Comments Thread For: Klitschko's Coach: Joshua Must Be Physical With Fury, Avoid Style Used For Ruiz, Pulev

[SteveM]

Three things we definitely know from that first fight:
1. Joshua undertook less preparation for Ruiz than for a normal opponent
2. Joshua had the power to put Ruiz on the canvas
3. Something went wrong for Joshua in the ring that night

We can argue the specifics of 3 but in general that is true.

Part of it, I think, was complacency -- most people expected him to destroy Ruiz and he expected that himself. Part of it is part 1: the lack of specific preparation for that opponent and perhaps sub-standard preparation in general. Ruiz didnˋt fold after the knockdown as Joshua expected and surprised him by coming back with good shots. Joshua never fully recovered from that 3rd round and it was he that ended up folding instead.

There are still very much questions surrounding how Joshua will respond if he comes under similar punishment from Fury. People say he was mentally weak there, but I think he showed heart to get up again and again, and I think he was found more physically wanting than mentally. He stayed groggy despite the passage of several rounds.

That all said, Joshua will definitely prepare more extensively for Fury than he did for Ruiz. He is a more experienced, more rounded fighter now than he was then. He's not perfect, but he has attempted to address flaws discovered that night.

Ruiz landed a freak punch on him for the 1st knockdown that left AJ literally concussed as he tried to fight on.

Ruiz' left arm was against Joshua's neck when Ruiz' right hand punch connected meaning that when Joshua's head should have absorbed some of the force by 'collapsing' to the right, instead it was blocked by Ruiz' left arm. A BBC doctor said that punch plus the arm stopping neck/head movement would have concussed anyone.

Having said that, Joshua's kryptonite is boxers with fast hands. He doesn't see the punches quick enough. That's why he jumps in and out but Fury has fast hands and fast feet and will land often.

Banks is right, Joshua's best chance is to bully Fury during the early stages. He's not out-boxing Fury so after the early stages he has a puncher's chance.

[Boxviewer]

All the childish talks and wishful thinking here don't make sense at all. The first thing first, let Fury fight and beat up Wilder again if he can repeat, he could have let this happen in December last year instead of all nonsensical talk about an expired paperwork. And secondly sign the contract to meet AJ in the ring. All his talks don't show he's very confident about the bout with AJ. Like AJ rightly said, his focus on Fury and the fight will come once the contract is signed because he is not in the mood to go forth and back with Fury again. Fury can say anything that comes into his mind at anything given moment and contradicts himself later and he can lie with straight face. The guy is just not trustworthy at all.

Fury should for once defend a title in his career before looking for a retirement cash out bout.

[2Shotz]

Joshuas best chance is a bomb in the early rounds and even then, it’s slim to none vs Fury who has range, mobility, the ability to improvise and mental confidence. It’s checkers vs chess.

[aboutfkntime]

How do you see the fight going?

Fury, with AJ having a punchers chance... 70/30 Fury

THAT... is why this fight will not happen

AJ is full of it, and so is Hearn

Q. they were not willing to risk it with Wilder... so, now that AJ career is back on the rise after the Ruiz slip-up, why on earth would they risk it now with someone who is MUCH better, and MUCH more well-rounded, than Wilder?

A. they simply wouldn't... that makes no sense at all

I do not believe any of the talk coming from AJ and Hearn...

... they will wait-out Fury, hoping that he gets old or retires... I cannot see that fight happening within the next 2 years, and Fury may not be around at that point

I would not bet a cent on AJ in that fight... I would not even bet on him taking that fight, let alone winning it

[Kannabis Kid]

Joshua is a far better boxer so has a better chance of connecting than wilder. We will see what happens but we already know many others have hit fury and done damage, he’s been knocked down several times and Wallin has him badly cut. He’s far from the invincible fighter a number on here portray him to be.

Let’s get the fight confirmed and then we will find out!

Yeah I agree we have seen Fury rocked numerous times by Cruiserweights and even himself with his own uppercut but I just don't think Joshua is fast enough to reach him. Does he have the power to hurt Fury? Absolutely but I don't think he would put him to sleep and I think Fury would just outbox him or possibly TKO him because Joshua has been stunned himself several times.

[Adamsc151]

It'll be a rarity for Joshua to be the shorter fighter, he'll have to fight like it as well. He's not going to outbox Fury, keeping him at the end of a jab won't work. Best chance to beat Fury is to master a hooking style with lots of jerky moves like Iron Mike, to counter the big man's excellent lateal movement. Stay on the front foot, while cutting off the ring instead of simply chasing. I make Fury the favourite against anyone, but Joshua is the most likely of current top HW's at the mo to upset him.... if he prepares in the right way.

[removed]

Joshua has a punchers chance but he's inferior to Tyson in every department other than power.

I see Fury using both styles, I think he'll stay on the outside early behind the jab, and will slowly break Joshua down, and when he feels Joshua going weak, he'll end it.

Fury KO round 9

[KingGilgamesh]

Wilder is a weak heavyweight. Me nan could throw him round a ring. AJ, on the other hand, is a unit. Fury won't be ragdolling AJ like he did Wilder.

This is just rubbish and a sign of your cluelessness. Joshua was getting absolutely mullered by Ruiz, he's shockingly weak in the clinch. I also read somewhere that his squat max was like 190kg...which isn't remotely mind blowing for a guy his size. Joshua LOOKS like a unit and to people who have never undertaken any kind of strength training, he may seem impressive but his narrow shoulders are a tell tale sign that he's more of a blown up ecto-meso.

[KingGilgamesh]

Hmm, that's not good. However, Usyk will be an artificial belt holder anyhow, he's no danger at all to better HWs let alone Fury or Joshua.

Usyk beats Joshua handily. I legit think it will be an immensely one sided performance with Joshua gassing out half way and possibly scoring a knockdown whilst still losing on points. Calling it now.

Its hilarious to me that after a literal waltz past Chisora who was never in danger of landing anything, he's suddenly considered a junk fighter. I noticed this same nonsense during and after his fight with Bellew, talk about how Bellew was "doing well", in reality Usyk's footwork and movement was causing Bellew to gas and he was out on his feet by the sixth.

[KingGilgamesh]

Well that's just nonsense.

Of course he could keep him off him. That wasn't the issue. The issue was when Joshua went after Ruiz.

Or do you not know what 'keep him off him' means?

He was getting pieced up in the clinch, he really should have had him headlocked and put his mass over him. There is no ****ing reality where you're selling me the idea that getting outlanded in the clinch by a guy 6 inches shorter than you isn't indicative of poor clinch work. I'm not entirely sure what "goes after him" means either. If you get KOed by your opponent after a knockdown, it doesn't say anything other than an inferior skillset.