AJ is the heavyweight version of Jeff Lacy

[lparm]

I get that the guy is still new to the pro game and he's only 16 fights deep but this guy is being kept in mothballs for christs sake. The title if you can even call it that was unjustly stripped from the real champ Tyson Fury and now AJ is parading it around like he's the second coming of Iron Mike. He is basically the he version of Jeff Lacy all muscle with some decent power but slow as **** and beating the weakest strap holder since Ruiz doesn't make you elite. What are his promoters hiding? Do they know he's damaged and are afraid to challenge him? I honestly don't see any top 5 hw being troubled by this hypejob and I fully expect him to be a true paper champ until he's forced to fight a live body.


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[Champ Wilder]

"some decent power" LOL.. yeah you lost me there

His power is very real, he is very similar to Mike Tyson except probably more power, more versatility.. similar stamina, oh and his size fits perfectly in the current heavyweight division.

Joshua is top 5 in the division no doubt

[deathofaclown]

What are his promoters hiding? Do they know he's damaged and are afraid to challenge him? I honestly don't see any top 5 hw being troubled by this hypejob and I fully expect him to be a true paper champ until he's forced to fight a live body.


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I don't think they're hiding anything. They have made no bones about the fact he will be defending it short term against fighters he would already be fighting without the belt, i.e not the top guys.

They know he's not ready for that yet but they had an opportunity along the way to pick up a belt against a guy who basically should be nowhere near a belt, they would have been stupid not to take the opporunity. Anybody who knows boxing knows he isn't a proper champion, but he's essentially picked up a bargaining chip for when/if he's ready to fight the top fighters and other champions.

[creekrat77]

I could see this being true. I watched his fight with Martin and it's clear he doesn't have the experience. I'd watch Martin do some subtle things and AJ's rhythm would **** up. Then he'd start over his short sighted offensive strategy that he implements. I see him as someone that can get taken way off course and frustrated. I don't see a sense of control which I'd expect from someone of his size and strength, kind of like a Foreman or Wladimir

[lparm]

The parallels of AJ and Lacy are incredible it's like the same guy:

- Similar age for first strap (AJ 26, lacy 27)
- Almost identical record for title win (AJ 16-0, Lacy 17-0)
- Holding the same organization IBF belt
- Same body type heavily muscled
- Both heavily reliant on a single punch
- Both with average speed and limited boxing skills
- Avoided the real champ for the title (lacy did eventually have to take his beating from Calzaghe though)

This is scary these guys are bizzaro versions of each other.

[ukbox]

Comparing him to a prime tyson? Tyson knew how to move his head.
He's had 16 fights..which fight has he shown good head movement?
All well & good fighting can's. ..wait til he fights someone who knows how to take the sting out of his shots & make him miss

[Redd Foxx]

Joshua hasn't faced anyone who was known for accomplishing anything, so it's really tough to say. He MIGHT be real deal, but I know better than to start getting excited about someone who hasn't faced decent comp. Boxing has taught us that lesson time and time again.

[lparm]

Joshua hasn't faced anyone who was known for accomplishing anything, so it's really tough to say. He MIGHT be real deal, but I know better than to start getting excited about someone who hasn't faced decent comp. Boxing has taught us that lesson time and time again.

Based off what I've seen he's going to be this eras version of frank Bruno. Another muscled Brit that will draw money but get crushed by the elite. Hopefully he will develop Bruno's penchant for exciting ko defeats.

[Tom Cruise]

He isnt being moved that slowly tbh. He's been a pro only a few years (after a very successful, but very short, Am career), has under 20 fights, only 26 years old and is probably around Euro level right now.

Which is about right. They could have moved him quicker maybe, but they haven't held him back majorly.

I expect he will fight some contender types this year, and then next year we will see the Fury/Haye/Wilder type fights. If he gets one of those this year then he will be well ahead of shedule

[JTfloyd]

I could see this being true. I watched his fight with Martin and it's clear he doesn't have the experience. I'd watch Martin do some subtle things and AJ's rhythm would **** up. Then he'd start over his short sighted offensive strategy that he implements. I see him as someone that can get taken way off course and frustrated. I don't see a sense of control which I'd expect from someone of his size and strength, kind of like a Foreman or Wladimir

I agree with ya. Lacy looked like a monster against guys who folded under his power. But I think the writing was on the wall when he fought Omar Sheika. He won the fight, but was getting outboxed for minutes at a time, Sheika being too willing to go to war and not stick to a gameplan. That being said, for Joshua, after a few more fights to get experience under his belt, I'd like to see him in with Ortiz, Wilder, then Fury.