Heavyweight Boxing

walshb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120424722#Comment_120424722

Who cares. There were three neutral judges. Anyway, Fury won. He deserved it. Moot point.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120424826#Comment_120424826

Glad we cleared that up 😀

squinn2912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120424004#Comment_120424004

We could go round and round again about whether or not Fury or Joshua beat the better Wlad. I personally think Fury because up until then Wlad hadn’t been beaten in a decade. But I’m kind of in agreement here. If the best he can say about himself is that he defeated a fading champion and the same guy 2/3 times then he’s left a lot behind him. I;d be gobsmacked if he didn’t want to make some big money at this stage of his career because the well runs dry soon enough no matter how much you have

walshb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120425174#Comment_120425174

All I said was both beat an over-the-hill Wlad. I only said this after AJs name was brought into it.

Not sure about the well running dry no matter how much you have. Fury’s worth circa 150 million euro. That’s staggeringly wealthy.

Not saying he can’t blow that, but the well doesn’t always run dry with some people.

squinn2912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120425189#Comment_120425189

Truthfully I had that half written before the other responses and realised i didn’t finish it so I wasn’t badgering you. I agree with your point there.

Well after the next 2-3 years I don’t think he will have the same ready access to money. Agreeing a 20m fight now is guaranteed money and all the add ones that go with it. Investment etc is more of a gamble after his boxing career. Money of course isn’t the only incentive for him to fight Usyk. Belts, undisputed, legacy, the challenge it goes on and on. From what we already have seen of him as a character he should want this fight. Would he ever be on the juice again and buying time? If that were the case then it doesn’t explain activity with Joshua and the Chisora fight. There’s something amiss.

walshb

I know you weren’t badgering.

squinn2912

Right what’s the prediction for Joshua Franklin? I’ve bet Joshua in under 7.5 and doubled it with Wardley KO. I actually think Joshua blows Franklin away inside 3. Cagey first with a decent hit to put him in trouble towards then end of the round, knockdown in the second and Franklin just about makes the bell then he may not come out for third but if he does pasted then

Robert Nairac

Nothing on the undercard

walshb

Could Franklin be stubborn and crafty and stink the joint out? He is sturdy enough and never been stopped. AJ might well be in pure “boxing” mode here to try be as safe as possible

squinn2912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120428022#Comment_120428022

Jaysus I dunno. Would he not come in lighter if that were the aim. He’s got to go back to what made his name. His efforts to redefine himself as a boxer have so far yielded one successful result against a horrifically out of shape Ruiz. He was aggressive with Pulev and got the ko looking quite decent. Against Usyk he tried boxing and was a fish trying to fly, then he mixed it a bit more and got much closer, the meltdown aside afterwards. Anyhow he needs to try to blow this man away. If he doesn’t do that then he’s finished.

walshb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120428165#Comment_120428165

If AJ wins comfortably on the cards he’s not finished. He’s finished if he loses!!

squinn2912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120428177#Comment_120428177

Absolutely if he loses then he should retire. If he wins that way then he’s finished as far as being a proper legitimate contender because a boxing style will not take him to challenge anyone else in the top 3 and Joyce if you consider him to belong there too. Fury would beat him so easily in a boxing match, Wilder would get a bomb off and we already know the outcome with Usyk. Joshua in my opinion needs to go back to trying to KO his opponent.

walshb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120428287#Comment_120428287

Not really with you. Nobody called for AJ to finish based off his very safety-first performance/win against Ruiz.

Look at it this way: there’s fook all in the division really.. a win and he carries on as someone who could still compete.

What if tonight be simply makes a conscious decision to box and be smart? Can he not be allowed do this?

AJ going in tonight and deciding to be more a boxer than a killer/puncher I see no issue with whatsoever as regards the current HW Sh1t show of a landscape.

AJ losing tonight? Kind of done and dusted!!!

squinn2912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120428313#Comment_120428313

That was different because he was in with a guy who stopped him due to his own carelessness. He had a different way to win and the most important thing was to get the belts back. Look at how that paid off considering the 3 subsequent fights and what he’s made from them. It depends what he wants I think he needs to go back to the mindset that got him to the top but after Klitchko he decided he wanted to be the guy to not get hit.

And I dont know how smart it would be either. The longer Franklin is there the more doubts, gas tank, a big hit could set in and disaster could happen. Go in there, be positive and take it to this guy then the fight doesn’t go beyond 5/6 rounds for me and he makes a statement and grabs the imagination. Obviously avoid a loss at all costs but I think the manner of the win is very important tonight.

walshb

Looking at the top ten rankings at HW, I don’t think how AJ wins matters a jot as regards standings etc. When Whyte and Parker are top ten then nothing really matters. I agree, he should go out to really look impressive and strong..but the win is all that matters as regards him continuing on!

squinn2912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120428380#Comment_120428380

Yea well if the aim were to have a place in the top 10 then yea of course but there’s not much point in him continuing on trundling along. He could still really contest for belts but I think his only avenue for success there is to be a monster again. He’s a big strong guy who throws hard. Use that rather than timid tactics that wont take him as far.

reclose

AJ will win tonight. Franklin is levels below. I’m expecting him to be stopped 6-10.

eeepaulo

has fabio wardley got mini ears?

normanoffside

Very early stoppage

megadodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120429190#Comment_120429190

Agree. That was far too quick. While he got caught with a few, most of the punches were misses. He wasn't in any major distress.

ebbsy

Maybe Franklin is another Peter McNeeley, and AJ will go on to do .....nothing ???

Drumpot

Last time I saw AJ he was having that meltdown after being owned by Usyk, how is he still in contention for anything?

OmegaGene

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120429257#Comment_120429257

Look at the top ten and he’s still levels above most of them even after losing to Usyk

Drumpot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120429282#Comment_120429282

I always thought boxing at that level was very much about mentality, he lost his marbles after that defeat. I guess I just thought maybe that there was no coming back from that. I suppose maybe it wasn’t Oliver McCall crying in the ring bad but it was close.

squinn2912

That’s true and it’s never a great sign. But these days I think more is understood about mentality and he will have been helped that way. McCall has to be the worst meltdown anyhow. Kosta tsu beat some lad who did a Bambi dance all over the ring and afterwards that guy lost it too. But his brains were scrambled tbf

OmegaGene

Aj has been a bit scrambled since ruiz busted his ear but I think he’s still got plenty to offer the sport, I can’t see him losing this fight

on a side note dazn on sky seems much better

walshb

These fooking trash rappers need to be banned from boxing entrances!🤢

OmegaGene

Jesus this is dragging on and now we’ve got some twat spitting bars as the kids call it 🤣 is this boxing or a concert

squinn2912

I’m listening on Talksport, too hungry to get DAZN haha. The rapping might even be worse on radio! Exciting stuff anyhow

walshb

AJ is so stiff