Comments Thread For: Hearn on Joshua: AJ Has to Push Usyk Back Just Like Chisora Did, Has to Hurt Usyk Early

[P to the J]

You have to set your feet or step in to throw a solid, ramrod jab. It's difficult to do that against a guy as quick and unpredictable as Usyk, who is constantly moving and switching angles to stop his opponents from setting themselves. Usyk is a master of positional footwork, keeping his lead foot outside an orthodox opponent's lead foot so he can step in and throw looping left hands around or over their jab. Wlad and Lennox never fought a southpaw who was as good as Usyk at slipping and countering a left jab .

Glad someone else has said this.

I made this point in the direct aftermath of the first fight to explain why AJ had decided against committing to shots.

Everyone assumed it was something something mentally weak. No. He just realised that he was in with a real boxer with answers for all in-ring scenarios, as the rest of the division will soon realise.

[P to the J]

Constantly frustrating to me that Chisora is used as the blueprint for dealing with Usyk, when Usyk fought that bout in second gear.

He’s clearly one of these who gets himself up for major fights a la Fury, so we’re effectively referring to two different boxers when considering the version that took on Chisora, and the one that took on AJ and Gassiev

[Bob]

Not the right advice from Hearn.
Joshua should throw double the amount of jabs he threw last time for atleast first 6 rounds. And in first 6 rounds close the last minute of each round strongly

Watch the first fight again, Aj hardly landed a jab all night & from the 7th onwards it had turned into a slow tired paw just trying to touch Usyk with single shots.
I think your right about the bursts though, I'm guessing that will be Garcias blueprint, box, look for openings & have bursts at Usyks body (if he can get near him)

[Bob]

AJ can win.

His lead straight right and body shots were very successful in the first fight.

Forget the jab until Usyk is worried about the lead right, then the left hand and hook comes into play.

Will probably need to get Usyk out early though.

I agree but saying very successful is a big stretch.

[Bob]

Glad someone else has said this.

I made this point in the direct aftermath of the first fight to explain why AJ had decided against committing to shots.

Everyone assumed it was something something mentally weak. No. He just realised that he was in with a real boxer with answers for all in-ring scenarios, as the rest of the division will soon realise.

I couldn't agree more.

[Bob]

Everyone keeps talking about what AJ's got to do, nobody thinks Aj wanted to do these things fight 1? Only he was finally in with a genuine elite boxer who wasn't a shot old man with so much iq & experience he seen it all before.
Ajs face the first time Usyk landed that back hand left, he can crack & Aj know's it.
AJ's best weapon is he has nothing to loose.

[diarraisagod]

Everyone keeps talking about what AJ's got to do, nobody thinks Aj wanted to do these things fight 1? Only he was finally in with a genuine elite boxer who wasn't a shot old man with so much iq & experience he seen it all before.
Ajs face the first time Usyk landed that back hand left, he can crack & Aj know's it.
AJ's best weapon is he has nothing to loose.

I think he hasn't been the same since Ruiz. He's become gun shy. AJ has openly admitted he wanted to work on his technique and develop a hit and not get hit style which hasn't really worked. If he can get back to his strengths he'll be in the fight. If he continues to fight scared of getting clipped he definitely won't win. I'm just not sure he's willing to take one to land one anymore.