Off Topic Boxing

It's Wlads absence that has us all baffled. If he'd have had a warm up fight 6 months ago against easy cannon fodder and won half way convincingly I think the betting, and public opinion would be very much split down the middle but the assumption everyone (including myself) seems to be making is that he's finished, which may not be the case at all. He seems hungry for it. To use a very loose analogy it's a bit like Coneygree today, the long absence puts a negative in ones mind about them, but in actual fact their ability hasn't actually deteriorated that much. If u apply that theory here, it's a fight you could argue Joshua shouldn't even be the favorite for, never mind as short a one as he is. As I say, very intriguing, lot of angles in it or maybe I'm overcomplicating it...

 

Not at all over complicating it. You've got it spot on. Everyone is assuming that the Fury fight was the end of Klitschko and my thinking is that if the same Klitschko turns up then it could be Joshua wipes him out but if Klitschko of old turns up or somewhere near that level then I think it might be too much too soon for Joshua and he could get a reality check. Is he another Frank Bruno as Tyson has been saying?

 

Frank Bruno wasn't that bad if he is to be fair, took good uns to beat him! He's not a great mover is one chink in his armour, its the question does Wlad have it in him to engage and open up, as he didnt do it against Fury.

This big Daniel Dubois chap looks interesting, similar build to Joshua and the amateur pedigree too. Got wobbled on Saturday night but was only his second pro fight so I wouldn't worry about that. Of course we see plenty look good against tin pots and he may very well be another but he seems pretty grounded and a smart lad whose doing the right things to improve. Only 19 is the thing that really gets me about him, so young with so much growing and learning ahead. Worth remembering on Joshua he ain't that young as everyone assumes, he's what 26 or 27, and is actually only a year younger than Fury. I'll certainly be keeping an eye on this Dubois chap anyway.

 

I didn't mean to imply Bruno was **** just making the comparison that he had a great physique, unbelievable power but no stamina and was a bit chinny.

I saw Daniel Dubois or 'triple D' as he is being billed the other week when I went in Manchester. He looks huge but didn't really learn much from the fight itself the bloke opposite him in the ring looked like he'd just been pulled from local pie shop and being asked to stand still and be punched in the head

 

On boxing boards there's some serious chat about whether AJ is too bulked for his own good. Some are suggesting that he must tire at a quicker rate thanks to the work rated needed by his body to oxygenate that muscle mass, while others say they if he can get the balance right cardio and the weights, he'll be ok. I don't know if it's true or not, but it's being suggested that his clunky style and hints of early fatigue may be down to the balance falling a little to heavily into the weights side of things. There is some really interesting reading out there.

 

Here's a wonderful article from Oliver Brown on the dedication of Anthony Joseph and the science supporting him.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/91955615/.html

 

I have to say the undercard looks disappointing to say the least. There's good fighters on it but not to me anyway many good matchups

 

The undercard is absolute pish, let's not beat around the bush here! Don't even know if I'll be buying it in fact, could be a streaming job!

 

Streaming for me, i'm not paying for it. With the amount of money they'll be making with this show they could have forked out a bit of cash and made some really good fights for the undercard

 

I don't know how true it is, but I've just been reading a report on Givemesport, that Tyson and Hughie Fury will plead innocent to nandrolone charges when they appear before the National Anti-Doping Panel. According to the site, their defence is a doozy, they were contaminated by consuming a whole pig, offal and all, every week. They'll produce a farmer who'll testify that he supplied the boas. The Furys might spend too much time in the ring, but they sure know how to keep the name out there. Gotta love the family.

 

Behind the scenes at the Joshua - Klitschko workouts with just days to go. Nice article. The film of VK moving was interesting.

http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/beh...schko-workouts-klitschko-proves-hes-obsessed/

 

Entertaining.

 

Just popping in to have a word on the boxing pre-fight build up.

Klitschko is Joshua's biggest test- let's not beat around the bush. But even at his very best he doesn't lace the gloves of the elite heavyweights (Joshua calls him a top 5 all time heavyweight.) Not in my eyes.

I've just had another long look through his record. It's a padded out, long dominant reign of beating nobodies. He has stood out in an era of absolute ****e. He was one of two fighters in the 2000s who had a professional athletes body. I cannot believe the substandard of the division when I look back at it and it annoys me that he is rated so highly. He's a good heavyweight, strong and excellent technique, but great? Pull the other one.

Vitali Klitschko is the real top heavyweight of the two brothers in my view.

Tyson Fury, who lest we forget had actually had close fights with the likes of mighty Derek Chisora before he fought Wladmir, completely boggled Klitschko simply by having a similar reach and threatening to land a jab or beat Klitschko to it. The Ukrainian was so scared of it that he never threw a right hand all night. When he doesn't have dominance, he doesn't like it. And Fury wasn't even aggressive.

If Joshua is the real deal, he should have too much for a 41 year old Wladmir.

BUT....Joshua hasn't really shown the Olympic pedigree you would expect just yet in terms of skills. He has to show a bit more variety on Saturday against a cautious and textbook style that Wlad has. He has the hand speed and has the power yes, but personally I'd like to see him emulate a bit of Klitschko (bizarre I know given my criticism) and use his reach and power to sit behind a jab with more patience. That could be his one undoing- fighting in straight lines and reaching in too early.

Rob McCracken is one of the shrewdest trainers you will see though, and he steered Carl Froch really well (another fighter criticised for poor foot movement) I think there will be a punch in the locker that they have worked on- either the left hook or the right uppercut. Klitschko is set up to avoid flush straight/overhand right hands thanks to the teachings of the late great Emmanuel Steward (who did similar with Lennox Lewis) and that is why Joshua has to show more than a straight left right combo with a bit of head movement.

Joshua should take Klitschko apart if he is patient and waits for the right opportunities and picks the right shots at the right time. But he is only 18 fights in and maybe he's a young lion that could make a mistake.

If he shows patience and variety, he wins spectacularly and inside the distance. Probably in the second third of the fight.

If he hasn't added to his game, it might become awkward and messy, and he could get frustrated.

Left hook to either do the damage or set up the right hand KO for me.

it's a good fight for both parties at this stage of their careers.

 

A nice update on the forum's favourite amateur star Lee McGregor.

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.c...as-lee-mcgregor-aims-for-gold-coast-1-4431777

 

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Wlad in the build up to this fight is the complete opposite to the build up in the Fury fight. Looks relaxed and very confident.
Value wise, I'm on Wlad. Longer the fight goes on, the more confident I'll be. Takes it past 8/9 Wlad to win on points

Then again, I won't be surprised if AJ blows him away inside 5 rounds.

I really hope that AJ does blow him away though, agree with TC, the sport doesn't need Wlad winning, if AJ wins it would be great for a potential superfight on these shores with Fury if Tyson gets his act together!

 

Streaming job for me too btw, as already said the undercard is absolute sh!te!!

 

The weights will be interesting. I've been looking at Klitschko's last half dozen fights or so, and he seems to drop to the low 240s against lighter men, I suppose to try staying crisp, but he moves a little higher to fight big blokes. Both Joshua and Klitschko have been at around 245 quite a bit, but last time out AJ was 249. A couple of days ago, VK said he'd never seen AJ so big, and it was said that he couldn't take his eyes off the Brit in the final workout. Is AJ going to stay at about the 250 mark, or drop as low as the 242 against Breazeale? Surely Klitschko can't come at anything less than 245 against a puncher who'll probably stay heavy. Maybe 247-8? Who knows.

 

I wouldn't say it is total ****e. This Josh Kelly chap is very interesting. Only seen his one pro fight but he looks the part to me.