The **BOXING** thread (Vol 4)

[EddieSteadyGo]

Lots of talk online that Joshua vs Dubois was signed. And now Usyk has confirmed he is vacating his IBF title. So the winner of Joshua/Dubois, will be a "world champion", which means we likely get another undisputed title fight next year. If Dubois needed any more motivation to beat Joshua, this was it!

https://x.com/MikeCoppinger/status/180574045838500...

[Pugaris]

Lol such a "who's your Daddy?" move from Usyk

Think I'd be a bit sheepish as the winner of that fight to go around proudly boasting I'm a world champion after winning a fight between the 2 most recent losers (bar Fury) to the number 1 in the division

[biggbn]

Pugaris said:

Lol such a "who's your Daddy?" move from Usyk

Think I'd be a bit sheepish as the winner of that fight to go around proudly boasting I'm a world champion after winning a fight between the 2 most recent losers (bar Fury) to the number 1 in the division

Erm, no. This happens every time we have an undisputed champ, or we'd ALWAYS have an undisputed!! For what it's worth, and not my idea, I'm sure it's Bunce's, I think Usyk should give up all belts but be crowned 'Undisputed' by each of the organisations. The rest of the lack can then battle it out for the belts, but are only allowed to hold a maximum of two, and then they get to fight Usyk for the 'mam who beat the man' all the marbles title. Usyk could fight once or twice a year that way in 'superfights' or defending his 'undisputed belt'....thoughts..?

[Purso]

Bunce is an absolute bore.

[biggbn]

Purso said:

Bunce is an absolute bore.

That may, or may not be true, but it has little relevance to my post?

[Pugaris]

biggbn said:

Erm, no. This happens every time we have an undisputed champ, or we'd ALWAYS have an undisputed!! For what it's worth, and not my idea, I'm sure it's Bunce's, I think Usyk should give up all belts but be crowned 'Undisputed' by each of the organisations. The rest of the lack can then battle it out for the belts, but are only allowed to hold a maximum of two, and then they get to fight Usyk for the 'mam who beat the man' all the marbles title. Usyk could fight once or twice a year that way in 'superfights' or defending his 'undisputed belt'....thoughts..?

In this case you'd essentially be relegating the world titles to a way to gain mandatory position for the real champ. I'm all for that, for sure!

Always having an Undisputed number 1 should be the goal. Whether you consider them undisputed or not after dropping ABC belts feels like a technicality to me. Usyk is the man, and there's no dispute to that because he's dropped the IBF belt and one of AJ and Dubois will now hold it, especially as he fking whooped them both 3 times between them recently

Whether it's the ABC belts or another way, there needs to be a clear way to get to the top guy in a division, but it should involve having to take on tougher fights first than it currently does to win a world title..

The man should have to defend at least twice a year, three without injury, or be stripped. If this happened, then you'd have a period where the title wasn't Undisputed until they retired or fought the number 2 again, but that's all good.

UFC handles this pretty well and I think it's what the Saudis are looking to do. Unify all the belts, create your own Undisputed belt, relegate the importance of the 'world' titles

[Ankh87]

Really annoys me when fighters have to release the belt even though its a rematch for undisputed. Why not let that fight happen seem as it is mean to be next, then the outcome decides if the belts are released or not.

[fridaypassion]

In this case its a good idea as TF if he did win won't get that claim on Undisputed and will by the looks of it absolutely have to fight AJ. Now I've never been sure if the fighters themselves wanted this one or not or if there was just too much politics involved but the IBF strap is a top move to try and make sure there's some more action in the division. Also in terms of the belts its probably more in the interests of the sanctioning bodies to create big fights just for their belt as they have to split their fees with 3 other bodies in an undisputed fight and although that fight is likely bigger they wouldn't need 4 belts for Fury AJ to be a big fight in fact I think one of four belts wouldn't matter for that match everyones going to be watching anyway.

Usyk is really only just cutting into the mainstream for a lot of very casual fans so probably still quite a small draw financially compared to Fury and AJ. Plus Usyk has expressed his intention to vacate all the belts and go back down to CW so a bit of what's gone on is probably just a hedge to make sure Fury never gets the change for undisputed. I mean you wouldn't want another guy coming and immediately grabbing that status would you?

[Googie]

Sanctioning fees likely to be part of this.

If TF loses rematch he will be out in the cold which will be ironic given what he was spouting to AJ last year

[epom]

[ThisInJapanese]

Is AJ the challenger here? Does DD now hold the IBF belt or is it vacant? I've heard conflicting comments...

[StuTheGrouch]

ThisInJapanese said:

Is AJ the challenger here? Does DD now hold the IBF belt or is it vacant? I've heard conflicting comments...

DD holds the interim belt, so is effectively the mandatory for the actual belt. As the belt is vacant, I wouldn't call either 'the challenger'.

[fridaypassion]

Should be a god fight. I'm still not convinced with Dubois but no doubt he is improving. AJ has also looked great in his last outings. Both of these guys will really want this!

[272BHP]

As a prizefighter Anthony Joshua is hugely successful it has to be said. Very few fighters in history have had as many PPV fights as the boy from Watford.

Debate his boxing ability as much as you wish but he is a money making machine and keeps on taking the fights.

[Bright Halo]

AJ will flatten DD inside two rounds. He is levels above especially since re discovering his mojo.

[Unreal]

Pugaris said:

biggbn said:

Erm, no. This happens every time we have an undisputed champ, or we'd ALWAYS have an undisputed!! For what it's worth, and not my idea, I'm sure it's Bunce's, I think Usyk should give up all belts but be crowned 'Undisputed' by each of the organisations. The rest of the lack can then battle it out for the belts, but are only allowed to hold a maximum of two, and then they get to fight Usyk for the 'mam who beat the man' all the marbles title. Usyk could fight once or twice a year that way in 'superfights' or defending his 'undisputed belt'....thoughts..?

In this case you'd essentially be relegating the world titles to a way to gain mandatory position for the real champ. I'm all for that, for sure!

Always having an Undisputed number 1 should be the goal. Whether you consider them undisputed or not after dropping ABC belts feels like a technicality to me. Usyk is the man, and there's no dispute to that because he's dropped the IBF belt and one of AJ and Dubois will now hold it, especially as he fking whooped them both 3 times between them recently

Whether it's the ABC belts or another way, there needs to be a clear way to get to the top guy in a division, but it should involve having to take on tougher fights first than it currently does to win a world title..

The man should have to defend at least twice a year, three without injury, or be stripped. If this happened, then you'd have a period where the title wasn't Undisputed until they retired or fought the number 2 again, but that's all good.

UFC handles this pretty well and I think it's what the Saudis are looking to do. Unify all the belts, create your own Undisputed belt, relegate the importance of the 'world' titles

I'd support the Saudi elimination of the WBA, WBC, IBO and IBF. Add any Micky Mouse ones like the WBU if they still exist. Multiple world champions at the same weight is a farce.

[Unreal]

Bright Halo said:

AJ will flatten DD inside two rounds. He is levels above especially since re discovering his mojo.

I think it might go six but I agree AJ will flatten him. If AJ is in full on seek and destroy mode your prediction could be bang on.

[tuscaneer]

Yeah I see Joshua going right through him tbh

[biggbn]

Unreal said:

Bright Halo said:

AJ will flatten DD inside two rounds. He is levels above especially since re discovering his mojo.

I think it might go six but I agree AJ will flatten him. If AJ is in full on seek and destroy mode your prediction could be bang on.

Intersting fight. Agree, AJ SHOULD flatten him, but I'd suggest going full on search and destroy would benefit big Dan. Why get in a gunfight with a gunslinger. Dubois has huge power and if ends up a gunfight it's a coin flip. I'd suggest AJ uses his jab, but aggressively, busts Dubois up, dishearten him and likely stops him after half way. I don't think either have great engines but the prospect of an AJ who has tried, and failed to take Dubois out going into the second half of the fight with doubts in his head is intriguing.

Conversely, I think Dubois only chance, and it IS a chance is to go full seek and destroy, caution to the wind and draw AJ into a brawl. Either man can flatten the other. I think it's a closer fight than many think. ( would AJ have confidently busted up Hrgovic or went for the finish against Miller the way Dubois did?)

....But I aso think AJ is now too crafty to be pulled into a brawl. I'd not be surprised by an early stoppage either way, but AJ must be a big favourite isn't he?

Edited by biggbn on Thursday 27th June 09:38

Edited by biggbn on Thursday 27th June 09:40

[Unreal]

biggbn said:

Unreal said:

Bright Halo said:

AJ will flatten DD inside two rounds. He is levels above especially since re discovering his mojo.

I think it might go six but I agree AJ will flatten him. If AJ is in full on seek and destroy mode your prediction could be bang on.

Intersting fight. Agree, AJ SHOULD flatten him, but I'd suggest going full on search and destroy would benefit big Dan. Why get in a gunfight with a gunslinger. Dubois has huge power and if ends up a gunfight it's a coin flip. I'd suggest AJ uses his jab, but aggressively, busts Dubois up, dishearten him and likely stops him after half way. I don't think either have great engines but the prospect of an AJ who has tried, and failed to take Dubois out going into the second half of the fight with doubts in his head is intriguing.

Conversely, I think Dubois only chance, and it IS a chance is to go full seek and destroy, caution to the wind and draw AJ into a brawl. Either man can flatten the other. I think it's a closer fight than many think. ( would AJ have confidently busted up Hrgovic or went for the finish against Miller the way Dubois did?)

....But I aso think AJ is now too crafty to be pulled into a brawl. I'd not be surprised by an early stoppage either way, but AJ must be a big favourite isn't he?

Edited by biggbn on Thursday 27th June 09:38

Edited by biggbn on Thursday 27th June 09:40

Some interesting points. I think AJ's conditioning has improved. It didn't let him down in the Usyk fights, especially the second one, so I think he has a better engine now than past form fairly suggested.