner will face Tyson Fury. It's still a marketable fight.
I remember when this all started.gilgamesh wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 14:10 It's still a marketable fight no doubt. It's not a megafight anymore though. 2 days ago it was one of the 2 or 3 biggest fights possible in Boxing according to most everybody. Now it might not be Top 5 or Top 10 anymore.
I'd still wanna see it, but the magic and mythos is gone.
Doubtful it gets THAT big again, but it could become a superfight again certainly. All depends on if he's able to rebound, and how he looks in doing it. If he beats Ruiz in a rematch by the skin of his teeth, I don't think anybody is gonna be too excited about him. He's gonna have to come back with a vengeance.HomicideHenry wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 14:57 I remember when this all started.
Ortiz, Fury, Joshua, Wilder, Parker, and Browne.... Six undefeated heavyweight champions or contenders.... The dream was that one by one they'd fall until a "Masters of the Universe" battle in the end for all the belts between the best two. Most thought that'd end up being Joshua-Fury at Wembley.
But promotional greed & insecurity & a few curve balls shot that all to pieces.
If Joshua can rebuild himself, as if to prove this loss was a fluke, and manage to kayo someone like Usyk for good measure, then it's back to near-mythic proportions against the Wilder-Fury 2 winner.
There was less powerful promoters back then than there are now. Champions also had more leeway and could have a few gimme's here & there. The organizations were also a bit more understanding too--- they'd step aside long enough to allow things to happen.Contendeh wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 14:56 This is why the 70s were better than the 90s and today.
Even if you think the fighters then or now are better, you can’t argue that boxing wasn’t better then.
Ali and Frazier fought right away. Two tune ups for Ali...they didn’t putz around and “marinate” the thing like now or in the 90s with Bowe and Lewis.
Idk. If he wins by the skin of his teeth in deep trench warfare by knockout, etc--- people would say (imho), "NOW THAT'S THE AJ I KNOW! THE ONE WHO CAN DIG DEEP AND COME BACK! JUST LIKE THE KLITSCHKO FIGHT!", and it's a trilogy. Which is even better for business.gilgamesh wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 15:01 Doubtful it gets THAT big again, but it could become a superfight again certainly. All depends on if he's able to rebound, and how he looks in doing it. If he beats Ruiz in a rematch by the skin of his teeth, I don't think anybody is gonna be too excited about him. He's gonna have to come back with a vengeance.
Yeah if it's by KO. When I said by the skin of his teeth I was thinking more like, he looks unimpressive, and the judges bail him out. If it's a KO or something in a dramatic fight, yeah that will excite people definitely. It'll still seem like Wilder is gonna smash him though to everybody.HomicideHenry wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 15:05 Idk. If he wins by the skin of his teeth in deep trench warfare by knockout, etc--- people would say (imho), "NOW THAT'S THE AJ I KNOW! THE ONE WHO CAN DIG DEEP AND COME BACK! JUST LIKE THE KLITSCHKO FIGHT!", and it's a trilogy. Which is even better for business.
I'd lean towards Wilder, however, I think Deyonce has an iffy chin himself. If Joshua's a "5-6" out of ten on the chin scale, Wilder probably is a "6-7". Whoever can land first. I've heard many say Joshua hits as hard or harder than Wilder. I believe it.gilgamesh wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 15:13 Yeah if it's by KO. When I said by the skin of his teeth I was thinking more like, he looks unimpressive, and the judges bail him out. If it's a KO or something in a dramatic fight, yeah that will excite people definitely. It'll still seem like Wilder is gonna smash him though to everybody.
No doubt, but Wilder is faster, and the fact that he hasn't been knocked out by any fat guys lately will definitely make him the betting favoriteHomicideHenry wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 15:17 I'd lean towards Wilder, however, I think Deyonce has an iffy chin himself. If Joshua's a "5-6" out of ten on the chin scale, Wilder probably is a "6-7". Whoever can land first. I've heard many say Joshua hits as hard or harder than Wilder. I believe it.
Yeah. There’s no center. Just fractions who refuse to come together because it pays for them not to.HomicideHenry wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 15:03 There was less powerful promoters back then than there are now. Champions also had more leeway and could have a few gimme's here & there. The organizations were also a bit more understanding too--- they'd step aside long enough to allow things to happen.
What boxing, these days, lacks is a Don King. Hate him all you want, but he actually could organize undisputed championship tournaments and in Swift fashion. Promoters these days try to out-dick one another instead of help each other.
It's fun no matter what. Both men fight with their chins in the air and throwing power punches. Wilder certainly would be the favorite, but, I think Joshua has the heart to get up and fight back hard. If Wilder was ever dropped I don't know if he'd be like that.
It's not always just the chin.
And Joshua just mentally folded against a fat guy, so again advantage Wilder.SenorPipino wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 16:43 It's not always just the chin.
Mental toughness and desire has to be factored in as to how a fighter responds to heavy shots.