BoxRec

"Anthony Joshua reveals how Tyson Fury taunt helped cause Oleksandr Usyk defeat"

Joshua lost his heavyweight titles to the undefeated Ukrainian in September

Anthony Joshua has admitted that a taunt from Tyson Fury played a role in his defeat by Oleksandr Usyk last September.

Joshua was comprehensively outpointed by Usyk in north London, surrendering his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles in the process. The pair are now set to rematch this year, likely in spring.

Many pundits were critical of Joshua’s attempts to outbox the undefeated Ukrainian in the opponents’ first meeting, and “AJ” himself has said the tactic might have been misguided.

“Usyk came up from cruiserweight, great fighter, 12-round fighter,” Joshua told Sky Sports.

“I wanted to box with him for 12 rounds, because there was always a stigma that I can't box, [that] I'm a big, stiff bodybuilder,” Joshua continued, referencing a jibe from fellow British heavyweight Fury.

“So I said: ‘Alright, cool, let me practise my boxing.’ I tried practising my boxing with Usyk.

“He won nine rounds, I won three. Next fight, I win four more rounds – I win. So, let me simplify that matter, and I’ll then get on the road to being undisputed champion.”

A month after Joshua’s loss to Usyk, Fury retained his WBC heavyweight title in his trilogy bout with Deontay Wilder, knocking out the American for the second fight in a row.

Fury has now been ordered to defend his belt against compatriot Dillian Whyte, with a unification bout against Usyk – or Joshua – potentially next if he can beat the “Body Snatcher”.

Thoughts?

Joshua has been saying he's learning boxing after every fight.

2-time unfied world champion, 9 year pro, Olympic Gold medallist and he's 'trying' to box..

Joshua is more satisfied to admit, that critics made him uncomfortable, other than to admit, that he went gunshy because of an experience of getting beat.

DrDuke wrote: ↑06 Jan 2022, 12:32 Joshua is more satisfied to admit, that critics made him uncomfortable, other than to admit, that he went gunshy because of an experience of getting beat.

Tony Atlas said he's a bit too gracious in defeat.

Maybe it's because of the money he's made from boxing.

There's gracious in defeat, then there's AJ's version of gracious in defeat.

two completely different things.

..it's not only in boxing, people analyzing their failures tend to look for the reasons and actually find them elsewhere... good for them if it helps to them to refocus...in my book they are delusional..

last time aj lost he didn’t say much which i liked to say a taunt has helped cause his loss is abit amateurish and weak minded he did say though i lost to the better man on the night which is true it’s clear from the first fight he’s not going to outbox usyk and i think the best way to best usyk is to take it to him , yes he might get stopped but if he doesn’t try we all know what will happen

Usyk can't buy a rep.

The most underrated HW since Tunney?

This is getting like the Joe Calzaghe situation where folks seem plain unwilling to accept the evidence of their senses or of their faculties

It's a particular form of prejudice that remains stubbornly difficult to eradicate. Even Ali had to endure an inordinate amount of disbelief during his first run as champion.

It seems to be a particularly pernicious diehard concept when an ostensibly bigger stronger HW eg Dempsey/ Liston / AJ is succeeded by a smaller but more skilled champion eg Tunney/Clay/Usyk.

However a boxing ring is no place to enter with serious delusions or doubts. If AJ is to win the rematch, and history is against him, then he needs to know exactly how he is going to win beforehand.

I wonder what his trainer thinks his chances are?

If I were Joshua's people, I'd tell him to shut the fck up and stop coming out with this crap, as it makes him sound very mentally weak.

He's saying he fought the wrong gameplan because Fury taunted him about being stiff.

What a weak-minded fool it makes him sound like

I was a fan of Joshua's early doors, but I think the beating he took from Ruiz, robbed him of his self belief - I don't think he's ever going to climb that mountain again.

I wish him well, but I expect he will lose even more convincingly in the rematch, and although Usyk isn't a big hitter, can see a stoppage.

^^^+1

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑06 Jan 2022, 11:45 “He won nine rounds, I won three. Next fight, I win four more rounds – I win. ”

That's not how a champ says he's going to win the rematch and take back his belt.

"I'm going to eke out a 115-113 decision next time! Just you wait!"

yall see how i'm gonna get my revenge in style, watch me win a 115-114x2 / 114-114 majority decision bitches

Joshua ... Stigma
That's Crack Head talk they use to justify weak performances and mindsets.
Grow up AJ.

Joshua needs to walk in at 250-265 for Usyk at least.

265 and he'd be exhausted walking to the ring

Evander wrote: ↑07 Jan 2022, 02:31 Joshua needs to walk in at 250-265 for Usyk at least.

The guy has average stamina already. Heaviest he has ever weighed was 254lb vs Takam - I reckon 245-255lb would be plenty.

jezzamundo wrote: ↑07 Jan 2022, 03:18

Evander wrote: ↑07 Jan 2022, 02:31 Joshua needs to walk in at 250-265 for Usyk at least.

The guy has average stamina already. Heaviest he has ever weighed was 254lb vs Takam - I reckon 245-255lb would be plenty.

Then he has to up doesn't he.

SportsRatings wrote: ↑06 Jan 2022, 21:36

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑06 Jan 2022, 11:45 “He won nine rounds, I won three. Next fight, I win four more rounds – I win. ”

That's not how a champ says he's going to win the rematch and take back his belt.

"I'm going to eke out a 115-113 decision next time! Just you wait!"

Can it be seen so as even Joshua himself admits, that judges always help him and he doesn't need wide scores?

I’ve heard some sh*t in my time

Joshua needs to enter the ring, lean and mean, hungry for a ko, but fit enough to go the distance. If I were training him, I'd aim for 240. No weight training. Alot of speed training and cardio.

Joshua is delusional, he was too cocky, coming across as a Johnny Big Bucks yet again.

He's done, Usyk has his number. Onto the Fury vs Usyk undisputed showdown hopefully this year.

IRONFIST wrote: ↑07 Jan 2022, 10:07Joshua is delusional, he was too cocky, coming across as a Johnny Big Bucks yet again.

I’m not really sure whether “cockiness” is AJ’s main problem, but you could very well be right.

But I do feel that his hunger has probably gone (lacking desire to overcome adversity to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat) and the Ruiz Jr. stoppage loss has made him go gun-shy (resulting in him being highly-reluctant to engage in heated exchanges against opposition that poses a threat.

IRONFIST wrote: ↑07 Jan 2022, 10:07He's done, Usyk has his number. Onto the Fury vs Usyk undisputed showdown hopefully this year.

I partly disagree with this.

I agree with you that Usyk is going to beat Joshua in the rematch. And I even feel that Oleksandr will probably stop the Brit.

However, Usyk is injury prone, and I don’t feel he’ll enjoy a lengthy title reign.

And I suspect that Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder will both retire within the next twelve months or so.

This means that all the titles will be vacated at some point, with Matchroom inevitably carefully manoeuvring AJ to capture one of them against less-than-stellar opposition.

And who knows what the future holds? Perhaps AJ can rebuild to capture his form of old. I doubt it, but it's possible.

IRONFIST wrote: ↑07 Jan 2022, 10:07 Joshua is delusional, he was too cocky, coming across as a Johnny Big Bucks yet again.

He's done, Usyk has his number. Onto the Fury vs Usyk undisputed showdown hopefully this year.

I think Ruiz knocked the cockiness out of Joshua. But def delusional.

JamesPhilips wrote: ↑07 Jan 2022, 11:33

IRONFIST wrote: ↑07 Jan 2022, 10:07 Joshua is delusional, he was too cocky, coming across as a Johnny Big Bucks yet again.

He's done, Usyk has his number. Onto the Fury vs Usyk undisputed showdown hopefully this year.

I think Ruiz knocked the cockiness out of Joshua. But def delusional.

Yeah it did for a while but after he regained the title from Ruiz he was back to his same old ways. He won't regain it from Usyk though.

Counting Joshua out just yet seems premature. Joshua has been working with Floyd Mayweather after this loss and there is no question about it, Mayweather could turn Joshua around. Is Joshua however taking anything seriously enough to turn around? This nonsense that he is talking certainly doesn't suggest that.

i don’t think changing trainers will benefit aj i just think he needs to look at himself , mccracken know the game inside out they need to come up with a strategy that ruffles usyk up even bend the rules be a c unt to usyk have abit of needle