AJ-Wlad - Wembley

[Fenster]

Get out of here with the "Brit" thing. I've been listening to loads of American podcasts, fans and writers alike are all over Joshua.

I've been specifically looking for reasons to BACK Wlad, as i'm a million miles from a "Brit" that thinks this is easy for AJ. However, as someone that has followed Wlad's ENTIRE career, even when looking for nothing but positives I always see a negative.

People that think Wlad will win through past experience are the ones that need to have another look.

[El Kabong]

Get out of here with the "Brit" thing. I've been listening to loads of American podcasts, fans and writers alike are all over Joshua.

I've been specifically looking for reasons to BACK Wlad, as i'm a million miles from a "Brit" that thinks this is easy for AJ. However, as someone that has followed Wlad's ENTIRE career, even when looking for nothing but positives I always see a negative.

People that think Wlad will win through past experience are the ones that need to have another look.

Alright, I'm not saying you guys can't shouldn't believe what you believe, I'm just saying everyone is very quick to get out of the Wlad era and I'm thinking it's a bit premature to judge him on JUST the Fury fight, but I suppose we'll all just have to wait and see.

[Memphis]

Personally, I dont think I can come out of this disappointed. Sure I want Joshua to win, but if he loses, he will lose in the right way and Wlad will have to beat him in the right way. Joshua will make him be aggressive/commanding.

My concern for Joshua is the Wlad left hook. Thats the one he potentially wont see coming. I think the jab, cross and hook of Wlad have all lost a bit of zip but they're still better than anything Molina Breazeale and Martin had to offer. I dont see the jab and right cross causing him too much of a problem unless he's knackered.

[El Kabong]

Personally, I dont think I can come out of this disappointed. Sure I want Joshua to win, but if he loses, he will lose in the right way and Wlad will have to beat him in the right way. Joshua will make him be aggressive/commanding.

My concern for Joshua is the Wlad left hook. Thats the one he potentially wont see coming. I think the jab, cross and hook of Wlad have all lost a bit of zip but they're still better than anything Molina Breazeale and Martin had to offer. I dont see the jab and right cross causing him too much of a problem unless he's knackered.

There you have it....although I would like nothing more than Wlad to win, avenge his loss to Fury, and retire (after beating Wilder) we pretty much agree on everything else.

If AJ wins quick and clean then no doubt about it he'll be the man of the division and I wouldn't be disappointed with that at all.

[Kirkland Laing]

Ever since he got humiliated by Sanders he's been safety first and risk averse. Top of the list in this fight for him is not getting sparked and going out like that. The question is if in 2017 he's still got enough jab and grab skills left to keep Joshua away from his chin till the later rounds. Maybe Joshua will be able to get past that jab and knock him out but I have a feeling Junior will have enough left to bore his way through twelve rounds. I can actually see him being happy with a points loss and maybe a rematch down the line but Joshua may struggle to do the distance. It's actually quite a decent fight. I can't believe I'm looking forward to watching another Junior fight.

[El Kabong]

Ever since he got humiliated by Sanders he's been safety first and risk averse. Top of the list in this fight for him is not getting sparked and going out like that. The question is if in 2017 he's still got enough jab and grab skills left to keep Joshua away from his chin till the later rounds. Maybe Joshua will be able to get past that jab and knock him out but I have a feeling Junior will have enough left to bore his way through twelve rounds. I can actually see him being happy with a points loss and maybe a rematch down the line but Joshua may struggle to do the distance. It's actually quite a decent fight. I can't believe I'm looking forward to watching another Junior fight.

OH NO a shocking KO loss in his career.....Why he's the first....AND ONLY heavyweight for that to ever happen to!!!!!


Risk averse? He fought Sam Peter AFTER losing to Sanders and Brewster when he was likewise in a place of WIN or RETIRE...but no no, he's "risk averse" .....and even if you mean IN THE RING ....my God the fucking tragedy that is attempting NOT to get punched in the head.




Are you certain you're not retarded? Fucking Hell, you're missing a good opportunity if you aren't

[Master]

Ever since he got humiliated by Sanders he's been safety first and risk averse. Top of the list in this fight for him is not getting sparked and going out like that. The question is if in 2017 he's still got enough jab and grab skills left to keep Joshua away from his chin till the later rounds. Maybe Joshua will be able to get past that jab and knock him out but I have a feeling Junior will have enough left to bore his way through twelve rounds. I can actually see him being happy with a points loss and maybe a rematch down the line but Joshua may struggle to do the distance. It's actually quite a decent fight. I can't believe I'm looking forward to watching another Junior fight.

OH NO a shocking KO loss in his career.....Why he's the first....AND ONLY heavyweight for that to ever happen to!!!!!


Risk averse? He fought Sam Peter AFTER losing to Sanders and Brewster when he was likewise in a place of WIN or RETIRE...but no no, he's "risk averse" .....and even if you mean IN THE RING ....my God the fucking tragedy that is attempting NOT to get punched in the head.




Are you certain you're not retarded? Fucking Hell, you're missing a good opportunity if you aren't

Calm down, I can not think of any other great heavyweight champion like Wlad who has come back from such devastating losses. Wlad has been champion over 10 years and had more defences than anyone except Louis but you have to admit he does hold/hug even if he is not worried about being knocked out. Povetkin is one classic example.

[El Kabong]

Calm down, I can not think of any other great heavyweight champion like Wlad who has come back from such devastating losses. Wlad has been champion over 10 years and had more defences than anyone except Louis but you have to admit he does hold/hug even if he is not worried about being knocked out. Povetkin is one classic example.

Lennox Lewis recovered from his losses to be an OK boxer, Joe Louis recovered from the loss to Schmelling to do alright for himself.


The clinching is a part of his strategy. OK let's look at Wlad vs Povetkin....Wlad wanted Povetkin at distance, Povetkin wanted quite the opposite, Wlad uses the jab to keep Povetkin at distance, Povetkin slips the jab to get on the inside. Once on the inside it's Povetkin's job to put the work in.....what are Wlad's options when that happens? A) Tie up, the ref breaks you and you're reset B ) Throw punches while Povetkin is in his best range .......hmmmm, which would be the BEST choice.....hmmmmm....guess it'll remain a mystery

[Master]

Calm down, I can not think of any other great heavyweight champion like Wlad who has come back from such devastating losses. Wlad has been champion over 10 years and had more defences than anyone except Louis but you have to admit he does hold/hug even if he is not worried about being knocked out. Povetkin is one classic example.

Lennox Lewis recovered from his losses to be an OK boxer, Joe Louis recovered from the loss to Schmelling to do alright for himself.


The clinching is a part of his strategy. OK let's look at Wlad vs Povetkin....Wlad wanted Povetkin at distance, Povetkin wanted quite the opposite, Wlad uses the jab to keep Povetkin at distance, Povetkin slips the jab to get on the inside. Once on the inside it's Povetkin's job to put the work in.....what are Wlad's options when that happens? A) Tie up, the ref breaks you and you're reset B ) Throw punches while Povetkin is in his best range .......hmmmm, which would be the BEST choice.....hmmmmm....guess it'll remain a mystery

Wlads losses were more devasting than Lewis or Louis which makes his reign even more remarkable.

To tie your opponent is a tactic but Wlad uses it in excess and also to tire the smaller Povetkin. It does not provide for great entertainment and I do not think Wlad needed to have done it either.

[El Kabong]

Wlads losses were more devasting than Lewis or Louis which makes his reign even more remarkable.

To tie your opponent is a tactic but Wlad uses it in excess and also to tire the smaller Povetkin. It does not provide for great entertainment and I do not think Wlad needed to have done it either.

Were they? Lewis got hammered by 1 punch from McCall and 1 punch from Rahman. Joe Louis took a prolonged beating from Schmelling IMO to recover from THAT as a young fighter is the most impressive. But ok, I'll accept the first part.


Entertainment is not the goal of the fighters in the ring, it's nice when they are entertaining but it is not a requirement when it comes to winning a bout. Then comes the question, "Would you rather be entertaining or win?" which means more for a fighter? Which is healthier?


I didn't like Wlad NOT KO-ing Povetkin, but hey, thems the breaks. You get a 6'7 guy in there vs a fireplug like Povetkin and it's going to be a difficult contrast of styles especially if the shorter fighter is diving in quickly like Povetkin was. Look at David Tua vs Lennox Lewis and you'll see the same thing only Tua had slower feet and so Lewis could move away more easily.

[Master]

Wlads losses were more devasting than Lewis or Louis which makes his reign even more remarkable.

To tie your opponent is a tactic but Wlad uses it in excess and also to tire the smaller Povetkin. It does not provide for great entertainment and I do not think Wlad needed to have done it either.

Were they? Lewis got hammered by 1 punch from McCall and 1 punch from Rahman. Joe Louis took a prolonged beating from Schmelling IMO to recover from THAT as a young fighter is the most impressive. But ok, I'll accept the first part.


Entertainment is not the goal of the fighters in the ring, it's nice when they are entertaining but it is not a requirement when it comes to winning a bout. Then comes the question, "Would you rather be entertaining or win?" which means more for a fighter? Which is healthier?


I didn't like Wlad NOT KO-ing Povetkin, but hey, thems the breaks. You get a 6'7 guy in there vs a fireplug like Povetkin and it's going to be a difficult contrast of styles especially if the shorter fighter is diving in quickly like Povetkin was. Look at David Tua vs Lennox Lewis and you'll see the same thing only Tua had slower feet and so Lewis could move away more easily.

Wlad has had a lot of unimpressive defences and at crucial times when he could have been a star in USA.

[El Kabong]

Wlad has had a lot of unimpressive defences and at crucial times when he could have been a star in USA.

Well when you have the MOST defenses not all of them are going to be picture perfect 1 punch KO's.

....Again, it's more important to WIN. Also I'm American, I'm a fan, do I like not count or something?

[Master]

Wlad has had a lot of unimpressive defences and at crucial times when he could have been a star in USA.

Well when you have the MOST defenses not all of them are going to be picture perfect 1 punch KO's.

....Again, it's more important to WIN. Also I'm American, I'm a fan, do I like not count or something?

He could have been bigger in the US if he had taken the opportunity.

[Fenster]

Why did Wlad need to be a "star" in the US? He's been considered the no.1 heavyweight for donkeys years by all the American boxing media, won all the American writer awards and is a first ballot hall of famer.

Anyway, what opportunity didn't he take? He fought in America loads of times against the best they had to offer.

[Fenster]

Wlad looked really sharp at the public workout (for whatever it's worth).

He is so imposing/convincing when talking about the fight. He even pulled a master stroke by getting the crowd to stop booing him by taking the microphone from Buffer to give a brief sermon about it's sport, the best man wins, respect all competitors, love everyone, enjoy the entertainment. He got a massive round of applause.

Booed in cheered out. Savvy.