So the post-mortem for the Joshua – Usyk fight is well
underway. There is a rematch clause built
into the contract. You’d think that was
pretty clear and intended. However many
people, pundits and fight fans alike, are saying it would be a mistake for Anthony
Joshua to take on Usyk a second time without some interim opponent. That strikes me as absolutely crazy.
Well there are people and there are people. I’m not one of the people. The people who count are Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing and AJ himself. AJ already voiced in a post-fight press conference where he stands. He’s ready to go again as soon as possible. Eddie Hearn says that could happen early 2022, February or March.
Appearing on Ak and Barak (DAZN), the promoter told the hosts his guy could beat Usyk the second time around. Eddie knows that AJ made mistakes. AJ knows he made mistakes. The thousands of people who watched the fight know AJ made mistakes.
He didn’t exactly say it but Eddie Hearn believes that AJ
has the skills to beat Usyk in a second fight if it were held tomorrow. A figurative tomorrow. Anthony Joshua feels
the same way but what would happen tomorrow that didn’t happen on Saturday
night?
I don’t know the crew who trained AJ for this fight but
someone gave him the wrong cues. It would have been better for him to listen to
Roy Jones before the fight. Jones said
outright that if AJ didn’t get on top of Usyk in the early rounds that he’d
have a rough night and could lose.
That turned out to be
prophetic as Joshua seemed to be more worried about the distance than in
keeping the Ukrainian away from him. Usyk got within range early and often and battered
Joshua. Joshua endured it and kept on
ticking but his punches were entirely predictable while Usyk punched from every
angle but above our heads.
I’d thought European fighters had gotten out of the
old-school straight up style of boxing but it looked as if AJ reverted. This was in stark contrast to Usyk who made himself
hard to hit with continuous head movement and footwork. Usyk is a madman but a smart, relentless, and
cunning madman. The work he put in took
its toll on Joshua who had few moments for his thousands of fans to admire.
Let me declare my bias.
I was for AJ all the way. I think he does have the tools to win a second
time around if he can find and use them. I wouldn’t pick him to win, however, unless he
has a coaching or at least a style change. The way AJ fought only works if your opponent stands in front of you beside a yard sign showing you where to hit.
I think the plan was for Joshua to stand in there during the early rounds, wait for Usyk to die down, and then punch hard. Sure a hard right hand was inevitable, except it wasn't.
Didn’t his trainers get the memo? Or maybe AJ ignored them which I think is
less a possibility. As George Foreman said,
it seemed that AJ has yet to discover who he really is as a fighter. Was he too rich and no longer hungry? I don't think it was that.
AJ surely has enough
punch n but he didn’t land it or landed
it rarely. Meanwhile Usyk did exactly what southpaws do best, positioning
themselves outside the right handed fighters left foot so that they can rocket straight
lefts right down the pipe. Which happened
all night long.
