Did AJ look impressive tonight?

He looked good. He didn't look "lights out" good, but he looked sharp, in shape, seemed to win every round, scored several knock downs and got the stoppage win.

That’s boxing. One guy usually gets hurt and knocked out. AJ wasn’t dominating him round in round out. He wasn’t clowning or embarrassing him either. It was more of a systematic performance, very Klitschko-esque. You’re the only person I’ve seen who felt Pulev was humiliated last night. He actually gave a better account of himself than I expected tbh. Pulev was trying to laugh and smile, and then would get hit head smashed in, and then run, in round three he turned his back and ran. Cowardice?

I find it baffling that people are saying he should have taken more chances. Why? To what end? If you can almost certainly beat someone by taking your time, out boxing them, and waiting for your opportunities to throw bombs, why would you take chances? He does look a little tentative, but it's the heavyweight division, he should be tentative about taking punches. That's how you lose fights. Does Fury not look tentative? He spends most of his fights maintaining distance and avoiding any kind of contact from his opponent. That's just smart boxing. Don't get hit, then hit.

I thought he looked good. Clearly his style has changed and he's trying to win rounds mainly off his jab until he hurts his opponent. Joshua backed straight out a few times and got hit by Pulev's right hand. He needs to fix that going forward, especially against Fury. Joshua is a good fighter and he will have a shot against Fury.

AJ battered him for 9 straight rounds, multiple knockdowns and Pulev went running in the ring as he was getting his head caved in. If you think that’s not humiliating I am missing something. That’s boxing. One guy usually gets hurt and knocked out. AJ wasn’t dominating him round in round out. He wasn’t clowning or embarrassing him either. It was more of a systematic performance, very Klitschko-esque. You’re the only person I’ve seen who felt Pulev was humiliated last night. He actually gave a better account of himself than I expected tbh.

I think it was a good performance, his best since Klitschko. However I will say that Pulev was absolutely awful, but AJ won every round, knocked him down 4 times and then splattered him. As everyone knows, I'm no Joshua fan and I think Fury beats him comfortably, however I call a spade a spade and you can't really knock criticise what did AJ did last night.

I don’t think he humiliated him whatsoever, Pulev lasted well longer than expected for most. It was very Wlad-esque, safety first and waiting for your opponent to be absolutely done before going in for the kill. Even Wlad had a prime Pulev out of there in 5 though, I feel like AJ should have done the same but just didn’t really look to finish him following the third round. AJ battered him for 9 straight rounds, multiple knockdowns and Pulev went running in the ring as he was getting his head caved in. If you think that’s not humiliating I am missing something.

I think outboxing him for a few rounds before putting him away was a better showcase of what he's capable of overall rather than just blowing him away after the 3rd round like he probably could have, I think. He won every round but the 4th on my card, never really let Pulev do anything and made him miss a lot, controlled the ring, still looked fresh after 9 which is a good sign that his stamina's improved a lot, and showed that he could force the finish and show killer instinct, punching not just with power but with volume and accuracy. I think he could have finished Pulev off more or less whenever he wanted, but carried him for a bit. My only real critique was for all the clinching - Pulev was mostly to blame for all that, but not entirely, Joshua did his fair share of it. Not only is it ugly to watch, it could be a liability against Fury with how huge and heavy Fury will likely come in. Aside from that I'm not really sure what other boxes he could have ticked.

I thought Joshua looked good, he boxed well and showed power and his killer instincts at times. He looked a bit too tenative at times andshould have tried to finish Pulev earlier

He looks a little more cautious than before but it wasn't a bad performance

I didn't think he was tentative at all in the third. In the second he was throwing bombs too. I actually thought he would fight way more cautious than he did. Funny you mentioned the third, as that is when he should have finished Pulev....... he looked good in the first three rounds and I was expecting a stoppage. He took him another 6 rounds fighting tentatively, IMO........... it went to the ninth round and you are only looking at the first three...... I am forming my opinion on the entire fight, not individual rounds or 33% of the fight.

Joshua looks like a fighter that is still learning to me. He managed to overachieve early and is still learning, and has that mindset to improve and try different things. He is mentally damaged at this point though, and is far too tentative when he has openings.......... Klitschko was the same after getting sparked early in his career and refined his style. Joshua is doing the same and I am actually impressed with his ability to move laterally and his distance control, jab, ring IQ etc The things Joshua fans used to criticise me for when I highlighted those attributes in Fury 4 years ago.

Did he? Pulev was neither punished nor humiliated. He was just stopped. I'd say it was what was supposed to happen, but Joshua didn't look nearly as good as he was supposed to look. IMO it was comparable to Davis/Gamboa in that regard. That’s a good comparison actually man, maybe not as bad as Pulev wasn’t physically injured but I felt similar watching both.

AJ wanted to punish pulev and humiliate him, he achieved both Did he? Pulev was neither punished nor humiliated. He was just stopped. I'd say it was what was supposed to happen, but Joshua didn't look nearly as good as he was supposed to look. IMO it was comparable to Davis/Gamboa in that regard.

AJ wanted to punish pulev and humiliate him, he achieved both I don’t think he humiliated him whatsoever, Pulev lasted well longer than expected for most. It was very Wlad-esque, safety first and waiting for your opponent to be absolutely done before going in for the kill. Even Wlad had a prime Pulev out of there in 5 though, I feel like AJ should have done the same but just didn’t really look to finish him following the third round.

Joshua was ok, better than vs Ruiz... but hard to gauge because Pulev totally blows.. he is slow footed, slow hands, not great technique, not great power... not great at anything except kissing reporters... I honestly had not seen this dude fight since the Klitchko fight... and I thought he sucked then... now he is also old.. tbh... I would've have rather seen Ruiz Joshua 3...

he dd seem too cautious,

Showed some decent skills and eventually got the finish, but he should have had Pulev out of there in 3-4 rounds tbh. Pulev looked there for the taking but AJ seemed far too hesitant to go in and finish him. Does he not trust his gas tank? Does he worry about getting caught like he did vs Ruiz? I feel like AJ has lost his finishing instinct following the Ruiz loss. AJ wanted to punish pulev and humiliate him, he achieved both

I thought Joshua won nearly every round.. And to be fair, the fight should have been stopped in 3. I don't know when turning your back on a fight became a knockdown rather than a stoppage. Wlad took 5, by the way. yeah about about 6 years ago and Wlad also got rocked by Pulev. I think watching the fight live, you were thinking AJ could do more ... in review of the result, he never got hurt, barely hit, he dominated most rounds, dropped Pulev 4 times and got the KO victory - you would think that's a pretty good showing.

I wasnt impressed. Seemed hesitant a lot of times. Allowed Pulev to get into rhythm in the midrounds and be first with his punches. Didnt really pushed the pace to force the old fighter to tire out for a natural late ko.