Quote Originally Posted by Spicoli View Post
Quote Originally Posted by Memphis View Post
Just to add. The only real criticism I have of Joshua is how passive he was in the tenth. Yes Usyk came out firing. But that had to have been expected and very much part of plan A. Joshua allowed it to happen when the correct response was to do exactly what Usyk did and try to win the fight there and then by returning heavier fire. That was the time to impose himself physically. Instead he allowed round ten to become round thirteen and the game was up.
In hindsight and pattern have to wonder how much AJ punched himself out in 9th. Was a massive round for him. Once Usyk stormed out in 10th and AJ did the leaning and slumping along ropes ya just got the feel Usyk was hammer down for the haul. Doing a rewatch tonight, for all the talk and hash out on post fight it really was a fun scrap with more than a few shifts.
You’re probably right, Joshua did empty the tank in the 9th, but he had no choice. It was virtually the only joy he had in the fight, so he had to try to capitalise on it. If he never , he would have got criticised for not having killer instinct.
I had Usyk winning the fight by 4 rounds , so I had him 1 round up after the 9th anyway, and that was giving AJ a close round earlier that I couldn’t split them on.