comment by The Guvnor XI -Iron sharpens Iron- (U12889)
posted 2 hours, 58 minutes ago
Inoue becomes a 2 weight undisputed champion. We are witnessing a truly legendary fighter.
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And this is why he is fighter of the year.

If Fury and AJ never fight it would make a mockery of the sport and we'd have endless tedious debates in future years about who would have won if they'd actually fought.

They need to fight each other regardless of whether either wins their upcoming fights against Usyk and Hrgovic. Belts should have no bearing on it either, we just need that fight.

AJ said he was still willing to fight Wilder after his loss to Parker so there's no good reason we don't get AJ vs Fury.

comment by Superb (U6486)
posted 1 hour, 14 minutes ago
I think AJ beats Hrgovic in his current form. Although I think that Usyk gets the better of Fury. If that happens I'm not sure how feasible Usyk vs AJ 3 is given that Usyk conclusively won both previous fights. I think that might be an issue.

I suspect that even if Fury loses to Usyk and any consequent rematches that there will still be a huge demand for an AJ vs Fury fight as we need to know who's the best regardless of belts. It's still an incredibly huge fight that probably makes more money than any other fight in the division.
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What would be better for AJ's legacy? If he were to fight Fury after Fury loses to Usyk and beat him, or if he was to fight Usyk for a third time after he beats Fury, and beat him? I'm actually not sure.

I guess if he finally beats Usyk, he sort of rights some of the wrong of those 2 defeats, but Usyk would be past his peak by then and people wouldn't be able to give AJ full credit for it. Fighting Fury would be the bigger fight but it's only to see who is the second best in the division.

comment by Superb (U6486)
posted 40 minutes ago
Maybe but off the top of my head I can't think of a single example where there was a third title fight after one fighter lost the first two title fights without any controversy regarding the outcome. AJ still lost that second fight fair and square and nobody questioned the decision as I remember. The only thing that stands out for me in that second fight was that weird meltdown AJ had on the mic after the fight.

Usyk would have his pick of opponents if he beats Fury and not sure he'd pick AJ for a third fight when there might be other big fights out there against fighters he hasn't fought yet. I also think that Usyk would be more likely to retire as undisputed world champion having cleaned out the division should he get past Fury in one or two fights. He'd be about 37/38 by then and would have nothing left to prove after establishing himself as the undisputed and lineal Heavyweight Champ and best Heavyweight of his generation.
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I am pretty sure he'd pick Joshua considering the money that would be on the table.

I say this as someone who thinks AJ would lose to Usyk again and thinks a motivated Fury knocks him out (sadly I think that Fury disappeared after Wilder 3).

This is what I'd like to see play out:
AJ beats Hrgovic or anyone else for a title
Fury beats Usyk
AJ vs Fury for all the belts and bragging rights

comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 57 minutes ago
comment by Superb (U6486)
posted 1 hour, 14 minutes ago
I think AJ beats Hrgovic in his current form. Although I think that Usyk gets the better of Fury. If that happens I'm not sure how feasible Usyk vs AJ 3 is given that Usyk conclusively won both previous fights. I think that might be an issue.

I suspect that even if Fury loses to Usyk and any consequent rematches that there will still be a huge demand for an AJ vs Fury fight as we need to know who's the best regardless of belts. It's still an incredibly huge fight that probably makes more money than any other fight in the division.
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What would be better for AJ's legacy? If he were to fight Fury after Fury loses to Usyk and beat him, or if he was to fight Usyk for a third time after he beats Fury, and beat him? I'm actually not sure.

I guess if he finally beats Usyk, he sort of rights some of the wrong of those 2 defeats, but Usyk would be past his peak by then and people wouldn't be able to give AJ full credit for it. Fighting Fury would be the bigger fight but it's only to see who is the second best in the division.
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Think it would have to be beating Usyk in a third fight and becoming world heavyweight and lineal champ as a result. But it's all hypothetical and I don't see that fight happening anyway.

At the same time I think that both Fury and AJ's reputations are massively tarnished if they don't fight each other. Don't think the boxing public would ever forgive them and it would be a huge indelible blot on their cv's.

I don't see AJ vs Usyk 3 happening. I suspect Usyk has 3 fights left at HW, before he retires.

comment by The Guvnor XI -Iron sharpens Iron- (U12889)
posted 4 minutes ago
This is what I'd like to see play out:
AJ beats Hrgovic or anyone else for a title
Fury beats Usyk
AJ vs Fury for all the belts and bragging rights
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That would be the dream scenario but as Saturday night showed that just isn't how boxing usually works.

And if Fury beats Usyk then I see him walking away from the sport forever claiming that he's the greatest of all times blah blah. And not even giving Usyk a rematch, let alone fighting AJ.

Yeh need to see a couple more of AJ fighting like Sat to convince me. A week ago I would have said even a fairly uninterested Fury beats recent AJ, heck would have said Ngannau beats AJ. But the AJ on Sat I think would give Usyk a run for his money and a challenge to a bothered Fury (like NPE though I think a bother Fury is a thing of the past).

I do think money talks and AJ vs Fury is a historic level payday

comment by NPE - Bottom Half FC (U22712)
posted 15 minutes ago
I do think money talks and AJ vs Fury is a historic level payday
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If Fury beats Usyk and AJ continues to win, they will fight in my opinion. The Saudi's will offer them both life changing amounts.

Conversely I think the best chance we have of a Fury vs AJ fight ever happening is actually if Fury loses to Usyk.

comment by Superb (U6486)
posted 17 minutes ago
Conversely I think the best chance we have of a Fury vs AJ fight ever happening is actually if Fury loses to Usyk.

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See that being the less likely personally - he loses to Usyk he's retiring. Need to see a very different Fury from November. Unfortunately I don't think we are seeing an interested Fury again. He's got enough money for several life times and has looked done for a while. Wilder 2 Fury is the best HW on the planet at the moment, and goes thru Usyk without really breaking a sweat, Francis Fury turns up will be an easy night for Usyk. I am guessing we will something in the middle, but I don't think we are seeing the fully focused Fury again.

I think Fury walks away from boxing if he beats Usyk. No rematch either.

Honestly until he's in the ring still feel like it's 50/50 the fight even happens. Feel we may never see Fury in the ring again. And Honestly win or lose prob Furys last fight......if its the same Fury who's fought the last few times recently that is

I don't think Fury has been that bad in his last fights. Made easy work of Whyte and Delboy. The Ngannou fight was embarrassing though, I'm assuming Fury didn't train or take it remotely seriously.

But yeah I'm still sceptical of Fury actually even getting in the ring with Usyk. I still don't think Fury wants any part of this fight and will try to get out of it, citing mental health or some injury. Let's see.

It's not his boxing, just his attitude and body language - says he's going thru the motions rather than being in the ring for the love of it

comment by Simon West (U1830)
posted 16 hours, 54 minutes ago
Yeh need to see a couple more of AJ fighting like Sat to convince me. A week ago I would have said even a fairly uninterested Fury beats recent AJ, heck would have said Ngannau beats AJ. But the AJ on Sat I think would give Usyk a run for his money and a challenge to a bothered Fury (like NPE though I think a bother Fury is a thing of the past).
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People were really starting to underrate Joshua weren't they?

I mean Ngannou was going to beat him, Wilder was going to knock him out in 1 round. It's daft. AJ actually has more knock outs in 7 rounds or earlier than Wilder does in his last 15 fights.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Simon West (U1830)
posted 16 hours, 54 minutes ago
Yeh need to see a couple more of AJ fighting like Sat to convince me. A week ago I would have said even a fairly uninterested Fury beats recent AJ, heck would have said Ngannau beats AJ. But the AJ on Sat I think would give Usyk a run for his money and a challenge to a bothered Fury (like NPE though I think a bother Fury is a thing of the past).
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People were really starting to underrate Joshua weren't they?

I mean Ngannou was going to beat him, Wilder was going to knock him out in 1 round. It's daft. AJ actually has more knock outs in 7 rounds or earlier than Wilder does in his last 15 fights.
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not me... plenty of examples on here of me saying I think AJ beats Fury.

People also blowing the win over board. Wallin was a very good opponent for AJ there.

comment by whodunnit (U22710)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Simon West (U1830)
posted 16 hours, 54 minutes ago
Yeh need to see a couple more of AJ fighting like Sat to convince me. A week ago I would have said even a fairly uninterested Fury beats recent AJ, heck would have said Ngannau beats AJ. But the AJ on Sat I think would give Usyk a run for his money and a challenge to a bothered Fury (like NPE though I think a bother Fury is a thing of the past).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
People were really starting to underrate Joshua weren't they?

I mean Ngannou was going to beat him, Wilder was going to knock him out in 1 round. It's daft. AJ actually has more knock outs in 7 rounds or earlier than Wilder does in his last 15 fights.
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not me... plenty of examples on here of me saying I think AJ beats Fury.

People also blowing the win over board. Wallin was a very good opponent for AJ there.
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It's easy to say Wallin is no good in hindsight but I think he was a decent enough opponent for AJ. I actually thought AJ should have fought him instead of Franklin and it would've been a good comeback win after the Usyk losses. Since then Wallin accumulated a couple more wins including against Gassiev, so was in good form and he'd never been knocked down as far as I know. So it was a good win and performance by AJ.

People just went overboard with underestimating AJ, talking about him being mentally shot, gun shy etc. I mean the losses to Usyk; he's an elite fighter and many acted like AJ should have comfortably got him out of there using his size and power. Franklin proved durable during the Whyte fight but because AJ didn't knock the guy out he was still mentally finished. It's silly, he still comfortably won every round of that fight. You cannot knock everybody out.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by whodunnit (U22710)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Simon West (U1830)
posted 16 hours, 54 minutes ago
Yeh need to see a couple more of AJ fighting like Sat to convince me. A week ago I would have said even a fairly uninterested Fury beats recent AJ, heck would have said Ngannau beats AJ. But the AJ on Sat I think would give Usyk a run for his money and a challenge to a bothered Fury (like NPE though I think a bother Fury is a thing of the past).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
People were really starting to underrate Joshua weren't they?

I mean Ngannou was going to beat him, Wilder was going to knock him out in 1 round. It's daft. AJ actually has more knock outs in 7 rounds or earlier than Wilder does in his last 15 fights.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
not me... plenty of examples on here of me saying I think AJ beats Fury.

People also blowing the win over board. Wallin was a very good opponent for AJ there.
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It's easy to say Wallin is no good in hindsight but I think he was a decent enough opponent for AJ. I actually thought AJ should have fought him instead of Franklin and it would've been a good comeback win after the Usyk losses. Since then Wallin accumulated a couple more wins including against Gassiev, so was in good form and he'd never been knocked down as far as I know. So it was a good win and performance by AJ.

People just went overboard with underestimating AJ, talking about him being mentally shot, gun shy etc. I mean the losses to Usyk; he's an elite fighter and many acted like AJ should have comfortably got him out of there using his size and power. Franklin proved durable during the Whyte fight but because AJ didn't knock the guy out he was still mentally finished. It's silly, he still comfortably won every round of that fight. You cannot knock everybody out.
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na wasnt hindsight for me , said from the start that his height and feet are far better for AJ. I didnt see Wallin as any kind of threat at all. It was a good matchup for AJ.

He is an elite HW, but the talent pool for HW is so low that that statement doesnt really mean much.

AJ struggles landing heavy punches whilst punching down, always has and always will.

The version of Parker that fought Wilder maybe beats AJ IMO but thats due to Parkers pro's and AJ weaknesses rather than Parker being better than AJ..

I am still not convinced with AJ, this was his best showing in around 4-5 years in which he didnt look like a robot who didn't want to fight. No one underestimated him - in his prior fights he looked like dog pap with 0 killer instinct and boots filled with concrete, need more than 1 fight showing that "he's back". Changing trainer has obviously helped, and I hope it continues as it was sad seeing such a talented fighter get so broken by a fat mexican

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWWr-LuZ_5Q

Fighter of the year for me is Bud Crawford. He became undisputed at 147 with a performance of legendary proportions, against another pound for pound champion.