The Boxing thread

[Alex 35079]

Lets just say I wasnt surprised to see churlish comments posted by you. Thought it was a great fight tbh. Thought Bellew was correct when he said it was a throwback to some great heavyweight fights of yesteryear. It was a far from perfect performance and he was out on his feet in the 6th but to survive that was a fantastic display of character and ring craft tbh. Klitschko put on his best (and most aggressive) performance for years and used every drop of his experience and it still wasn't enough. And he's one of the best heavyweights of all time. He dominated the division for a decade ffs. Joshua on the other hand had (I think) 44 rounds in 18 fights which is absolutely unheard of to be fighting at that level. Even Tyson, who blew everyone away just about, had loads more experience than that before he beat Trevor Berbick. If you've got nowt good to say after that then I have absolutely no idea what you're doing watching boxing

[Alex 35079]

While I'm at it. No stamina have you got the tiniest fuckng inkling how hard it would be to knock someone with Klitschko's defensive skills in the ELEVENTH FUCKING ROUND of a fight like that? Absolutely laughable patter tbh

[Dr Gloom 21915]

Class from Joshua. First real test of his career and he came through it like rocky balboa. Rematch or Fury up next?

Edited April 30, 2017 by Dr Gloom

[Dr Gloom 21915]

Vlad let him off the hook, should've finished him

 

Joshua is all mass and no stamina/guile, anyone halfway decent is in with a shot once it goes past round4

 

Very average...but that's the division these days.

Very harsh asssesment. Klitschko is over the hill but he was in better shape for this fight than he has been for years. He wanted this, and was impressive, but Joshua had too much for him. Answered a few questions about his chin too. Very impressive comeback after looking on lthe ropes in the 6th. I thought he was done for then.

 

Joshua can only beat what's in front of him. I expect him to dispatch wilder too and fury - if he ever gets his act together again.

[Park Life 71]

A 5 year younger Klit would have finished it in the 6th. Joshua shows promise mind. Too statuesque and not much lateral movement means he would be vulernable against a lighter heavyweight with movement. Good fight but just short of a classic for me.

[Alex 35079]

He was fucking gassed and nearly beaten halfway through ffs, aye well done got a second wind vs a 41 year old at the death

Never said it wasn't a good fight, what I said is Joshua is nothing special, klitschko is a fantastic fighter you're right but time beat him tonight nothing more.

Those losses wouldn't have happened even 5years earlier, not even close tbh.

Edit > seeing as ya mentioned tyson, he didn't take 11 to knock out Holmes in a similar scenario

Like I said will AJ be great to watch yes, good fights yes, is he as good as the hype like a new tyson, not even close

I only mentioned Tyson, as I made pretty clear, to highlight just how inexperienced Joshua was going into fight. As for the hype, I don't think anyone who knows anything about boxing thought Joshua was anything but a very exciting unknown quantity. Tyson was a one off who was utterly devastating at his peak. However, bringing up the Holmes fight is cherry picking. Holmes was totally finished. Also, why not question why a Tyson who was similarly experienced couldn't knock out journeymen fighters like Mitch Green or James Tillis? Again, that's not me saying Joshua's better than a young Tyson. And if we're talking about eras, the one Tyson dominated was worse than the current one. Edited April 30, 2017 by Alex

[Park Life 71]

Settle it in the ring you queers.

[Tom 14011]

Really enjoyed this, one of the few box office fights that I didn't regret paying for.

 

Joshua answered a few questions but if Tyson Fury can get off the drink/coke I'd fear for AJ.

[Park Life 71]

Really enjoyed this, one of the few box office fights that I didn't regret paying for.

 

Joshua answered a few questions but if Tyson Fury can get off the drink/coke I'd fear for AJ.

AJ is a bit too statuesque and you can always see what he is going to throw. They need to get some of the weight off him and get him a bit faster and mobile. As you say might take punishment from a quicker boxer with deeper combinations.

[Happy Face 29]

Surprised I've got 7 posts in here and there's nowt I hate more than people who only go to the pub at new year, but really enjoyed the fight. Was a great advert for boxing which is far more than can be said for a any of the other headline matchups I might have paid glancing attention to recently.

 

After the entrance, the way he celebrated the first knock down as if he'd won it and his own knock down in the 6th, I thought Joshua was all head and no shaft, but ended up very impressed by his spirit, recovery and stamina.

 

Sorry Ant.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13863]

I know nowt about boxing but to punch a man who is clearly quite hard, in the head and knock him to the ground after half an hour of trying not to get punched yourself, probably takes some kind of special attribute that very few people have.

[Dr Gloom 21915]

I know nowt about boxing but to punch a man who is clearly quite hard, in the head and knock him to the ground after half an hour of trying not to get punched yourself, probably takes some kind of special attribute that very few people have.

nicely put.

 

I have so much admiration for boxers. They're the ultimate athletes. I've done a bit of sparring and it's absolutely exhausting, just shadow boxing for a few three minute rounds, or a bit of pad work is knackering. That's before you take into account the endurance required to absorb blows from a brute like Klitschko.

 

Technically, Joshua isn't the greatest heavyweight there's ever been. But he's the best in the world right now and I can't see anyone beating him anytime soon.

Edited April 30, 2017 by Dr Gloom

[PaddockLad 17255]

nicely put.

 

I have so much admiration for boxers. They're the ultimate athletes. I've done a bit of sparring and it's absolutely exhausting, just shadow boxing for a few three minute rounds, or a bit of pad work is knackering. That's before you take into account the endurance required to absorb blows from a brute like Klitschko.

 

Technically, Joshua isn't the greatest heavyweight there's ever been. But he's the best in the world right now and I can't see anyone beating him anytime soon.

This last bit, Ant said anyone decent would have put AJ away in the middle of the fight which is true to a large extent, but he didn't mention that in reality Joshua is as good as it gets at the moment ?

[Alex 35079]

I reckon Ortiz would have a good chance against Joshua were they to fight in his next 2 or 3 fights. Think he's as good as anyone in the division. He can't get a decent fight because he's that combo of being too good but not enough of a box office pull for him to be worth the risk. Think Hearn's promoting him now which probably makes it even less likely. He's nearly 40 too I think so time isn't on his side either.

[Park Life 71]

Is Wilder no good?

[Alex 35079]

Yeah but another who's an unknown quantity because he's never fought anyone top drawer

[Park Life 71]

Looked dangerous on youtube.

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

Is Wilder no good?

 

 

He's great in Stir Crazy.

[Dr Gloom 21915]

He's great in Stir Crazy.

[Dr Gloom 21915]

Aye I know what you were getting at, I was making the point he's inexperienced but Tyson was also what 22 when he fought holmes, not just inexperienced but seriously young. I wasn't really trying to cherry pick tbh, was a former champion similar age and stature (arguably) and one of three fights Tyson fought that year, Holmes, Japan(forget who just it was a quick fight knockout) then ended Spinks career in 1 round.

 

Again not trying to compare AJ to Tyson, just the hype around him and the way some lads are talking, that's the kinda performance they were expecting, win inside of 3rounds no bother too big too strong... and i didn't see it happening.

 

can't remember if i posted this on here as well but this is what i said before the fight on another forum

 

 

Nothing against Joshua, enjoy watching him knock lads out, but just didn't understand the massive hype around him being like a juggernaut. Klitschko was miles better than he was against fury, that Klitschko would've beat fury, he didn't get sucked in with mindgames or have other issues on his mind.

Joshua has the attributes but he doesn't have the guile like i said yet, his movement in comparison to someone of Klitschko standard is greatly inferior, so when he can't rock guys early he seems to run out of ideas hence what i said above, that's where he needs to improve the most imo.

 

Do you think Klitschko hesitated a bit when he could've took control ?

start of the 11th i thought it was going go the distance tbh, punches were all kinda sloppy till that flurry where he got caught with the uppercut then got his wind back.

Klitschko bossed it for a couple of rounds after the 6th. He could have gone all out for the knockout but he also would have risked punching himself out and he saw Joshua get up after putting him down with a good shot. Plus he's naturally conservative.

 

It would have been very tight on points if it'd had gone the distance but Joshua came back into it around the 9th/10th and was just too good in the end. Fair play to klitscko though. I think the fight was such a good spectacle because he worked so hard to make amends after the fury debacle when he looked slow on his feet. I thought he fought a great fight yesterday tbf

[Holden McGroin 6583]

Lets just say I wasnt surprised to see churlish comments posted by you. Thought it was a great fight tbh. Thought Bellew was correct when he said it was a throwback to some great heavyweight fights of yesteryear. It was a far from perfect performance and he was out on his feet in the 6th but to survive that was a fantastic display of character and ring craft tbh. Klitschko put on his best (and most aggressive) performance for years and used every drop of his experience and it still wasn't enough. And he's one of the best heavyweights of all time. He dominated the division for a decade ffs. Joshua on the other hand had (I think) 44 rounds in 18 fights which is absolutely unheard of to be fighting at that level. Even Tyson, who blew everyone away just about, had loads more experience than that before he beat Trevor Berbick. If you've got nowt good to say after that then I have absolutely no idea what you're doing watching boxing

 

Totally agree. It looks like Joshua emptied his tank in the 5th trying to put him away but to stay in the fight showed fantastic spirit. I was on my feet in the 11th. Great fight. 

[Holden McGroin 6583]

AJ is a bit too statuesque and you can always see what he is going to throw. They need to get some of the weight off him and get him a bit faster and mobile. As you say might take punishment from a quicker boxer with deeper combinations.

 

AJ is lightening quick for a heavyweight. 19 KOs out of 19 backs that up.

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3894]

I hope Joshua gets to fight Fury.

[Alex 35079]

Aye I know what you were getting at, I was making the point he's inexperienced but Tyson was also what 22 when he fought holmes, not just inexperienced but seriously young. I wasn't really trying to cherry pick tbh, was a former champion similar age and stature (arguably) and one of three fights  Tyson fought that year,  Holmes, Japan(forget who just it was a quick fight knockout) then ended Spinks career in 1 round.

 

Again not trying to compare AJ to Tyson, just the hype around him and the way some lads are talking, that's the kinda performance they were expecting, win inside of 3rounds no bother too big too strong... and i didn't see it happening.

 

can't remember if i posted this on here as well but this is what i said before the fight on another forum

 

 

Nothing against Joshua, enjoy watching him knock lads out, but just didn't understand the massive hype around him being like a juggernaut. Klitschko was miles better than he was against fury, that Klitschko would've beat fury, he didn't get sucked in with mindgames or have other issues on his mind.

Joshua has the attributes but he doesn't have the guile like i said yet, his movement in comparison to someone of Klitschko standard is greatly inferior, so when he can't rock guys early he seems to run out of ideas hence what i said above, that's where he needs to improve the most imo.

 

Do you think Klitschko hesitated a bit when he could've took control ?

start of the 11th i thought it was going go the distance tbh, punches were all kinda sloppy  till that flurry where he got caught with the uppercut then got his wind back.

Think the age difference between Tyson and Joshua in the respective fights you were talking about isn't that relevant since Joshua's been boxing less than ten years. I would also say Klitschko on Saturday night was in much better shape than the 38 y.o. Larry Holmes. I suppose the other thing about the age is that Tyson peaked really young. I accept your point about some of the hype around Joshua but I think that's inevitable given his record and it's also from a lot of more casual fans. The other thing is that he's so exciting to watch. If you take someone like Tyson Fury by comparison then Fury and his team like to tell they world that people are prejudiced against him because he's a gypsy but the reality is people, on the whole, prefer Joshua because his fights are much better to watch.

I agree with your assessment of Joshua although the point about the movement is a bit harsh because I think the way he gets in and out of range is quite underrated. It's also still difficult to say just where he's at. He's still very inexperience in terms of rounds and fights and Saturday night will have undoubtedly provided him with more knowledge and experience than every other fight put together. I also agree that Klitschko in that shape and mood would've beaten Fury. Again he goes on like he bamboozled Klitschko with an Ali-like display but in reality he just had much the better of a very dull, cagey contest.

Regarding whether Klitschko held back when he had the chance to finish the fight then I guess only he'll know. I think he was trying to k.o. Joshua in the 6th after the knock-down but I suspect he was a little bit knackered too. He seemed to go for single shots and I suppose that's fatigue and not possessing the ability of Joshua in terms of being able to throw the same devastating combos. The other thing is that he was possibly concerned about punching himself out and thought he had a great chance of winning but taking it longer. Going all out for the knockout against Joshua would've been a risk. I tend to think he was just tired / unable to do it though because of the aggressive attidtude he showed in general. To be honest, from about the 7th round on I could only see Klitschko winning, either by stoppage or on points. I think that's why it was class by Joshua, he came back from that and even if Klitschko had survived the 11th then he was losing on points anyway (I think the 10-8 round in the 11th would've had him well ahead on 2 cards and level on the 3rd). It was a fucking great fight anyway.

 

Going back to Mike Tyson (and not trying to reignite any arguments) but two things that Joshua had been criticised for (unfairly really) is that the heavyweight division isn't very good and that he hadn't beaten anyone of note could both be applied to Tyson too. I think Tyson is still comfortable the most exciting heavyweight of the last 30-odd years but one thing that I think stops him being at the very top in terms of all-time lists is the question - who did he actually beat? He's lacking that on his CV because I don't think he ever beat anyone who was that good. Holmes was class (albeit in a poor era) but he was well passed it and just after the money when he fought Iron Mike. Again that wasn't his fault.

[Park Life 71]

AJ is lightening quick for a heavyweight. 19 KOs out of 19 backs that up.

Wouldn't last 5 secs against my tornado combinations.