I thought AJ boxed excellently

[aries]

He didn’t look bad but picked the wrong gameplan.

Also, stopping the body work right when it started to pay off was a god awful move.

Yeah that's was a really dumb decision. He was hurting him and getting the most success with it that he had all night.

 

[Badr Hari]

McCracken in the post fight press seemed a bit mad at AJ. He said there is no drawing board, it's the same fight, you just need to pressure more. Usyk was comfortable in there and AJ was way too hesitant. But it's easier said than done, at the end of the day it's AJ who should go out there and take the risks not McCracken or us here.

AJ had an interesting take when asked about body punching. He said he felt Usyk was hurt but he also saw him recover fast from that.

 

[aries]

McCracken in the post fight press seemed a bit mad at AJ. He said there is no drawing board, it's the same fight, you just need to pressure more. Usyk was comfortable in there and AJ was way too hesitant. But it's easier said than done, at the end of the day it's AJ who should go out there and take the risks not McCracken or us here.

AJ had an interesting take when asked about body punching. He said he felt Usyk was hurt but he also saw him recover fast from that.

That doesn't sound good. It seems like AJ is mentally incapable of fighting like he needs to.

The body punching should have continued, AJ was finding the target much easier to hit than Usyk's head. At least he was scoring points. He couldn't even land his jab on Usyks head.

 

[Popsaregood230]

He definitely adjusted in the middle of the fight. He found some success and utilized it. Then he stopped doing those things, and lost. I used to think of AJ as just a one dimensional boxer/hitter, but even in this loss, I saw some new wrinkles to his ability.

 

[toogreen]

i never seen aj look better and usyk still beat him

 

[JSN]

He’s in kind of a lose lose situation. If he comes back trying to box similar to how he did now, he’s rolling the dice and likely won’t be able to outbox Usyk and probably won’t knock him out. If he comes in heavier and tries to fight Usyk and pressure him he needs to do it early or he’ll fade in the later rounds.

There were some moments in the fight where AJ got the better of a few exchanges and I remember thinking that Usyk looked small and exploitable. There are paths to victory for AJ but Usyk might just be a bad matchup for him at the end of the day.

Think of it this way tho- Fury tied up and leaned on Wilder even though he’s the far superior boxer just because why not use the weight and height advantage? In the case of Joshua-Usyk, it’s the only advantage Joshua has.

 

[b-hop]

Both are total bumbs.

 

[5acrossYOeye]

He didn’t look bad but picked the wrong gameplan.

Also, stopping the body work right when it started to pay off was a god awful move.

His lack of adapting during the fight was a pretty big issue here.

 

[Seano]

i never seen aj look better and usyk still beat him

I'd like to have seen him throw a few more big shots. He was outpointing Usyk at times with the jab but he wasn't doing much damage.

 

[Seano]

His lack of adapting during the fight was a pretty big issue here.

I actually thought he made some good adjustments after the 3rd round.

 

[5acrossYOeye]

I actually thought he made some good adjustments after the 3rd round.

he was a step behind for the majority night and i don't mean in a speed sense. it was like he was in reaction mode rather than make Usyk adjust to him. I don't think he was interested in paying the price it was going to take to continue punching to the body.

 

[Seano]

he was a step behind for the majority night and i don't mean in a speed sense. it was like he was in reaction mode rather than make Usyk adjust to him. I don't think he was interested in paying the price it was going to take to continue punching to the body.

I get you.
I liked when he found the jab, but wished he'd put a little more power to follow it here and there.

 

[tekkennlee]

Everyone knows Josh fights safe and to his opponents level, he's afraid to take risk doesn't use his advantages and doesn't commit to his jab at times and that's why he gives us headaches, he's so much better than he fights.

 

[HHJ]

.Honestly, Usyk is the one who will have more changes for the second fight and probably put AJ away next time

His confidence will be sky high and he knows he can do it now.

 

[GeneTunney7]

Hard truth = this was probably the best version of AJ ever. AJ was pushed thru the rankings and fast tracked, even tho he was never ready or at that uber elite level. If Tyson Fury did not go off the rails, chances are he would have already gotten exposed before Ruiz got to him. Usyk is just too darn good and he will likely have a long reign, especially if Tyson continues to be all over the place and struggling with his demons. He reminds me of my avatar - not the biggest or hardest hitting heavyweight but just a step ahead of everyone technically, tough, active, super high IQ and a winner.

 

[GeneTunney7]

I still favour Joshua over fury if they even fight. Usyks on a different level to everyone at HW. We saw that last night. I hope the other belt holder (whoever that may be) takes the challenge and fights him for all of the belts

I can see thinking Usyk may be on a different level, but Klit and Ruiz already exposed AJ. Fury would trounce him. Fury fought a younger and better shape Klit and steam rolled him, where as AJ went life and death with him. There are simply levels to this, and Fury and Usyk are the kig of the mountain. that fight is a toss up for me.

 

[Jonny Ninja]

I can see thinking Usyk may be on a different level, but Klit and Ruiz already exposed AJ. Fury would trounce him. Fury fought a younger and better shape Klit and steam rolled him, where as AJ went life and death with him. There are simply levels to this, and Fury and Usyk are the kig of the mountain. that fight is a toss up for me.

Fury also fought an old wlad, nearly 40 years old, and they both stunk the fckin place out. They virtually fought the same fighter?? Steamrolled him? Neither guy deserved to win, it was one of the worst HW title fights I can remember. And the irony is most fans were impressed with wlads condition snd movement in the Joshua fight. Literally no one thought he looked old and past it. He would have been on the slide for both fights, absolutely no doubt. And you can see that from his previous fight with jennings. The only real difference between their wins over wlad was location, not age. And 1 was a great fight, the other awful

AJ has taken risks that the other 2 haven’t, especially wilder. If you combined fury and wilders resume, Joshua still has more top 10 wins. That’s disgraceful really, especially considering he’s had far less fights or time as a pro. I certainly wouldn’t say he’s been exposed. Got caught by Ruiz than shut him out in the rematch. Got outboxed by easily the best boxer in the division. It’s as much to do with him taking on all comers, unlike the other 2 who pick amd choose who they fight

actually fury still has plenty to prove himself. He’s only beaten an old wlad and and incredibly flawed wilder in his whole career! Never actually defended his title and delboy is his 3rd and 4th best win ffs. Having a perpetual journeyman as your 3rd best win is laughable for a guy so highly regarded. I think usyk is now the only guy at HW that there aren’t really question marks about. As per my previous post let’s hope the winner of fury/wilder take up the challenge with usyk next year. He embarrass wilder and fury isn’t out boxing him. He’s gonna need to get rough and dirty like he did against Cunningham. However, usyk far more slippery and it’s gonna be a far harder task

 

[Kevster]

Fury also fought an old wlad, nearly 40 years old, and they both stunk the fckin place out. They virtually fought the same fighter?? Steamrolled him? Neither guy deserved to win, it was one of the worst HW title fights I can remember.

AJ has taken risks that the other 2 haven’t, especially wilder. If you combined fury and wilders resume, Joshua still has more top 10 wins. That’s disgraceful really, especially considering he’s had far less fights or time as a pro. I certainly wouldn’t say he’s been exposed. Got caught by Ruiz than shut him out in the rematch. Got outboxed by easily the best boxer in the division. It’s as much to do with him taking on all comers, unlike the other 2 who pick amd choose who they fight

actually fury still has plenty to prove himself. He’s only beaten an old wlad and and incredibly flawed wilder in his whole career! Never actually defended his title and delboy is his 3rd and 4th best win ffs. Having a perpetual journeyman as your 3rd best win is laughable for a guy so highly regarded. I think usyk is now the only guy at HW that there aren’t really question marks about. As per my previous post let’s hope the winner of fury/wilder take up the challenge with usyk next year. He embarrass wilder and fury isn’t out boxing him. He’s gonna need to get rough and dirty like he did against Cunningham. However, usyk far more slippery and it’s gonna be a far harder task

I honestly question if half these guys have ever seen Fury throw a punch pre Wilder or just use boxrec.

Far lesser guys than AJ, hell even Ruiz have had Fury in all sorts of trouble.

 

[Jonny Ninja]

I honestly question if half these guys have ever seen Fury throw a punch pre Wilder or just use boxrec.

Far lesser guys than AJ, hell even Ruiz have had Fury in all sorts of trouble.

The Cunningham fight is interesting because he was badly struggling in that fight, until he started using his size. The finish was more MMA than boxing as well. It was dirty as fck under Queensbury rules. I don’t think he’s gonna be able to do that to usyk, he’s too slippery. I think fury is gonna have real problems with usyk if they fight. I give him a better chance at beating him than Joshua’s rematch because he is more fluid and will make it rough if needs be, but I definitely favour usyk in the fight

furys been put on a pedestal by many of his fans, yet what had he actually achieved. He’s never defended his title, hasn’t fought the vast majority of the best guys and he’s a ped cheat. According to some though he’s an atg HW? He may get there yet but has a long way to go still

 

[deucesarewild]

Obviously all props to the new king Usyk.

But one thing I think a little bit overlooked in the post fight discussion is how well AJ boxed. AJ I don't really consider some supreme technical boxer but he really fought Usyk tough in Usyk's style of fight. Now, Usyk was just flat out better

But AJ did really well in that style of fight even if it was the wrong approach. Really high level stuff in that fight and AJ was right there with him until the last few moments of the 12th

AJ is too aware of what people think about him, that he tends to want to prove something. Makes him overthink and get in his own head, or come up with poor strategies.