Anthony Joshua

Fair enough, though only as a very casual boxing fan (really only follow the very big British fighters plus local boy Elliot Matthews) the fact that I remember both of these guys winning suggests it must've been big news. I had no idea, for example that GB boxers held belts at two weights in the IBF. In fact, I seem to remember Lewis obtained that belt by collecting it from a dustbin after Riddick Bowe ducked a mandatory defence.

Who is intercontinental champion these days?

 

I think he can knock anyone over, and is proving himself to be the real deal. Fury took many more fights against very weak opposition before a narrow victory over an ageing Klitschko.

I would back Joshua to beat anyone in front of him.

 

It would be nice to think so, but Fury has great footwork and can take a punch. At the moment I think he would beat Joshua.

 

'Herbie Hide and Henry Akinwande were WBO title-holders when the belt was not taken seriously by many of the elite fighters in the division.' Quoted direct from the bbc. Im not saying its necessarily fair, but the quality of opposition available in the division at that time was mediocre at best. I know Martin did not put up much resistance to Joshua, but many pundits expected Joshua to really struggle and rated Martin. He swept him aside with such ease, that either Martin is absolute **** (not the case as per his record) or Joshua is a special boxer.

That being said he needs to continue to be allowed to be managed properly. At the moment Fury and Haye would probably take him to pieces. I would not mind seeing him fight Wilder at some point in the next two years.

 

Posted at
23:36
9 Apr
Great to see @anthonyfjoshua is so keen to watch the highlights of Watford v Everton. Well played champ!
Gary Lineker
GaryLineker
Great to see @anthonyfjoshua is so keen to watch the highlights of Watford v Everton. Well played champ!
10:30 p.m. - 9 April 2016

 

I don't like boxing but I would pay to see AJ fight Lineker!

 

I'm not sure they'd take him to pieces, I'm just not sure if he has the power to get through their defences and score a knockout. In that case, he has nowhere near the boxing skill to outpoint a top 5 boxer. Being able to knock out people like Martin, Zumbano Love and Gary Cornish isn't hugely impressive when they put their chins on a silver plate for him. Any heavyweight boxer worth his salt would do just the same, that's the nature of the division.

Put Joshua in with top level fighters who are used to being hit (and avoiding being hit) by other top level boxers, and I can see him having problems after realising they won't give him the massive openings his current opposition have. He needs two years at least to continue to learn the trade before even thinking about Fury.

 

anyone can box

 

I don't particularly like Fury, but it wasn't a narrow win at all. He boxed him to death all night, VK threw nothing back and probably lost every round on most peoples score cards.

 

In terms of the AJ fight last night, it was a hugely impressive, albeit quick, performance against an awkward southpaw (default champion, but we don't know how good CM is yet).

His fight plan was superb, didn't get drawn into a brawl like he did against Dillian Whyte, measured Martin up and was just too quick and too powerful. He came of age last night and learnt several lessons from the Dillian Whyte fight (whom I am convinced he would have bombed out inside 3 rounds if he fought with his brain and not his emotions).

Now on to defend his title. It'll be interesting to see who is lined up for July 9th. Ortiz? Wilder? Haye? I'm not convinced the Fury fight will happen this soon, maybe next year or the year after, all depends on the promotional teams. I genuinely think Fury would be mental to fight Joshua yet (not the other way round) as I could see AJ retiring him early (has been some talk of Fury quit'ing the sport anyway).

One thing is for sure, AJ is the real deal and could go on to be a great. He has everything in his locker to achieve greatness.

 

It was a narrow boring win against a past it Klitschko. He won it by 2-3 rounds. Joshua would slay them both today.

 

Another great win for Joshua at the weekend. Boxed supremely well and never even looked in the slightest bit of trouble despite going 7 rounds. Shows he does have the stamina to go the longer distance if he needs to. Was a showcase in class and patience.

 

It was. I think it was his most impressive showing against a decent opponent.

Nice to see Fury do a 'David Haye' and bottle his rematch with Klitschko just so he could go out on the **** at the Euros.

The man just drips with class.

 

I really dislike Fury, but I have seen pictures of his ankle and it is a bit of a mess. Still not quite sure why he needed to go running in the lake district a couple of weeks before one of the biggest fights of your career. Who does he think he is? Rocky Balboa? The only thing more laughable would have been if he had sprained his ankle trying to catch a chicken. I hope, when or if, this fight takes place that Klitchsko knocks him flat on his back.

Joshua is the complete opposite to Tyson in everything he does. Takes care of himself and deserves the respect he is given by the rest of the division. Other than Fury and Whyte, the majority of heavyweights seem to either quite like him or respect him as an individual.

 

What I liked about AJ's latest fight was the build up. The 2 boxers managed to get through press conferences without abusing each other and acting likes ****s. They even managed a handshake and a smile at the end of the press conference. Of course both said they were going to win etc. but they did it with respect.

 

OMFG! If only the team could show half the fight and guts of AJ... we'd win the league!

 

Not a boxing fan, but that was one hell of a fight.

 

Great fight. Went back and forth and could've gone either way, but Joshua showed some real experience beyond his years. Took that hiding in the fifth, but used the next few rounds to recover without really being hurt and then exploded in the 11th to finish it. Looked like a tactical masterclass together with his frightening athletic ability.

Klitchko boxed excellently but Joshua was too much. Scorecards had AJ marginally ahead too.

AJ just stepped into a whole new class.

 

Incredible fight......one of the best I've seen. Wonderful performance from AJ. He was losing but turned it around in the 11th. Never seen Klitschko move so well. Both men on the canvass. Fantastic.

 

He was actually ahead at the end of rounds 10, but the way he came out made it clear he wasn't confident enough and clearly didn't need to.

In the 5th and 11th AJ showed how he can beat anyone. He'll have learned loads from tonight too. No better schooling than 11 rounds with Klitchko

 

Yes....just seen that. Very dubious scorecards as Klitschko was clearly ahead by everyone that watched it, including all the experts.

Glad it didn't end on points, as that would have been very controversial.

 

What a cracking fight. AJ could barely stand up for a round and a half. One of the best I've seen.

 

I thought he was done in the 6th, brilliant recovery and never saw the stoppage coming

Been many years since I've seen a fight that good

 

Are we safe now?

 

All reports saying AJ was down 2 to 3 rounds going into the 11th round .

Which is why McKracken was telling him he had to knock him out after the 9th and 10th rounds .

 

You beat me to it sydney, I was about to post more or less the same as you have, what a fight though :jumping1:

 

American judges. They tend to score fights a lot differently to how the UK former boxer media do.

Was gutted after the 6th as thought he'd blown it. That uppercut and the following ending was sensational.

Respect to Klitschko though. True champion. AJ, is there anyone left that can test him? Certainly not actively in the division.

Is it worth fighting Fury with all the bull**** that comes with it? Probably not, but the next Wembley sellout is probably that fight and AJ wins very comfortably.

 

when this thread started we all wondered if he was the real deal....no doubt about it now!

 

Yeah but my money's on Klitchko next time :]]

 

I'm not a huge boxing fan but listened to the last half, how much was it worth to AJ?

 

I thought he was dead in the sixth, in fact he looked gone at the end of the fifth. Unbelievable resilience to hold Wlad off and recover his energy, and then bravery to stick it on him and go for the KO.

More than anything the value of this experience will be immense in future fights. If AJ strikes at the right time in a fight I don't think any other heavyweight can live with him.

Well worth the PPV!

 

Respect to both boxers, rarely do these fights ever live up to the hype, this one definitely did, I had a bet on it going 12 rounds as I thought if it went past two then they would cancel each other out and go to points, I had a gut feeling it would be a draw, what a pleasant change that the boxers showed respect to each other before the fight and did have to big it up to get it in the press to sell tickets, hope a lot of other boxers learn from these two. Hats off to the Ukrainian, a true champ of his day who never avoided anyone, I hope he retires now and will be remembered for the right reasons and not drag his career on any longer