Watched AJ vs Usyk again - AJ beats him in the rematch (fight is now on Skysports' YouTube page)

[BangEM]

The more I watched the fight - the closer it's. Initially I gave Usyk rds 1-3 but AJ clearly won the 2nd rd (not even that close). I think he lost the fight in the championship rds and that's because of his eye and his corner not telling him that he's down on the card and needs to go all out. So he probably thought he would get the decision in the UK if he stayed on his feet.

The notion that Usyk "destroyed" or "totally dominated" AJ despite how he didn't perform on the night in arguably the worst performance of his pro career, is ludicrous. Fight was very competitive until the championship rds.

Holding and leaning on Usyk and taking more risks would've given AJ the decision in this fight. Usyk will never be better than he was in this fight (the best I've seen him fight) but AJ can improve on so many things. Usyk didn't have answers to everything like some clowns are claiming - AJ just kept leaving him off the hook due to terrible instructions from his corner. A guy with answers for everything won't get his face busted up and marked up like the subway in Harlem, if he did. If AJ had kept working Usyk's body like he was doing in the mid-rounds when he had success and hurt Usyk a few times - he would've scored multiple KDs or even a KO.

Changes for the rematch:

1. AJ's jab needs to be stiffer and he shouldn't just target Usyk's head - jab anywhere on his upper body you can hit when his head is moving.
2. Tweak his stance - his lead leg was awkward.
3. Target anywhere on his upperbody with the big right - not just his head.
4. Hit him on his body.
5. Grab and lean on him at least 3 times every rds whenever he gets in range to negate his left.
6. Let your hands go.

Fight was close and competitive - his marked up face showed that. And that was on Usyk's best night. His upperbody was more fluid than in previous fights and he seldom used the high guard he uses in this fight. So that's the best he has ever looked.

[BangEM]

Also, I don't know why AJ is yet to correct two glaring weaknesses in his defence since the amateurs.

1. Susceptibility to left hooks.
2. Susceptibility to straight right or straight left between his guard by orthodox and southpaw (respectively) boxers who can feint and throw them on the fly.

More reason why he needs better and more experienced coaches.

[BaguMka]

Usyk in rematch will be even
MOre confident and outboxes Joshua again

[champion4ever]

Joshua has stop believing in himself ever since the first Andy Ruiz fight. AJ needs to regain confidence in both his chin and stamina. Once he is able to achieve that then he should be just fine.

[BangEM]

Usyk in rematch will be even
MOre confident and outboxes Joshua again

Overconfident and get clipped.

He'll only outbox AJ if AJ decides to box him again for 12 rds.

But if he decides to be a boxer-puncher with rough-house tactics, he'll land a lot of his power shots. How Usyk deals with them would determine who wins.

Usyk didn't get hit that much in the first one and his face looked marked up like the subway in Harlem - I wonder how he'll end up when those power shots hit his face/body.

People have started overrating Usyk - he just started fast and did more than AJ in the championship rds. The hyperbole is getting too much now.

Go watch it again.

[BangEM]

Joshua has stop believing in himself ever since the first Andy Ruiz fight. AJ needs to regain confidence in both his chin and stamina. Once he is able to achieve that then he should be just fine.

He just checked out of boxing and got too interested in celebrity/business. When a boxer starts thinking too much about longevity in a sport that's the hurt business, especially someone that's a fight away from being mentioned with the greats - he's always going to make business decisions in the ring and the hunger won't be there.

He has been humbled again now and his pride is hurt. He'll go all out swinging in the rematch.

Fight was very competitive - just more aggressiveness and with better tactics - he'll get those belts back. Usyk is very good but not special.

[Toffee]

Go watch it again.

I have.

I came to similar conclusions to you about what AJ should have done.

He was obsessed with using his length and maintaining distance - but Usyk's movement is too good for that. He was in range most of the fight and AJ spent the fight trying to manoeuvre backwards to get his range back. What he should have done is met Usyk in the middle with force. Bigger man shouldn't be running away.

And the instruction to stick behind the jab was dumb. All that did was get Usyk's head moving. Joshua's best shots were lead rights. Which isn't surprising because Usyk was in range the whole fight. The answer is to hit hard and go lower - hit something. Hit anything.

So yes, there are obvious changes. But Usyk isn't dumb. He can adjust mid fight. He out smarted Joshua this time. You don't think he can do it again with a different style?

[champion4ever]

He just checked out of boxing and got too interested in celebrity/business. When a boxer starts thinking too much about longevity in a sport that's the hurt business, especially someone that's a fight away from being mentioned with the greats - he's always going to make business decisions in the ring and the hunger won't be there.

He has been humbled again now and his pride is hurt. He'll go all out swinging in the rematch.

Fight was very competitive - just more aggressiveness and with better tactics - he'll get those belts back. Usyk is very good but not special.

Well said! I agree!

[Dakuwaqa]

AJ gets KOed in the rematch.

He should swerve it take some time to recovery physically and mentally.

[BangEM]

I have.

I came to similar conclusions to you about what AJ should have done.

He was obsessed with using his length and maintaining distance - but Usyk's movement is too good for that. He was in range most of the fight and AJ spent the fight trying to manoeuvre backwards to get his range back. What he should have done is met Usyk in the middle with force. Bigger man shouldn't be running away.

And the instruction to stick behind the jab was dumb. All that did was get Usyk's head moving. Joshua's best shots were lead rights. Which isn't surprising because Usyk was in range the whole fight. The answer is to hit hard and go lower - hit something. Hit anything.

So yes, there are obvious changes. But Usyk isn't dumb. He can adjust mid fight. He out smarted Joshua this time. You don't think he can do it again with a different style?

I don't think Usyk made any adjust in this fight (he didn't need to because AJ didn't force him to) - he stuck to the same plan even when AJ was having success and hurt him. AJ just reverted to the failed "fight behind your jab" tactic from his corner. And I believe he felt comfortable doing that because he thought he was winning and his corner never told him he was losing the fight. When you keep hearing "brilliant" from your corner - it's hard to sense you're doing anything wrong despite the straight left hitting your face at every interval.

This is the 2nd time Usyk has fought a puncher - 1st against Glassiev and now AJ - and he basically fought the same way albeit much more faster. So I don't see him making any type of adjustment. There's going to be a sense of belief that it's a working tactic until it fails. It's just shocking that AJ never anticipated it by doing his homework.

AJ would've to stop headhunting in the rematch. Jab anything you can hit, unleash power shots on anything you can hit and grab and lean on him whenever he's at range...and that would give Usyk something to think about.