The Boxing Thread

[Nathan Wind]

Disgraceful behaviour from AJ. Love to see it, especially  after everything Usyk’s just been through.

 

There we’re some decent fights in BKFC actually. The main event wasn’t great but the fight before it was really nice and technical, and there was a great lightweight bout. I think that once the haymaker heroes have been weeded out it could end up being a decent promotion. Watching technical fighters piece someone up without gloves on is interesting. 
 

Very keen to see how Buakaw and Saenchai get on. Two of my favourite fighters in any discipline.

[davidcotton]

8 hours ago, CrichStand said:

I predict Joshua vs Whyte. Coming soon to a Leisure Center near you! 🤣

Jim white? 😛

[Scratchy Bollock]

9 hours ago, Stoppy2000 said:

Joshua looked like a right prick there. I've never particularly liked Tyson Fury but I'd still like to see him box AJ's head off.

 

AJ embarrassed himself there, but I'll still take him over the guy that used to regularly spout homophobic rhetoric, failed a PED test and lied about giving money to charity. All respect to his comeback though. 

 

AJ's behaviour after was bizarre, embarrassing and sad, but he also took around 40 clean shots in round 10 and I tend to think it's a bad idea for any losing fighter to be interviewed or given a platform after a tough camp and a gruelling 12 rounds of being hit in the head repeatedly. Same applies to MMA too. It's just not really fair to expect a beaten fighter to speak with any degree of clarity or coherency under those circumstances.

 

It was a great and clearly competitive fight, even with Usyk winning by around 4 rounds on most cards. Extremely high-level boxing which is unusual these days for a division that doesn't always prioritise skill and actual boxing compared to the lower weight classes.

 

AJ fought incredibly well and he's a much better technician than some are claiming. Fast hands, good feet, better balance and all round great fundamentals and clearly still improving. He kept the first 9 rounds competitive and boxed very intelligently. When he threw combos and uppercuts, he was very effective and it's probably the best performance anyone has put up against Usyk. Comparisons with Bruno are unbelievably lazy and actually a bit ridiculous. We're talking about a gold medal winning fighter who unified three of the belts. He's still one of the top four heavyweights of this generation and to say otherwise is just stupid. Losing to a hall of fame fighter in this fashion is nothing to be ashamed of.

 

As for Usyk, the man is a genius and an elite level fighter and he's sublime to watch. I rate him as P4P number 1 and I think he'll be remembered as the great talent of this generation, possibly more so than Canelo. I think he can beat Fury and I think he's by far the superior boxer, but Fury is exceptionally good at using his size and weight and he has impressive stamina.

 

 

[Stoppy2000]

I think with Fury what you see is what you get. AJ has been a very polished PR product - last night his mask slipped and you saw what a prick he is. 

It's a shame they'll probably never fight but I don't see any legit way it's worth doing - except for the money. 

[Scratchy Bollock]

8 minutes ago, Stoppy2000 said:

I think with Fury what you see is what you get. AJ has been a very polished PR product - last night his mask slipped and you saw what a prick he is. 

It's a shame they'll probably never fight but I don't see any legit way it's worth doing - except for the money. 

 

I don't really get this argument. Fury is a guy who lies repeatedly, contradicts himself endlessly, plays the media at will and is generally much less consistent in character than just about anyone else I can think of in Sports. He plays the "lad" character well and that seems to be enough for most people. 

 

The worst that can be said of AJ is that he's a bit bland, perhaps a tad simple and yesterday he had an emotional meltdown and embarrassed himself, which is perfect ammunition for all the people desperate to find a reason to not like him. But overall, I think he's far less of a twat than Fury. The idea that "the mask slipped" is pure speculation and just a bit odd. Why can't he just be the guy you think he's pretending to be? 

 

For what it's worth, I've worked with him multiple times, as have many of my friends, and whilst he's not the liveliest of people, he's always been a total gentleman to everyone from the runners to the catering crew and is quite happy to sit and talk about anything with anyone, free from PR people or management. He's a pretty straightforward guy in all honesty.

 

If the argument was centred around him being an inferior boxer to Fury, I'd be in agreement. But this notion that he's a master actor that has cultivated this sterile persona with no real evidence to support it (Other than last nights outburst, essentially the only example), is just a bit weird.

[Stoppy2000]

2 minutes ago, Scratchy Bollock said:

 

I don't really get this argument. Fury is a guy who lies repeatedly, contradicts himself endlessly, plays the media at will and is generally much less consistent in character than just about anyone else I can think of in Sports. He plays the "lad" character well and that seems to be enough for most people. 

 

The worst that can be said of AJ is that he's a bit bland, perhaps a tad simple and yesterday he had an emotional meltdown and embarrassed himself, which is perfect ammunition for all the people desperate to find a reason to not like him. But overall, I think he's far less of a twat than Fury. The idea that "the mask slipped" is pure speculation and just a bit odd. Why can't he just be the guy you think he's pretending to be? 

 

For what it's worth, I've worked with him multiple times, as have many of my friends, and whilst he's not the liveliest of people, he's always been a total gentleman to everyone from the runners to the catering crew and is quite happy to sit and talk about anything with anyone, free from PR people or management. He's a pretty straightforward guy in all honesty.

 

If the argument was centred around him being an inferior boxer to Fury, I'd be in agreement. But this notion that he's a master actor that has cultivated this sterile persona with no real evidence to support it (Other than last nights outburst, essentially the only example), is just a bit weird.

If you've met him then fair enough. I'll still never like him though 😂. I thought Fury singing was the worst thing I'd ever see but AJ topped it last night. 

[Scratchy Bollock]

4 minutes ago, Stoppy2000 said:

If you've met him then fair enough. I'll still never like him though 😂. I thought Fury singing was the worst thing I'd ever see but AJ topped it last night. 

That I agree with! Total cringe of the highest magnitude!

[Adrock]

Funnily enough I live in the area where he grew up, have heard opinions of serving police officers and others about his nature and they don't paint the picture of a nice lad who is just a bit bland. When he sought out of the students goading him recently? That's closer to the real Joshua from what I've heard.

[marsh]

Interesting that Joshua is pretending not to be a twat, where Fury just is one. I still think on anyday in recent memory, Fury beats Usyk and Joshua. Joshua with relative ease, Usyk less so.

[SMD]

32 minutes ago, Adrock said:

Funnily enough I live in the area where he grew up, have heard opinions of serving police officers and others about his nature and they don't paint the picture of a nice lad who is just a bit bland. When he sought out of the students goading him recently? That's closer to the real Joshua from what I've heard.

 

hmmmm.

[Pug]

[Opinionated Ham Scarecrow]

I don't get the Joshua hate. I think he's really likeable.

[Stoppy2000]

2 minutes ago, Opinionated Ham Scarecrow said:

I don't get the Joshua hate. I think he's really likeable.

Even with those post match antics?

[Opinionated Ham Scarecrow]

8 minutes ago, Stoppy2000 said:

Even with those post match antics?

The guy was punch drunk. Watch the post match press conference. He doesn't even remember it. 

[Adrock]

50 minutes ago, SMD said:

 

hmmmm.

 

I specifically mentioned the police because he spoke about his scrape with the law.

 

He has done a lot to change his path and that is certainly to be applauded but the image he has cultivated isn't a true reflection.

 

[Scratchy Bollock]

18 minutes ago, Adrock said:

 

I specifically mentioned the police because he spoke about his scrape with the law.

 

He has done a lot to change his path and that is certainly to be applauded but the image he has cultivated isn't a true reflection.

 

 

I find this confusing as on one hand you acknowledge the changes he's made but on the other hand your assessment of his character still seems to be based on his past, something that is well documented and something that he's also very transparent and vocal about. It was actually the basis of a Lucozade commercial a few years back, which is a great piece of work if you're interested:

 

 

His entire shtick for the longest period has been about how Boxing saved him and changed his life. The reality is, he's had a relatively controversy free career (Now spanning over a decade), so the rest of this is just pure speculation and hearsay. When was the last time the police in your area had to deal with him specifically?

 

He doesn't come across as the brightest of people and he's clearly a bit too preoccupied with what the public think of him (The outburst yesterday revealed as much), but he really doesn't seem to do much to warrant the type of abuse he so often gets. In the meantime, Fury is literally banned from entering the US due to his close affiliation with an infamous drug kingpin and suspected murderer and somehow manages to get a free pass (Just to clarify, I'm not saying you do this, I just mean generally).

 

[Adrock]

You can turn your life around and get praised for it but still be an arsehole who can't take criticism and is a bully.

 

Last night's outburst and his threatening of those students is exactly the kind of character he is. That doesn't mean he shouldn't be praised for turning his life around and avoiding criminality.

[Ry]

I thought he handled those students well. 

 

Last night though....

[Naysonymous]

 

He’s just tweeted about it. I’m willing to put it down to a heat of the moment thing 

[SMD]

yeah but some coppers called him a bad sort

[Orion]

Judging Anthony Joshuas personality on comments he made after being punched in the head for 12 rounds and not knowing where he was. Seems abit off to me.

 

I'd love Usyk to beat Fury and Wilder now. It would be perfect.

[CrichStand]

That Joshua vid just shows the level of marketing and stage management that has gone into making him a big name brand and money making “product”. How does anyone manage to buy into that shite? 😂 It’s like a fucking Nike advert! Fans need to just let it go. He’s now been fully exposed. He’s not No.1, more like No.5/6. No more excuses.

 

Truth is Joshua gasses easily. That’s why he struggles and is scared to let his hands go at this level. Not as much of a problem when you’re fighting lesser skilled opponents or are allowed to dictate the pace and flow of a fight. Against anyone else......he gets outboxed or put on his arse 10 times out of 10. 
 

Usyk is a true champion and a true fighting man. Carries himself with dignity and always shows his opponents the respect they deserve. Sensational boxing brain and abilities.  Fantastic to see him achieve what he truly deserves! Fury is the same.  Look at how he handled the bullshit draw against Wilder or went to shake his hand after the 3rd fight with all the allegations that had been thrown at him. People also seem to forget that Fury suffers with Bipolar/Manic Depression and deals with it naturally, no medication. That’s a bigger battle than any heavyweight title fight.

 

Not one for hearsay and shit but I know people that have met Fury and say that he’s the warmest, loveliest, most genuine and down to earth bloke you could possibly meet. Stopped and took time out of his day for them. They couldn’t speak any higher of him. What I’ve heard from people that met Joshua on the other hand..........well, that rant last night.......spot on. Strange coincidence? Who knows.

 

 

[CrichStand]

Man, just seen the footage and stuff that happened out of the ring. What a monumental bellend!
 

Trying to fight Usyk’s team, shouting “don’t fuck with me” at Lomachenko for no reason, takes Usyk’s belts holds them up above is head as if he’s champ, seems to say “think I give a shit about these” before throwing them out the ring. Jumps out the ring pushing people all over the place whilst shouting “get your hands off me”. 😂 Comes back and gets in Usyk’s face telling him he’s not strong. Hijacks the mic talking about himself, and how he’s a bad man, putting all the attention on himself whilst dropping f bombs and motherfuckers. 😂 There’s then footage of him back stage where an old guy that’s bystanding says “you should keep it professional” and he explodes shouting “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU’RE TALKING TO!?!? Shut your fucking mouth bruv” and tries to get to him. 
 

No excuse for that kind of behaviour at all. Makes Wilder look like he could win a Sportsmanship of the Year award. 😂

[Orion]

I know your a fucking troll CricStand and I wouldn't normally be arsed but screw it.

 

Your boy Fury is a hundred times worse than Joshua in terms of behaviour. Do you want us to bring up some of the shit Fury has come out with over the years ? You know how disgraceful and appalling he has been right ?

[CrichStand]

2 hours ago, Orion said:

I know your a fucking troll CricStand and I wouldn't normally be arsed but screw it.

 

Your boy Fury is hundred times worse than Joshua in terms of behaviour. Do you want us to bring up some of the shit Fury has come out with over the years ? You know how disgraceful and appalling he has been right ?

 

And your boy is clearly a poor loser. Would have thought he’d have gotten used to it by now! 😂

 

Trolling......for calling Joshua a bellend.........when he acted like a total bellend? A really arrogant one at that.

 

Fury has been an alcoholic, drug addict, he suffers with Bipolar/Manic Depression, he’s been outspoken with a lot of stuff and his beliefs outside the ring.. He hasn’t sugar coated any of t. Good on him for staying true to himself.
 

Inside the ring though. Not once after a fight, even with all his issues, has he ever behaved in the arrogant and egotistical way Joshua has done. Even when he was blatantly cheated out of his comeback win or when he’d been faced with a landslide of accusations by Wilder that he’d cheated, or when Wilder still refused to shake his hand or give him credit after the 3rd fight, he remained humble and gave all the glory to Jesus Christ, much like Usyk did. Speaks volumes.
 

There’s a big difference between the true Sportsmanship that Usyk and Fury show and the egotistical childishness that Wilder and Joshua have shown. Usyk and Fury are natural showmen, that also carry themselves like true champions and true greats of the sport.........because naturally that’s what they are. Joshua and Wilder aren’t. They’re good but not truly great.  Let it go. No more excuses. 👍🏻
 

Anyway, looks like Fury vs Usyk is happening! 😁 Never imagined my two fav fighters would ever end up meeting one another. Pretty crazy. Said for a while now, Usyk is the only person that stands any chance of beating Fury. It’s like he was born for the job. He’s got the technical ability, the boxing brain to use it and the engine to go the distance with him. One thing for sure though, whoever loses won’t go off the deep end and throw a self entitled shitfit. 😂
 

 

[Adrock]

5 hours ago, CrichStand said:

Fury has been an alcoholic, drug addict, he suffers with Bipolar/Manic Depression, he’s been outspoken with a lot of stuff and his beliefs outside the ring.. He hasn’t sugar coated any of t. Good on him for staying true to himself.

 

You're sugar coating it, the bloke has said some absolutely horrendous stuff and he is a drugs cheat.

 

Fury is a nasty piece of work.

[Gotters]

Totally parking all the outside the ring character anecdotes and views and just focus on the inside the ring stuff.

 

Boxing (and MMA) have always had this code of massive respect for your opponent, once it's all said and done shake hands, bury the bad blood, congratulate the winner etc etc.

 

What Joshua did in making it all about him in the immediate aftermath of a loss in the ring, taking the focus off the winner is piss poor. It goes against one of the key fundamentals of the sport and for that alone he's to be derided, even more so bearing in mind it's the second time he's lost to Usyk.

 

 

[davidcotton]

24 minutes ago, Gotters said:

Totally parking all the outside the ring character anecdotes and views and just focus on the inside the ring stuff.

 

Boxing (and MMA) have always had this code of massive respect for your opponent, once it's all said and done shake hands, bury the bad blood, congratulate the winner etc etc.

 

What Joshua did in making it all about him in the immediate aftermath of a loss in the ring, taking the focus off the winner is piss poor. It goes against one of the key fundamentals of the sport and for that alone he's to be derided, even more so bearing in mind it's the second time he's lost to Usyk.

 

 

Will they push for III or is that it?

[Gotters]

1 minute ago, davidcotton said:

Will they push for III or is that it?

 

what purpose would an immediate trilogy fight serve at 2-0 to Usyk ? Joshua may clear up the challengers and become the only option down the line if Usyk keeps the belt but now no point at all.

 

I suspect the contract for this fight was the automatic rematch clause from the first contract that Usyk had to honour. There may have been some sort of champion clause for a 3rd match for Usyk if Joshua had won but doubt Joshua has any contractual (or sporting|) rights now.

[Ry]

33 minutes ago, davidcotton said:

Will they push for III or is that it?

 

Uysk wants Fury. 

 

Thats the only fight to make.