My confidence in Joshua has gone down drastically

No he didn’t have easy fights at all. Klitschko could have done on points, you may not remember because overtime fury’s win has become more and more dominant but before the judges results people weren’t sure if fury had done enough or not for the win. Wilder - the second fight - was a good win, of course it was. But then was Wallin a good win? Was schwarz a good win? You can’t just take a Lobsided view and claim everything good defines him but his bad performances don’t count. :lol1: Fury's face was clean as a picture after the Wlad fight, it was the easiest fight of his life, second easiest was Wilder II. Denying those two fights were anything but easy clean wins for Fury is just delusional. No those weren't good wins. But Ali had tough wins against bums, as did James Toney, Hopkins, Foreman, Frazier, Wlad, Vitali and many others. Or maybe you just don't want to discuss that because 1) You have no clue or 2) it doesn't fit your agenda.

What does that have to do with the facts i laid out? Did he or did he not twice have easy fights vs the two most devastating KO punchers in history? Let's say two top 5 of all times just to be kind. No he didn’t have easy fights at all. Klitschko could have done on points, you may not remember because overtime fury’s win has become more and more dominant but before the judges results people weren’t sure if fury had done enough or not for the win. Wilder - the second fight - was a good win, of course it was. But then was Wallin a good win? Was schwarz a good win? You can’t just take a Lobsided view and claim everything good defines him but his bad performances don’t count.

From a psychological perspective what Joshua achieved in his rematch with Ruiz Junior? Is something NONE of the top guys have done. Joshua was not sparked out with one punch, he was beaten in clear conclusive fashion by Ruiz Junior 'In a violent fight, were for the first time in his career he could not physically intimidate his opponent'. Tyson Fury has never experienced that type of test, and if he ever did? I honestly think he would retire. Joshua's performance technically was not great vs Ruiz Junior, but psychologically he Slayed a Dragon that night. I still believe Joshua is in a rebuilding phase, beating Ruiz Junior was just part 1 of that rebuilding phase etc Joshua now needs to bulldoze Pulev, to carry on this rebuilding phase. Tyson Fury was knocked dead in the 12th round and came back up and beat the living **** out of Wilder in the rematch :lol1: Joshua definitely does need to bulldoze Pulev, and if he does then definitely some of the confidence will return. Right now, i think I and many other AJ fans are on the fence in regards to his ability to take a punch.

You should be concerned if you’re an AJ fan. Nothing good came from that rematch. “He proved he can stick and move”? Oh, did he? Sticking and moving against a rotund Ruiz whose feet could barely move is something most top heavyweights could have done. No matter what way you spin it, too much respect was given and that points to a lack of confidence. He looked OK sticking and moving imo. but it's not sustainable to him. He needs to be the bigger stronger guy in there, not running around scared. But the most concerning is his ability to take a shot. He was terrified of a single punch landing and looked very uncomfortable and almost Amir Khan like when the punches came close. It could just be against Ruiz, recent defeat etc. I guess time will tell.

The OP is usually a decent poster but he’s a backwards kind of guy recently, he doesn’t want to bring up anything that contradicts him ,it’s hilarious how he deflects . I also never met a poster who says AJ isn’t impressing anymore but he picked Ruiz in the rematch ? That means there is no reasoning because he expected AJ to lose he even told me he doesn’t see how he wins but he maintained that he expected more ? How does this work ? Ha Dude you're the dumbest fuking guy :lol1: Did you know I also picked Wilder to beat Fury in the rematch? People like you are the most annoying posters that exist. You're so much of a fanboy that when you see an objective post you believe it's subjective. Your mind simply can't comprehend that AJ's performance wasn't impressive to me. yet I wanted him to win and was happy when he did. But I wasn't impressed. How can you not understand that simple thing? :lol1:

I think it's pointless to judge Joshua off his last fight. He suffered a surprising loss against an underdog who was also a late replacement. Not only did he lose, but that whole fight was like a bad nightmare to him. He started off the same way he usually did, boxed well, knocked Andy down - only to fall apart 60 seconds later. That type of fight can mentally break a fighter, especially in an immediate rematch. It's the same reason several people are saying that Whyte is crazy going into rematch with Povetkin. Joshua did what he had to exercise his demons against Ruiz. We'll see how he fights Pulev. He doesn't have a granite chin, but he sprung back up each time so far. Maybe Andy Ruiz will become to Joshua what Brewster was for Wlad. From a psychological perspective what Joshua achieved in his rematch with Ruiz Junior? Is something NONE of the top guys have done. Joshua was not sparked out with one punch, he was beaten in clear conclusive fashion by Ruiz Junior 'In a violent fight, were for the first time in his career he could not physically intimidate his opponent'. Tyson Fury has never experienced that type of test, and if he ever did? I honestly think he would retire. Joshua's performance technically was not great vs Ruiz Junior, but psychologically he Slayed a Dragon that night. I still believe Joshua is in a rebuilding phase, beating Ruiz Junior was just part 1 of that rebuilding phase etc Joshua now needs to bulldoze Pulev, to carry on this rebuilding phase.

confidence tends to wane when a guy avoids a big fight in wilder when it should have happened, joshua insisting on a flat fee for ages for wilder was a deal breaker not a smart move, then loses and wonders why it's happening to him on live tv and him and his promoter talk crap all the time, it's gets a bit tiresome, good fighter tho i will admit but not as good as fury...... he has one shot to silence the doubters, beat fury, until then stfu imo

Two top punchers in history? Right. And yet the likes of Cunningham can knock him down but that’s irrelevant? What does that have to do with the facts i laid out? Did he or did he not twice have easy fights vs the two most devastating KO punchers in history? Let's say two top 5 of all times just to be kind.

I think it's pointless to judge Joshua off his last fight. He suffered a surprising loss against an underdog who was also a late replacement. Not only did he lose, but that whole fight was like a bad nightmare to him. He started off the same way he usually did, boxed well, knocked Andy down - only to fall apart 60 seconds later. That type of fight can mentally break a fighter, especially in an immediate rematch. It's the same reason several people are saying that Whyte is crazy going into rematch with Povetkin. Joshua did what he had to exercise his demons against Ruiz. We'll see how he fights Pulev. He doesn't have a granite chin, but he sprung back up each time so far. Maybe Andy Ruiz will become to Joshua what Brewster was for Wlad.

Best I have seen him look personally. He actually looked like a boxer with a ring IQ and some fluidity and looked far less robotic at a lower, more natural weight. I'd like to see him box more like that if he ever fought Fury. Fury hasn't fought many that showed him feints and lateral movement and certainly none that was AJs size and length. Maybe try put his own spin on what U.S Cunningham did well. To me at least its more interesting than him standing like a stone statue spamming one-twos cause if he tries that Fury will pick him to pieces like he did Wladimir.

It is irrelevant. As anyone can be kocked down by a solid shot on the button, and Fury speaks back up and went to war. People keep bringing this up as if Fury was stopped or badly hurt in that fight. It was a flash knockdown. A sign of resiliency, heart, and CHIN. He also got up from an even harder shot from Wilder. If that doesn't mean you have a beard, then what does?having a chin doesn't mean you don't get knocked down it means you don't get knocked out. In which case by the same definition you can argue exactly the same for Joshua. Results may have gone fury’s way but there is absolutely no doubting that he could lose a fight from one of these one off punchers, Infact he could easily have lost the first wilder fight, the cut in his warm up fight, the Cunningham fight , etc. People have short memories but he isn’t invincible at all.

I'm a fan of both AJ and Fury. Is that ok with you? Of course, but I'd still love to be humored as to what on earth (or elsewhere) made you ever think AJ was more than ordinary. :lol1:

Two top punchers in history? Right. And yet the likes of Cunningham can knock him down but that’s irrelevant? It is irrelevant. As anyone can be kocked down by a solid shot on the button, and Fury speaks back up and went to war. People keep bringing this up as if Fury was stopped or badly hurt in that fight. It was a flash knockdown. A sign of resiliency, heart, and CHIN. He also got up from an even harder shot from Wilder. If that doesn't mean you have a beard, then what does?having a chin doesn't mean you don't get knocked down it means you don't get knocked out.

Fury didn't 'bang' and if you think he did, YDKSAB. Also, Fury took it to the most dangerous guy in the division, supposedly. AJ ran from a guy who recently was ranked outside the top 10 and largely forgotten. I'm sure you can see the difference. Well said. I think AJ needs to full focus on Pulev too, as me not look ahead to Fury.

He fought scared to me - at the very least, he was EXTREMELY uncomfortable in that style. The strained look on his face told me all I needed to know If you're a fan, it sucks that a HW had to take on that tact for an anticipated rematch where he was beaten up and embarrassed like he was in the first fight....BUT, it could go quite a ways for him. He won't be that uncomfortable doing that next time IMO - even though I still don't think he will never be all that fluid or limber in there...so it may never "look" natural, but now it's something he may be able to draw on. The sort of prancing lateral movement he employed in the rematch was better than the one-two awkward side step he was taking in the first fight even though it made him look like a ballerina. He needs that because he's been taking some big shots...I think that Povetkin fight he took more flush shots that ppl were willing to admit. Povetkin landed several of his patented left hook and even some right hands (although a lot were deflected). Wlad got him, Paker not so much but people can argue about the rf in that fight...obviously Ruiz touched him up. Pulev could hurt him too, yeah

He's literally taken the two top punchers in history and is still undefeated. Two top punchers in history? Right. And yet the likes of Cunningham can knock him down but that’s irrelevant?

I agree. As I said in the OP he did what he needed to do, but I just wasn't impressed by it. He didn't assert himself at any point in the fight. Everyone watching that fight prayed AJ didn't get touched because we knew he'd be stiffed. That's why my confidence has gone down so much. he looked incredible weak and fragile. comparing it to the universal soldier who smashed klitschko.. like night and day. I get what you're saying and I think he did try to assert himself early on, especially when he cut Ruiz in the 1st or 2nd round. It's just that Andy was still dangerous and you're right, AJ didn't seem eager to go through the fire like he did against Wlad Klitschko. I also think it just wasn't necessary since Wlad was in excellent shape, unlike Ruiz who was woefully unprepared. I'm sure his chin will be tested again and we will see how he responds. In the meantime he did what he had to do like you said and I'm curious to see if he's more aggressive against Pulev. Pulev doesn't have fast hands like Andy Ruiz so if AJ is still tentative then I will agree that he's become gunshy.

I agree. As I said in the OP he did what he needed to do, but I just wasn't impressed by it. He didn't assert himself at any point in the fight. Everyone watching that fight prayed AJ didn't get touched because we knew he'd be stiffed. That's why my confidence has gone down so much. he looked incredible weak and fragile. comparing it to the universal soldier who smashed klitschko.. like night and day. I genuinely think that he looked a bit scared, you could see it in his eyes.

There was a brief moment (or two) in the Ruiz rematch where AJ stood toe-to-toe and exchanged. When he did that, Andy came back with some heat because fat or not, he still has the faster hands and Joshua smartly got back on his bike. Exchanging at close range was Ruiz' only chance of winning so why would AJ or any other fighter comply with their opponent's wishes? To prove a point? AJ would have been crucified if he had gotten buzzed in an exchange yet again and we would have called him stupid. So he decides to stick and move against a guy who's built like a sumo wrestler because it's a boxing match, not a tough-man contest. Either way he got the win he desperately needed and nothing will change that. I agree. As I said in the OP he did what he needed to do, but I just wasn't impressed by it. He didn't assert himself at any point in the fight. Everyone watching that fight prayed AJ didn't get touched because we knew he'd be stiffed. That's why my confidence has gone down so much. he looked incredible weak and fragile. comparing it to the universal soldier who smashed klitschko.. like night and day.

Freak out?? What fight did you watch. If fury takes on the best he will be KO’d for sure, he hasn’t taken on many fights at the top end yet in his career He's literally taken the two top punchers in history and is still undefeated.