The vast difference in footwork b/w Usyk and Joshua

This video just shows Usyk getting what's called lead foot dominance on AJ to line up his rear hand. He was getting to the outside angle all night at will and working the inside angle when necessary (mostly to land his jab with more authority). AJ wasn't contesting lead foot position at all against Usyk during the fight and he was badly losing the lead hand battle. AJ was clueless about the southpaw tactics Usyk was employing. He had absolutely no answer to them. As a pro he's only ever fought one southpaw, Charles Martin, and that fight only went a round and a half. You'd think that with AJ's amateur pedigree though he'd have seen plenty of southpaws and would've known what to do in there. In technical terms AJ was completely lost in this open stance match-up. His positional awareness was practically nil.

He'll need to work on neutralizing those southpaw tactics in the rematch. To be fair there was a lot of stuff in there from Usyk that was really slick. Different jab variations, shooting it both over the top and underneath AJ's lead hand, from the inside and outside angle, many times even with his head inside while his lead foot was on the outside. It's extremely rare to see the latter tactic used in boxing in either the amateur or pro game.
 
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Kovalev's "Man Bag" said:
To be fair there was a lot of stuff in there from Usyk that was really slick. Different jab variations, shooting it both over the top and underneath AJ's lead hand, from the inside and outside angle, many times even with his head inside while his lead foot was on the outside. It's extremely rare to see the latter tactic used in boxing in either the amateur or pro game.
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Kovalev's "Man Bag" said:
This video just shows Usyk getting what's called lead foot dominance on AJ to line up his rear hand. He was getting to the outside angle all night at will and working the inside angle when necessary (mostly to land his jab with more authority). AJ wasn't contesting lead foot position at all against Usyk during the fight and he was badly losing the lead hand battle. AJ was clueless about the southpaw tactics Usyk was employing. He had absolutely no answer to them. As a pro he's only ever fought one southpaw, Charles Martin, and that fight only went a round and a half. You'd think that with AJ's amateur pedigree though he'd have seen plenty of southpaws and would've known what to do in there. In technical terms AJ was completely lost in this open stance match-up. His positional awareness was practically nil.

He'll need to work on neutralizing those southpaw tactics of his in the rematch. To be fair there was a lot of stuff in there from Usyk that was really slick. Different jab variations, shooting it both over the top and underneath AJ's lead hand, from the inside and outside angle, many times even with his head inside while his lead foot was on the outside. It's extremely rare to see the latter tactic used in boxing in either the amateur or pro game.
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He did box the seasoned and slick Roberto Cammarelle in the Olympics and Cammarelle was easily outboxing AJ.
You don't necessarily learn much in a fight because everything goes so fast, but he had plenty of time to practice in training.
 
defjaam said:
He did box the seasoned and slick Roberto Cammarelle in the Olympics and Cammarelle was easily outboxing AJ.
You don't necessarily learn much in a fight because everything goes so fast, but he had plenty of time to practice in training.
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Yeah, I know that he boxed Cammarelle. I watched his Olympic run. As you said though he may not have taken much of anything from that match. If he did then he seemingly forgot any of the lessons he learned. It's strange because he was trying to outbox a slick and speedy southpaw like Usyk but he was attempting to do it blindly. He would deny Usyk from taking an angle here and there but not consistently. On a few occasions Usyk did try to step around him and at least he was able to counter that. For the majority of the fight though he just didn't know what he needed to do in there. It left me scratching my head because fighting southpaws is something he's done before in the amateurs and once professionally. I expected him to be much better prepared but he boxed Usyk like he was an orthodox stance fighter rather than a lefty.
 
Kovalev's "Man Bag" said:
You'd think that with AJ's amateur pedigree though he'd have seen plenty of southpaws and would've known what to do in there. In technical terms AJ was completely lost in this open stance match-up. His positional awareness was practically nil.

He'll need to work on neutralizing those southpaw tactics in the rematch.
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Hindsight is always 20/20
 
Badr Hari said:


@Kovalev's "Man Bag"

What do you think about this tactic, using the lead hand to drop the opponents back hand from the guard and throw a back hand hook?
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I like it. I've seen Usyk and Lomachenko do this before. A handful of other fighters too like Floyd did to Canelo in your video. The Eastern Euros like to use guard manipulation to pin the guard in place with their forearm and from there they can come around the corner with a hook. They'll also peel the guard away, what Usyk was prepared to do in that sequence to AJ's rear hand, in order to create an opening for a shot. Tricky high level boxing at its finest. Briedis is another one who likes to employ these types of tactics. In fact, he did similar here to Usyk in their fight!
 
Old Cat said:
good stuff. Slipping to the inside w that foot position is not for the faint of heart.

edit. I really enjoyed that fight. Usyk is quite the talent, love his creativity.
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Yes sir. I like the foot outside + inside slip. As you said it's creative. I imagine it feels quite awkward and unnatural to execute unless you're used to drilling that sequence in sparring and using it in fights. Not for the faint of heart indeed (as it's a bit risky, obviously).
 
Kovalev's "Man Bag" said:
Yes sir. I like the foot outside + inside slip. As you said it's creative. I imagine it feels quite awkward and unnatural to execute unless you're used to drilling that sequence in sparring and using it in fights. Not for the faint of heart indeed (as it's a bit risky, obviously).
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Yes. I so appreciate watching those men who have put the countless hours of work in gym required to perfect their craft. If one has only sparred, much less fought at the world level , they have an understanding of how difficult some of these moves are to pull off when a man is trying to hurt you, truly impressive stuff.
 
AJ is put down way too much right now. Usyk is a once in a lifetime boxer and would have boxed everyone else just as silly that night. AJ didnt even do that bad in times and adapted but Usyk always found a new answer. A lot of the stuff Usyk did isnt even possible to execute for other boxers.

Imo a bad idea for AJ to campaign for the direct rematch. Its near impossible to fix his shortcomings against such a versatile fighter who will adapt on the spot. AJ needs confidence to go in for the kill and for that he really should take an easier fight first. He is still very good at distance boxing with his lead and there are quite some boxers he can dominate like that.

I would love to see him vs. Wilder. All the people are on Wilders nuts right now because he endured so long vs Fury but put him vs. AJ and Joshua looks like Lomachenko and will dominate him from the outside. All speculation I know, before any Wilder fans get triggered. AJ wasnt as good as the media made him out to be after Wladimir fight but like I wrote he isnt as bad as people right now write about him. Still very solid and powerful HW.
 
listrahtes said:
AJ is put down way too much right now. Usyk is a once in a lifetime boxer and would have boxed everyone else just as silly that night. AJ didnt even do that bad in times and adapted but Usyk always found a new answer. A lot of the stuff Usyk did isnt even possible to execute for other boxers.

Imo a bad idea for AJ to campaign for the direct rematch. Its near impossible to fix his shortcomings against such a versatile fighter who will adapt on the spot. AJ needs confidence to go in for the kill and for that he really should take an easier fight first. He is still very good at distance boxing with his lead and there are quite some boxers he can dominate like that.

I would love to see him vs. Wilder. All the people are on Wilders nuts right now because he endured so long vs Fury but put him vs. AJ and Joshua looks like Lomachenko and will dominate him from the outside. All speculation I know, before any Wilder fans get triggered. AJ wasnt as good as the media made him out to be after Wladimir fight but like I wrote he isnt as bad as people right now write about him. Still very solid and powerful HW.
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I agree. But AJ has no choice really. If he ducks away from a rematch he would be viewed badly in the public eye
 
Badr Hari said:
I agree. But AJ has no choice really. If he ducks away from a rematch he would be viewed badly in the public eye
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Maybe and the public would be correct but still it would be the right move. Wladimir Klitschko didnt campaign for a rematch with Sanders or Brewster. Sure he was and is viewed badly for that in the public and he did pussy out of this but for his career it was the right move. Sanders would have ended his career for good and Brewster, without being a corpse like in the actual "rematch" could have done the same. Sometimes its better to take a step back and such imo is the case with AJ.

Still the loss isnt so bad if you put into account how skilled Usyk is
 
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aj isnt bad, has great power and is a good dude for boxing.

but, he doesnt have fluid movement when he fights and looks stiff.

AJ vs Wilder is the fight to make for 2022 IMO. i think AJ needs to let usyk go and not risk ruining his career fighting a technician who already has the blueprint to win.
 
Goober stoober said:
AJ vs Wilder is the fight to make for 2022 IMO
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Agree but this will never come. People need to remember that Wilder was cherrypicking opponents his whole career. The one good win Ortiz was picked because he was close to a senior citizen himself at the time of the fights. Fury was picked when he was a 400pund fatty monster on a coke binge no one thought could come back, to get a good name on his resume. That backfired badly why the rematches happened but Wilder is the ultimate cherry picker. I highly doubt he will pick any high level opponent especially in or close to his prime like AJ, Whyte, Joyce..etc. AJ was open to fight Wilder before.
 
listrahtes said:
Agree but this will never come. People need to remember that Wilder was cherrypicking opponents his whole career. The one good win Ortiz was picked because he was close to a senior citizen himself at the time of the fights. Fury was picked when he was a 400pund fatty monster on a coke binge no one thought could come back, to get a good name on his resume. That backfired badly why the rematches happened but Wilder is the ultimate cherry picker. I highly doubt he will pick any high level opponent especially in or close to his prime like AJ, Whyte, Joyce..etc. AJ was open to fight Wilder before.
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i dont disagree about wilder cherry picking, he has been moved along very slowly. but he does have a bigger profile now and has the power that everyone tunes in for. he has 4 knockdowns in 3 fights against the best in the world, its an accomplishment you can sell.

i hope wilder and his team realize this is the time to go for 1 more payday versus another big name.

AJ probably feels like he can position himself a fury fight in the UK so he might avoid going for a wounded wilder but its the match id urge him to explore once wilder heals up.
 
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