AJ has most definitely changed. Maybe it's the losses, the mountain of expectations to be the face of England, The Heavy Weight Division, humility can also bring us back home, but there was a tenacity he had, a ferocious aura and while he seems to be a bit more technically polished, I think he now knows that the mystique has faded a bit and people are no longer "scared" of him. This leads to being a bit more cautious and less of a risk taker, because in the back of your mind, you're still replaying the losses. A lonely place to be and that is mentally, figuring out the rubics cube of life as a fighter and how it's juxtaposed with all the alley ways of life.
Joshua almost had a swag moment. He got extremely confident for about 10 seconds, then he almost got hit. And went right back to being afraid to commit to a punch. I have never seen a man so strong, but is too busy trying to get out the way, instead of committing to a punch
@Chain drunkards of course his chin is suspect. But you still have to commit to a punch. What is the point of boxing then. He is too big and powerful to box this way.
@Uncle B yeah it's unfortunate, in a video game environment, AJ would be considered a glass cannon. Powerful enough to destroy a target but fragile enough to be shattered.
I’m not a Joshua fan and I’m American 🇺🇸 also , so I just wanted to see if there would be a difference. I personally was NOT expecting a KO because I knew this was AJ’s first fight with a new trainer from America. I think he did pretty well because I saw a better JAB already and he kept coming forward. When AJ fought Andy Ruiz in the rematch he did a lot of stepping backwards. I’m looking forward to more improvement with Derrick James and how their relationship develops over time . I think the expectation was way too high because in the society we live in today people want “ INSTANT GRATIFICATION “ ! Let the man take his time and develop with a new set of eyes ( Derrick James ).
@all66books Yes time will tall and at least in my opinion at least he recognizes that he needs to change and he is open to being flexible even though he is extremely popular.
Absolutely correct , people are expecting too much in such a short space of time , I agree I saw improvements with his jab also with his stamina , everybody expects KO,s , it takes a lot longer than 3 months with a new trainer , to see vast changes , I believe James with more time will improve AJ a lot more , and a win is a win , he couldn't afford to take chances and lose this fight .
@Andrew Quinn EXACTLY he ( AJ ) had no idea what the outcome would be so naturally he had to be smart and cautious. This is all brand new territory because Derrick James is new so he is essentially a stranger and AJ is taking a risk to accept his direction. I applaud AJ for just recognizing that he needed a change even though he is a mega star . AJ went as far as crossing over the pond for assistance and that speaks volumes to me and he is slowly gaining a new fan because of this action.
I like the way Franklin fought and carried himself. Was still aggressive and throwing very powerful and dangerous shots throughout. Never allowed himself to look totally defeated.
AJ is not the fearsome punching machine of the earlier part of his career. He has evolved into a cautious boxer who is afraid to fight on the inside and excessively afraid to take punches (at the expense of his own output). Yet, he remains a top fighter and fights against Wilder and Fury are worth looking forward to. Franklin is more than useful and the fact that AJ could not get the stoppage is no disappointment as he has an excellent chin.
He definitely needs to develop a killer instinct. Being a student of the game is all fine and well, but in the ring where it counts, you deal in attrition, not analytics.
Great right hand at the start of the 12th from AJ. Any sport is based on being confident hence the nervous performance from him. This win over I’m gonna use by any means even going in with the head Franklyn will boost Ajs confidence. Looking forward to seeing him next time. Well done Aj. Just needs more self belief and get back to maximum violence. Get in there first and knock all your future opponents clean out. 👊
Im not a fan of joshua but i actually like how he didnt try to power his way through the fight instead he was going for accuracy making his Jab work for him instead of going into slugfest mode nice show of control Aj
@Eel Rod what are you talking about it was a clean shut out on the score cards where it mattered . This is boxing not tuff man contest . Its about hiting and not getting hit win the bout
@Oluwafemi Akinjo Exactly these current crop of boxers look too scared to fight. I remember staying awake the while night whilst in Germany just to watch Mike Tyson fight.
@Msway Yes. The Tyson that kept the whole world awake. The fighter who popularised boxing like no other except Muhammed Ali. The fighter who still has more following on social media and whose clips continue to go viral . Yeah the same Mike Tyson. Meanwhile l am taking nothing away from those wins from Evander and Lewis but they both fought against "Michael" Tyson, the aging Tyson, the drug addicted Tyson, not against MIKE Tyson. Lennox or Evander would not have stood a chance against Mike Tyson in the 80s.
This is what Joshua needs at the end of the day everyone saying he less aggressive he doesn’t need to be he needs to throw more and in combination this is one of his best performances he actually put it together instead of 1-2 combos he needs to build and add more
Watched the fight back. Its not actually as bad as i thought innitially. He moved very fluidly, picked his punches well, wasnt making dumb decisions some haters were expecting him to make and he was agressive where need be. Great fight. Hater will always hate though but No One cares for their bias opinions 😂😅
This is the kind of performance AJ needs to bring, not reckless with how he expends his energy like in the Klitschko fight, but more economical with his energy. Kind of like Beterbiev who breaks down his opponent slowly over time, not pointlessly wasting energy, and let the knockout come (if it comes) rather than forcing it.
@therealNoChillPharaoh tyson fury is the only duck . He avoided fights with joshua an usysskk . Found ways to negoiate right out of a fight with both of them
Lennox Lewis taught us all how to establish and control a fight with the jab. When a fighter is responding to a straight strike with a parry and counter you jab his eyes shut. AJ remembers this every other fight. This is why he struggles in fights he should dominate.
He's got it all there from him, his left hook and back hand when put together can put anyone down, just doesn't seem to want to risk putting more than 3/4 punches together cos he knows he can be hurt
Ruiz really changed this man. But his fight with Klitschko is what I think was the precursor to him becoming tentative. He took some shots where I think it did more than just daze him, his gas tank was called into question as well, and it made him tentative. The Ruiz fight made the suspicions true. And now we’re witnessing a tentative fighter. I wouldn’t call him scared, but the lack of letting his hands go leads me to assume he thinks counter punching/picking shots is the way to go for his career now. Saves him more energy for later rounds, and it doesn’t allow him to get hit as often considering his chin is questionable. Sad to see
Jermaine Franklin showed some real competition for the next guy. That's putting the sport on notice imo he ate plenty of shots and appeared to baffle he's opponent with his power. I think they fought well and entertained the event.
AJ can not let his hands go as he is very slow and by so doing he could be caught by a counter punch which will put him off. As it happened during his fight against Ruiz (Jr)
Franklin hasn’t been pro long.The man used to work part time in a warehouse. Props to him for how far he has come. Hopefully this payday will help his family. May gods light shine on you brother ❤
AJ is way too stiff and slow. It's like his shoulders are locked up. All the greats were loose and relaxed so they could really snap their punches. With all the excellent newcomers on the horizon AJ should get out now with what boxing dignity he has left.
@Paronic What a dumb statement! Take the best bodybuilder in the world and put them in the ring with Jake Paul and they would probably get knocked out! Joshua went 24 rounds with the pound for pound best fighter in the world, Usyk, who Fury’s ducking and you think that about him?
I do hope AJ is able to come back as soon as possible. From hie expression, looked still in low level confidence. And speed is much slower than before, maybe he is purpose to do that for strategy reasons.. Anyway, congrats to AJ.
To be fair I see some nice boxing from both of them and mabe some people might think AJ has lost it but I see improvement in what he is trying to do to there trying to teach him how to cover up from a couple of shots right and left over the top for instance and in doing this is making AJ look a bit tentative but I think he is improving
All credit to Franklin - he's a tough fighter, stood up to some big shots from AJ (and Whyte). He was also able to spoil AJ's work in the later rounds and tie him up. I don't feel as negative about AJ as most people do, I think there are some positive signs. He's just come off 2 straight losses, he's started with a new trainer and gone right back to basics, this was a big comeback fight with loads of pressure. He needed the win and he won convincingly. And he still looked pretty fresh in the last round, no signs of gassing out early. If you look at the 10th Round, there were some signs of the old Joshua, he's still able to turn on the aggression and put together some decent combinations. He will take confidence from this win and hopefully come back more aggressive next time. Let's see what happens next time.
Joshua needed the rounds with new trainer Derrick James and even though he didn’t look sensational, AJ boxed well, used his jab, and didn’t fade down the stretch.
I'm glad to see a comment that isn't just saying the same old "AJ doesn't look the same" nonsense. He literally beat this guy up for 12 rounds. Heaviest he's ever been and yet didn't look tired at all, whilst still being able to throw combos when the time needed, stayed in the pocket when he needed to but was able to easily move to the outside to stay our of Franklins reach. Way better job than Whyte did. I'm exited to see AJ continue this approach.
It’s funny you mention dillian Whyte as well because I also think he looked awful against Franklin in very similar way, they both just don’t move the same as they did before
I agree with you, usually, Joshua is huffing and puffing during the fight, the chest being elevated but this time he looked like he did 12 rounds quite easily. I agree he won every round against Franklin who in my opinion beat Whyte although that is not a measure of success considering that anyone worth their salt can beat up on poor old Dillian.
You can already see that Anthony is not feeling well in Ring! When we watched Anthony Dereck Vs Chisora or Anthony Joshua vs Dillian Whyte, he had a great time. He was dynamic, he hit back from counters and had no inhibitions in the ring. He was a real fighter. We loved watching his matches! I don't think you can find yourself for a long time! Sorry Anthony 🙏
@Lee Turton It's childish of you to assume my comment was to gather likes. Furthermore,there's no childishness in analogy, it's how the bout appeared to me. Now don't disturb the adults here, go and play with your toy.
AJ seems to have become more “One Dimensional” than ever. He seems hesitant to engage. Usyk really did a mind game on him. All that muscle and so little aggression.
Even when HE landed he looked flustered, he would rock Franklin take a step back put his glasses on and think what would Ali do. It must be the Ruiz PTSD + the Usyk clinic causing the paralysis by analysis. Frustrating watching him fight cause I wanna see him get back to his ways. Wouldn't be surprised if theres more going on we don't know about and he's got TBI along wit other medical and personal issues.
I have always thought that AJ is too muscular he looks more like a body builder than a boxer and all that muscle slows him down, in his last 3 or 4 fights he seems to throw a few punches and then seems to stand back to see what he has done instead of keeping the punches going to finish the job, I think AJ should think about retiring, if he keeps fighting like he did last night he won't be getting too many more big fights.
I know these are only selected highlights, but he totally dominated. I think the critics are being a little harsh. Needs to de-bulk though to be more mobile and negate a little power. Too heavy AJ.
AJ has had his day in my opinion. Fearful of getting tagged now he’s been hurt a few times and tightens up. Doesn’t let his hands go and no aggression. Not sure where he goes from here to be honest…
I so much love AJ man. Fighters react to defeat in different ways Some are emotionally enclaved and it takes Herculean therapy to make them crawl out of the shell that back to back defeat has enslaved them AJ Go champ Omo- naija
I think I need to watch the whole fight as these highlights do not convey 90% of the criticisms being made about AJ in this fight. From what I can see here; looked composed/focussed. tried to make the height advantage work by maintaining distance (something he didn't do in either fight with Usyk and as a result, Usyk stung him at will.. and what was it Floyd said " The objective is to hit and not get hit"). Snappier with the jab and using his reach more. Using the straight right in a more economical sense - In the past when he loads up he gases himself out like he did in rd5 against Klitschko and rd9 against Usyk (2nd fight). I dare say he's also taken note of Usyk as Usyk doesn't throw full blooded punches, he uses volume and angles which was where Joshua lost points. Franklin also didn't look like he was ready to fold. Didn't look like he was fading in the 12th. Using feints. Looking for bodyshots more often. It's borderline neurotic how ready people are to criticise this bloke.
Aj looked a bit nervous understandably with the pressure on his shoulders after two straight defeats, but I think he boxed well and won comfortably! That being said Franklins stock has definitely gone up after he’s performance. He’s a decent enough fighter I can see some big fights in his future
What pressure? Fighting someone shorter and chubby? When you can't beat the man who has your belt? All I see is AJ making money off the poor and the rich profiting from him with bets
He needed this fight best thing for him! It’s back to them basics learning to switch it up. To me it’s like a page out of Errol’s book different things different styles different ways.
Like an aging pit pony, Joshua delivers yet another lacklustre performance. He won't be able to cope with a heavy hitter like Fury and any opponent who has speed and agility in their locker, would not only run rings around him, they'd probably do him some serious damage too. Joshua was never a memorable belt holder and definitely not world class. So AJ, if you're listening, take the pay cheque and shuffle off into retirement.
People don't understand styles Ruiz, Usyk and Franklin are all different levels of counter punchers who counter with combinations and fast hands, hence Joshua being more efficient with his punches which appears hesitant, but this is exactly how you fight counterpunchers you can not be wasteful throwing punches because 3 to 4 will be returning if you miss. Watch Franklin v Whyte highlights to see what happens when you try to slug it out.
UNPOPULAR OPINION: Derek James is teaching AJ to conserve energy by stepping as opposed to using his athleticism to move in & out. I’m interested to see how they progress moving forward
He definitely a different fighter but I think working with Derrick James is gonna make him a smarter fighter you can see it already he didn’t leave his chin open as much as he has done in the past just to look for big shots once he start learning to work the body AJ gonna be back in the mix just need more time with Derrick and watching errol and Charlo and he gonna more comfortable in the ring
I thought it was a decent performance by Joshua but he looked very hesitant at times. He could have went for the KO but played it safe. The AJ of 5/6 years ago was never like this
I agree with that, for me he's never been the same since Ruiz detonated that hook on him. Fights scared ever since, with his size and explosiveness he should be much more aggressive.
you say hesitant, but I think Aj was boxing clever. He done what he needed to to win. Any time he threw a big shot, franklin came back at him- and its clear franklin had the faster hands. letting shots go in close quarters is a big risk in that situation. in the end it WAS a unamious win (although unlike Bellew I gave franklin a few rounds, just not enough) I was impressed with AJs patience and ring IQ. It wont bring him loads of fans, but if he keeps boxing clever hes a lot less likely to lose
You have to respect AJs achievements in the ring, but he is human and his defeats look like they’ve taking there toll on him and his fighting style. It’s pretty clear fury would play with him in there.
Watching AJ after his loses feels like watching a young prospect who’s too scared to gamble on whether to protect his 0 or go all guns blazing… I feel he’s lost that fire in the belly he had. His confidence has been torn away from him completely.
He fought a very safe fight, I think his own comments on he’ll retire if he doesn’t win this one was playing on his mind to much. He shouldn’t have ever spoke that ultimatum into his head, then we might have gotten a more aggressive AJ. At the end of the day maybe he’s trying to maintain that weight and see if he can hold a consistent fight pace over 12 rounds with someone at this level of boxing to bring these experiences with him into future fights. I think when he watches this back he’ll see what he needs to improve on and hopefully implement these things into future fights, this is the rebuild of AJ after all. There was nothing on the line really here so he might as well get that experience under his belt of being at his carrier heaviest and doing the full 12 rounds whilst he’s fighting someone who isn’t a Wilder, Fury ect.
I agree, putting way too much pressure on himself and taking people's criticism to heart He should only listen to his trainer and let his hands go These guys don't care about his wellbeing, so go and take their heads off
@John Shaw it was the ruiz 1 fight that did it. That showed him he could get knocked out and ever since apart from Pulev, he has been reserved in his boxing
Wasn't a bad performance, bit cagey but he won every round, picked his shots and was in full control. Don't write AJ off just yet - he still has the power.
I will like him to Fight Joseph Parker.That will be a step up from Franklin but not too much to overwhelm him like Fury or wilder or even Whyte. It will allow him to build on the present low confidence and since Parker is not a pressure fighter and also not slow like Franklin, it will allow him to also check his stamina as well.
@Oasis Official yes; the Fury that still hasn't lost a fight, while KO'ing Wilder twice in the process. Fury saved AJ from the embarrasment of his life by eliminating his potential fight with Wilder; he would have mopped the floor with Joshua
@Oasis Official No he's referring to Tyson Fury the undefeated heavyweight WBC, lineal and ring magazine champion of the world. You talk about ducking but the fact is you never fought anyone your entire life. Dont make jokes about men who are greater than you.
Tell Fury to prove himself against Usyk before we’ll know how he will deal with AJ. He’s the most overrated among all the heavyweights. He fights those he feels he can beat. AJ never backs down. He’ll fight everyone.
After watching this fight, I think AJ is definitely done now. I don't think there is anymore fire and fight in him. He looked sluggish. Just like watching Mike Tyson's last few fights. Even as dynamic as Mike's movement, you can just see he didn't really want to be there.
He should have downed Franklin in the 11th but he took his foot of the gas and let him recover. He needs to get that killer instinct back and let his hands go when the time is right.
Tyson fury may perhaps have is work cut for him given this performance, I'd say this probably the best heavy weight I've seen for a long long time, and to come back off his history, credit to Joshua, this is a different Joshua, and in reality I've not seen defence like this of him before. Tyson fury, this is a man worth fighting
I feel like Franklin had to work hard for what he did against AJs height and long arm span. It was gonna be a challenge, but to say AJ won is quite sad really, as he looked hungry and up for it, while AJ looked like he was fighting a younger kid at school.
I dont know what everybody's talking about in the comments. AJ dominated the fight with his jab and brought back his boxing fundamentals. Respect to both men for a great fight. 👏💪
Franklin looked great, he was relaxed and didnt seem overwhelmed by the occasion. Would have liked to see him change levels a little bit more by going to the body but decent performance 👍🏾
Easy to say that, but when your opponent is significantly taller and bashing your face in with jabs and left hooks as Joshua was....leaving your guard open to go to the body seems a lot harder of a task to complete.
@PJS72SPELLY8 In what world would you have given that fight to Franklin? He probably won 1 round all fight. Yes AJ didn't get the knockout but Franklin has a decent chin and took some heavy shots. However he didn't do anything but clinch for 12 rounds.
Great comments bud Franklin the much better boxer, I just hope the guy wasn't on a pay day not to knock that plank of wood out. Hard for Franklin when heavy weights are all so big .
![Janelle Monáe - Lipstick Lover (CLEAN) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RY9u1kYvdjU/mqdefault.jpg)
Who do you want to see AJ fight next?
Wilder...
Daniel Dubois
Joe Joyce
Nobody boring boxer 👎
No one judging off that performance .
Watching AJ now compared to AJ when he fought Klitschko is like watching 2 different men. Stiff, slow, scared to let his hands go. Ruiz changed him.
Ruiz and Usyk drained his confidence when it comes to taking risks.
I still think something happened just before the Ruiz fight 👍
Nah he fought brilliantly in the ruiz rematch. It was usyk who took his confidence
I totally agree, Ruiz fight has certainly messed with his head and usyk fights have exposed it even more
💯💯💯🎯🎯🎯
AJ has most definitely changed. Maybe it's the losses, the mountain of expectations to be the face of England, The Heavy Weight Division, humility can also bring us back home, but there was a tenacity he had, a ferocious aura and while he seems to be a bit more technically polished, I think he now knows that the mystique has faded a bit and people are no longer "scared" of him. This leads to being a bit more cautious and less of a risk taker, because in the back of your mind, you're still replaying the losses. A lonely place to be and that is mentally, figuring out the rubics cube of life as a fighter and how it's juxtaposed with all the alley ways of life.
Beautifully written.
So well written and articulate
Because he’s a millionaire.
@Shan 😂
love this
Joshua almost had a swag moment. He got extremely confident for about 10 seconds, then he almost got hit. And went right back to being afraid to commit to a punch. I have never seen a man so strong, but is too busy trying to get out the way, instead of committing to a punch
He has a suspect chin. I knew that was going to be his downfall. It's not just about being able to punch it is also about being able a take it too.
@Chain drunkards of course his chin is suspect. But you still have to commit to a punch. What is the point of boxing then. He is too big and powerful to box this way.
@Uncle B yeah it's unfortunate, in a video game environment, AJ would be considered a glass cannon. Powerful enough to destroy a target but fragile enough to be shattered.
It's because he doesn't want to end up like David Price starting to box like David Price and Frank Bruno hybrid
I’m not a Joshua fan and I’m American 🇺🇸 also , so I just wanted to see if there would be a difference. I personally was NOT expecting a KO because I knew this was AJ’s first fight with a new trainer from America. I think he did pretty well because I saw a better JAB already and he kept coming forward. When AJ fought Andy Ruiz in the rematch he did a lot of stepping backwards. I’m looking forward to more improvement with Derrick James and how their relationship develops over time . I think the expectation was way too high because in the society we live in today people want “ INSTANT GRATIFICATION “ ! Let the man take his time and develop with a new set of eyes ( Derrick James ).
Fair enough. We'll see.
@all66books Yes time will tall and at least in my opinion at least he recognizes that he needs to change and he is open to being flexible even though he is extremely popular.
Whoa there!!!... you are being rational!!!... don't you know that's not allowed in 2023😂
Absolutely correct , people are expecting too much in such a short space of time , I agree I saw improvements with his jab also with his stamina , everybody expects KO,s , it takes a lot longer than 3 months with a new trainer , to see vast changes , I believe James with more time will improve AJ a lot more , and a win is a win , he couldn't afford to take chances and lose this fight .
@Andrew Quinn EXACTLY he ( AJ ) had no idea what the outcome would be so naturally he had to be smart and cautious. This is all brand new territory because Derrick James is new so he is essentially a stranger and AJ is taking a risk to accept his direction. I applaud AJ for just recognizing that he needed a change even though he is a mega star . AJ went as far as crossing over the pond for assistance and that speaks volumes to me and he is slowly gaining a new fan because of this action.
I like the way Franklin fought and carried himself. Was still aggressive and throwing very powerful and dangerous shots throughout. Never allowed himself to look totally defeated.
10/10 effort for hugging AJ. Should have saved the hugs for when the fight ended.
Franklyn fought a fantastic fight.
He was throwing fast and wild with intent but so little accuracy. Franklin looked far more dangerous with his head than he did with his hands.
AJ is not the fearsome punching machine of the earlier part of his career. He has evolved into a cautious boxer who is afraid to fight on the inside and excessively afraid to take punches (at the expense of his own output). Yet, he remains a top fighter and fights against Wilder and Fury are worth looking forward to. Franklin is more than useful and the fact that AJ could not get the stoppage is no disappointment as he has an excellent chin.
He was never really a 'punching machine'. He was knocking out bums. His power looked far less effective against decent boxers
@Timekeeper Klitsko? Dylan Whyte??? C'mon man
Confidence left after the Ruiz loss
He definitely needs to develop a killer instinct. Being a student of the game is all fine and well, but in the ring where it counts, you deal in attrition, not analytics.
@JAYBEST Wlad was 41 years old when he fought Joshua.The last of a 69 fight career. Against a 31 year old Wlad he wouldn't have had a look in.
Great right hand at the start of the 12th from AJ. Any sport is based on being confident hence the nervous performance from him. This win over I’m gonna use by any means even going in with the head Franklyn will boost Ajs confidence. Looking forward to seeing him next time. Well done Aj. Just needs more self belief and get back to maximum violence. Get in there first and knock all your future opponents clean out. 👊
AJ's loses gave him the spirit of fear,you could see it in his eyes,legs,and arms.
Im not a fan of joshua but i actually like how he didnt try to power his way through the fight instead he was going for accuracy making his Jab work for him instead of going into slugfest mode nice show of control Aj
Obviously know nothing about boxing . Hes throwing a lazy jab hes afraid of getting hit and doesn't work hard enough
@Eel Rod what are you talking about it was a clean shut out on the score cards where it mattered . This is boxing not tuff man contest . Its about hiting and not getting hit win the bout
i like it too idk why people hating
@Eel Rod the cards say it all ...maybe you need to examine your own boxing ideals before you point the finger at someone else?
Credit to the commentator. He truly is a creator of commentary, you would think he was commenting another fight
He was the only one who seemed to be able to see Joshua's "brilliance" I kept looking for it spurred on by the commentary, but it was lost on me.
I will continue to miss Mike Tyson.
He goes there like a lion
@Oluwafemi Akinjo Exactly these current crop of boxers look too scared to fight.
I remember staying awake the while night whilst in Germany just to watch Mike Tyson fight.
The Tyson that was knocked out by Douglas ? Or Lewis or holy field ?
@Msway Yes. The Tyson that kept the whole world awake. The fighter who popularised boxing like no other except Muhammed Ali. The fighter who still has more following on social media and whose clips continue to go viral . Yeah the same Mike Tyson. Meanwhile l am taking nothing away from those wins from Evander and Lewis but they both fought against "Michael" Tyson, the aging Tyson, the drug addicted Tyson, not against MIKE Tyson.
Lennox or Evander would not have stood a chance against Mike Tyson in the 80s.
@Msway l can see you are a kid who never watched Tyson's fight live. Clip-Share is your friend. The clips are still there.
Gratulacje Joshua - dobrze że wróciłeś .💪👊👍
This is what Joshua needs at the end of the day everyone saying he less aggressive he doesn’t need to be he needs to throw more and in combination this is one of his best performances he actually put it together instead of 1-2 combos he needs to build and add more
Watched the fight back. Its not actually as bad as i thought innitially. He moved very fluidly, picked his punches well, wasnt making dumb decisions some haters were expecting him to make and he was agressive where need be. Great fight. Hater will always hate though but No One cares for their bias opinions 😂😅
"Once AJ learns how to box he'll be back on top" -An actual sentiment about a man in his 30s
This is the kind of performance AJ needs to bring, not reckless with how he expends his energy like in the Klitschko fight, but more economical with his energy. Kind of like Beterbiev who breaks down his opponent slowly over time, not pointlessly wasting energy, and let the knockout come (if it comes) rather than forcing it.
Smart talk
Tell that to the casuals who think he should be going for the KO every time.
@NyQuil Donut word
He ducking Tyson fury stop it
@therealNoChillPharaoh tyson fury is the only duck . He avoided fights with joshua an usysskk . Found ways to negoiate right out of a fight with both of them
Lennox Lewis taught us all how to establish and control a fight with the jab. When a fighter is responding to a straight strike with a parry and counter you jab his eyes shut. AJ remembers this every other fight. This is why he struggles in fights he should dominate.
I'm really surprised how an aggressive and an enthusiastic boxer like Joshua can lose so much steam in such a shot time.
Because 115 kg )😊😊😊
Because he's a bodybuilder 😅
get in the ring,you won't be surprised
@THE beatiful game wouldn't get in the ring with a bodybuilder ;)
Big muscles have a bigger acidification
He's got it all there from him, his left hook and back hand when put together can put anyone down, just doesn't seem to want to risk putting more than 3/4 punches together cos he knows he can be hurt
Agree. AJ's sole problem is his own self confidence at this point. And maybe his feet could be a bit better but still
I appreciate how fast after the fight you guys compiled the highlights. BIG respect
Ruiz really changed this man. But his fight with Klitschko is what I think was the precursor to him becoming tentative. He took some shots where I think it did more than just daze him, his gas tank was called into question as well, and it made him tentative. The Ruiz fight made the suspicions true. And now we’re witnessing a tentative fighter. I wouldn’t call him scared, but the lack of letting his hands go leads me to assume he thinks counter punching/picking shots is the way to go for his career now. Saves him more energy for later rounds, and it doesn’t allow him to get hit as often considering his chin is questionable. Sad to see
Jermaine Franklin showed some real competition for the next guy. That's putting the sport on notice imo he ate plenty of shots and appeared to baffle he's opponent with his power. I think they fought well and entertained the event.
All AJ needs is confidence to let his hands go and he’s a huge threat, but he’s honestly terrified
AJ can not let his hands go as he is very slow and by so doing he could be caught by a counter punch which will put him off. As it happened during his fight against Ruiz (Jr)
Franklin hasn’t been pro long.The man used to work part time in a warehouse. Props to him for how far he has come. Hopefully this payday will help his family. May gods light shine on you brother ❤
AJ is way too stiff and slow. It's like his shoulders are locked up. All the greats were loose and relaxed so they could really snap their punches. With all the excellent newcomers on the horizon AJ should get out now with what boxing dignity he has left.
@Bobby D Klitschko ruled for ages with a stiff style, he's still pretty effective but not sure he beats the top guys atm.
@Bobby D AJ is a glorified bodybuilder
i saw family doing well with one as wharehouse worker,especially if all work
@Paronic What a dumb statement! Take the best bodybuilder in the world and put them in the ring with Jake Paul and they would probably get knocked out! Joshua went 24 rounds with the pound for pound best fighter in the world, Usyk, who Fury’s ducking and you think that about him?
I do hope AJ is able to come back as soon as possible. From hie expression, looked still in low level confidence. And speed is much slower than before, maybe he is purpose to do that for strategy reasons.. Anyway, congrats to AJ.
To be fair I see some nice boxing from both of them and mabe some people might think AJ has lost it but I see improvement in what he is trying to do to there trying to teach him how to cover up from a couple of shots right and left over the top for instance and in doing this is making AJ look a bit tentative but I think he is improving
Joshua's high guard,parry & pin is a decent improvement in a short space of time.Great choice of coach.
Yes he's defense improved
for me this was a very intelligent performance from AJ. It is a fight which you can use to show an upcoming boxer some of the basics of boxing.
The only thing missing from Joshua is the aggression the killer instinct but the accuracy is on point just needs to follow it up
All credit to Franklin - he's a tough fighter, stood up to some big shots from AJ (and Whyte). He was also able to spoil AJ's work in the later rounds and tie him up. I don't feel as negative about AJ as most people do, I think there are some positive signs. He's just come off 2 straight losses, he's started with a new trainer and gone right back to basics, this was a big comeback fight with loads of pressure. He needed the win and he won convincingly. And he still looked pretty fresh in the last round, no signs of gassing out early. If you look at the 10th Round, there were some signs of the old Joshua, he's still able to turn on the aggression and put together some decent combinations. He will take confidence from this win and hopefully come back more aggressive next time. Let's see what happens next time.
Joshua needed the rounds with new trainer Derrick James and even though he didn’t look sensational, AJ boxed well, used his jab, and didn’t fade down the stretch.
I'm glad to see a comment that isn't just saying the same old "AJ doesn't look the same" nonsense. He literally beat this guy up for 12 rounds. Heaviest he's ever been and yet didn't look tired at all, whilst still being able to throw combos when the time needed, stayed in the pocket when he needed to but was able to easily move to the outside to stay our of Franklins reach. Way better job than Whyte did. I'm exited to see AJ continue this approach.
It’s funny you mention dillian Whyte as well because I also think he looked awful against Franklin in very similar way, they both just don’t move the same as they did before
I agree with you, usually, Joshua is huffing and puffing during the fight, the chest being elevated but this time he looked like he did 12 rounds quite easily. I agree he won every round against Franklin who in my opinion beat Whyte although that is not a measure of success considering that anyone worth their salt can beat up on poor old Dillian.
i do feel nagative about aj, as most people do.
but it's cos we know far more about boxing than you.
Franklin was tough and game. Solid fight.
What a fight congrats to both they show heart
You can already see that Anthony is not feeling well in Ring! When we watched Anthony Dereck Vs Chisora or Anthony Joshua vs Dillian Whyte, he had a great time. He was dynamic, he hit back from counters and had no inhibitions in the ring. He was a real fighter. We loved watching his matches! I don't think you can find yourself for a long time! Sorry Anthony 🙏
It's like watching a frightened adult fighting a brave kid.
Heart definitely triumph size.
Made up childish analogy for likes... and you didn't even get many....fail😆
@Lee Turton It's childish of you to assume my comment was to gather likes.
Furthermore,there's no childishness in analogy, it's how the bout appeared to me.
Now don't disturb the adults here, go and play with your toy.
AJ seems to have become more “One Dimensional” than ever. He seems hesitant to engage. Usyk really did a mind game on him. All that muscle and so little aggression.
looked so stiff and scared to throw, i rate franklin but the size difference was insane AJ should of got him out of there in 6
Glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that, didn’t really seem to have a great deal of intent. Perhaps he realises plenty is on the line.
No usyk.. ruiz
Even when HE landed he looked flustered, he would rock Franklin take a step back put his glasses on and think what would Ali do. It must be the Ruiz PTSD + the Usyk clinic causing the paralysis by analysis. Frustrating watching him fight cause I wanna see him get back to his ways. Wouldn't be surprised if theres more going on we don't know about and he's got TBI along wit other medical and personal issues.
I have always thought that AJ is too muscular he looks more like a body builder than a boxer and all that muscle slows him down, in his last 3 or 4 fights he seems to throw a few punches and then seems to stand back to see what he has done instead of keeping the punches going to finish the job,
I think AJ should think about retiring, if he keeps fighting like he did last night he won't be getting too many more big fights.
Franklin's a beast look forward to seeing more from this lad
Joshua just can't seem to let his hands go anymore, which is usually the sign of a shot fighter
If these are the highlights, I don't want to see the boring parts. 😂
I know these are only selected highlights, but he totally dominated. I think the critics are being a little harsh. Needs to de-bulk though to be more mobile and negate a little power. Too heavy AJ.
AJ has had his day in my opinion. Fearful of getting tagged now he’s been hurt a few times and tightens up. Doesn’t let his hands go and no aggression. Not sure where he goes from here to be honest…
in the bin...
Watching AJ box, is like watching a boxing game on the PlayStation one.
😅😂😂😂😂
Hahaha
Yoo!! thought I was the only one that saw this. Looks like an arcade game sorta 😀
😂😂😂😂
So basic hence he got schooled by a fighter from ps5 lols
Right hook had him buzzed in RD 12! He needed to throw it more often!!
You can see AJ is working on new things so that’s positive. Let’s see what he looks like in his next fight.
I so much love AJ man. Fighters react to defeat in different ways
Some are emotionally enclaved and it takes Herculean therapy to make them crawl out of the shell that back to back defeat has enslaved them
AJ
Go champ
Omo- naija
Joshua was so more exciting and lethal when he went in ready to finish opponents from the first bell
I think I need to watch the whole fight as these highlights do not convey 90% of the criticisms being made about AJ in this fight. From what I can see here;
looked composed/focussed.
tried to make the height advantage work by maintaining distance (something he didn't do in either fight with Usyk and as a result, Usyk stung him at will.. and what was it Floyd said " The objective is to hit and not get hit").
Snappier with the jab and using his reach more.
Using the straight right in a more economical sense - In the past when he loads up he gases himself out like he did in rd5 against Klitschko and rd9 against Usyk (2nd fight). I dare say he's also taken note of Usyk as Usyk doesn't throw full blooded punches, he uses volume and angles which was where Joshua lost points. Franklin also didn't look like he was ready to fold.
Didn't look like he was fading in the 12th.
Using feints.
Looking for bodyshots more often.
It's borderline neurotic how ready people are to criticise this bloke.
Aj looked a bit nervous understandably with the pressure on his shoulders after two straight defeats, but I think he boxed well and won comfortably! That being said Franklins stock has definitely gone up after he’s performance. He’s a decent enough fighter I can see some big fights in his future
I second this👍🏾
He'll get knocked out though, he can't fight elite fighters
I agree with that assessment but I disagree with the fighter that caused it... Andy Ruiz seems to be that guy that caused it
That dude hugged more then a jealous girlfriend
What pressure? Fighting someone shorter and chubby? When you can't beat the man who has your belt? All I see is AJ making money off the poor and the rich profiting from him with bets
Franklin is a fearless boxer (fighter) he attacked almost all the rounds. 💪
Even though I knew he lost beforehand preferred watching him.
Imagine this AJ getting hit by a clean Wilder right hand.
Huge respect to Franklin
He needed this fight best thing for him! It’s back to them basics learning to switch it up. To me it’s like a page out of Errol’s book different things different styles different ways.
The world boxing today is not as competitive back in the 90's.... 😮😮
Fire has gone out inside Anthony. Boxes like a chess player
Huggers.
Klitchko the 2nd
Nah, he wouldnt be there if so.
Unfortunately without the killer instinct.
Like an aging pit pony, Joshua delivers yet another lacklustre performance. He won't be able to cope with a heavy hitter like Fury and any opponent who has speed and agility in their locker, would not only run rings around him, they'd probably do him some serious damage too. Joshua was never a memorable belt holder and definitely not world class. So AJ, if you're listening, take the pay cheque and shuffle off into retirement.
AJ fights with emotion. It’s better to retire if you don’t really want to punch your opponent
Joshua's punch is big. Franklin's heart is big
Estamos em um nova era do boxe, AJ já não tem mais nada pra mostrar, ele não vai conseguir, psicologicamente, disputar um cinturão novamente.
People don't understand styles Ruiz, Usyk and Franklin are all different levels of counter punchers who counter with combinations and fast hands, hence Joshua being more efficient with his punches which appears hesitant, but this is exactly how you fight counterpunchers you can not be wasteful throwing punches because 3 to 4 will be returning if you miss. Watch Franklin v Whyte highlights to see what happens when you try to slug it out.
I just love to see him win ❤️❤️
Credit to Franklin, that uppercut at 9:07 put Klitschko down.
UNPOPULAR OPINION: Derek James is teaching AJ to conserve energy by stepping as opposed to using his athleticism to move in & out. I’m interested to see how they progress moving forward
Nobody is talking about the fact he has probably the best trainer in boxing in James in his corner! 😮
Joshua doesn’t have a smiling face or angry face that’s a beast in disguise 😂❤
He definitely a different fighter but I think working with Derrick James is gonna make him a smarter fighter you can see it already he didn’t leave his chin open as much as he has done in the past just to look for big shots once he start learning to work the body AJ gonna be back in the mix just need more time with Derrick and watching errol and Charlo and he gonna more comfortable in the ring
I thought it was a decent performance by Joshua but he looked very hesitant at times. He could have went for the KO but played it safe. The AJ of 5/6 years ago was never like this
I agree with that, for me he's never been the same since Ruiz detonated that hook on him. Fights scared ever since, with his size and explosiveness he should be much more aggressive.
Nah he played it safe with Parker
you say hesitant, but I think Aj was boxing clever. He done what he needed to to win. Any time he threw a big shot, franklin came back at him- and its clear franklin had the faster hands. letting shots go in close quarters is a big risk in that situation.
in the end it WAS a unamious win (although unlike Bellew I gave franklin a few rounds, just not enough)
I was impressed with AJs patience and ring IQ. It wont bring him loads of fans, but if he keeps boxing clever hes a lot less likely to lose
@Kurylko that Parker fight was a joke. Red was laid to stop any in fighting. AJ runs away says he wanted to show he can box.
@Randy marsh he'll lose next time he faces a live opponent imo, Fury, Wilder & Joyce would all beat him bad.
And ladies and gentlemen this is why AJ is fighting on DAZN
Watching AJ fight nowadays feels like drawing blood from a stone...
Franklin needed a Tighter defense He did really well He should have stayed And put his combinations together More on the inside he did really well too
You gotta love how the British commentators are ignoring the punches landed by Franklin
Yeah was a bit cringe, I wondered what fight he was watching .
Same here, and also completely ignored the push to Franklin's head after then final bell
Was thinking the same.
Agreed..
You have to respect AJs achievements in the ring, but he is human and his defeats look like they’ve taking there toll on him and his fighting style. It’s pretty clear fury would play with him in there.
Joshua dövüş tekniğini değiştirmiş.Tam adapte olmasa da iyi.Savunması daha iyi olmuş.Fakat geç kaldı.
Watching AJ after his loses feels like watching a young prospect who’s too scared to gamble on whether to protect his 0 or go all guns blazing… I feel he’s lost that fire in the belly he had. His confidence has been torn away from him completely.
He saved his face from the mat, AJ was like a surgeon
I really want to see a rematch with Usyk also now Wilder Joshua. I loved this match
He fought a very safe fight, I think his own comments on he’ll retire if he doesn’t win this one was playing on his mind to much. He shouldn’t have ever spoke that ultimatum into his head, then we might have gotten a more aggressive AJ. At the end of the day maybe he’s trying to maintain that weight and see if he can hold a consistent fight pace over 12 rounds with someone at this level of boxing to bring these experiences with him into future fights. I think when he watches this back he’ll see what he needs to improve on and hopefully implement these things into future fights, this is the rebuild of AJ after all. There was nothing on the line really here so he might as well get that experience under his belt of being at his carrier heaviest and doing the full 12 rounds whilst he’s fighting someone who isn’t a Wilder, Fury ect.
I agree, putting way too much pressure on himself and taking people's criticism to heart
He should only listen to his trainer and let his hands go
These guys don't care about his wellbeing, so go and take their heads off
Lol, he's fought like this for a while now. He used to be a destroyer but now he tries to win on points.
Agree. He will be a fearsome fighter again, but still needs 3-4 more fights to believe again. Once AJ believes, with the new style, watch out..
@John Shaw it was the ruiz 1 fight that did it. That showed him he could get knocked out and ever since apart from Pulev, he has been reserved in his boxing
Well done Joshua. Franklin clinching fore dare life
Aj korkun cesaretinin önüne asla geçmesin yoksa bu sahnelerde tutunamazsın
Wasn't a bad performance, bit cagey but he won every round, picked his shots and was in full control. Don't write AJ off just yet - he still has the power.
I will like him to Fight Joseph Parker.That will be a step up from Franklin but not too much to overwhelm him like Fury or wilder or even Whyte. It will allow him to build on the present low confidence and since Parker is not a pressure fighter and also not slow like Franklin, it will allow him to also check his stamina as well.
He’s definitely changed his style
Respect to Franklin,
losing all 12 rounds is rough stuff but I'm sure he'll get the big Chisora fight next. Or does Aj get the chaance
😮
AJs lookin brilliant......I wanna see him fight Philip Schofield next.
AJ's best days as a boxer are behind him!!!
Joshua is very stiff in his movements and on feet but he has tremendous punching power
Hmmm, very stiff? Not sure I agree, he's far more fluid than he use to be! Joy Joyce is stiff!
watching this fight has shown me it’s set in stone that Fury would just obliterate this guy too slow for Fury and so timid
Which fury? The belly that ducked usyk the middleweight 😂😂😂😂
@Oasis Official yes; the Fury that still hasn't lost a fight, while KO'ing Wilder twice in the process. Fury saved AJ from the embarrasment of his life by eliminating his potential fight with Wilder; he would have mopped the floor with Joshua
@Oasis Official No he's referring to Tyson Fury the undefeated heavyweight WBC, lineal and ring magazine champion of the world. You talk about ducking but the fact is you never fought anyone your entire life. Dont make jokes about men who are greater than you.
Tell Fury to prove himself against Usyk before we’ll know how he will deal with AJ. He’s the most overrated among all the heavyweights. He fights those he feels he can beat. AJ never backs down. He’ll fight everyone.
@RockyAliTyson So a being a boxer is the pinnacle of life for you?
Congratulations to Anthony for the win,but he needs to be more aggressive and ruthless if he still wants to get to the top and reign again
After watching this fight, I think AJ is definitely done now. I don't think there is anymore fire and fight in him. He looked sluggish. Just like watching Mike Tyson's last few fights. Even as dynamic as Mike's movement, you can just see he didn't really want to be there.
This fight was so exciting I never watched it!
He should have downed Franklin in the 11th but he took his foot of the gas and let him recover. He needs to get that killer instinct back and let his hands go when the time is right.
Tyson fury may perhaps have is work cut for him given this performance, I'd say this probably the best heavy weight I've seen for a long long time, and to come back off his history, credit to Joshua, this is a different Joshua, and in reality I've not seen defence like this of him before. Tyson fury, this is a man worth fighting
I feel like Franklin had to work hard for what he did against AJs height and long arm span. It was gonna be a challenge, but to say AJ won is quite sad really, as he looked hungry and up for it, while AJ looked like he was fighting a younger kid at school.
Best AJ ever.
I dont know what everybody's talking about in the comments. AJ dominated the fight with his jab and brought back his boxing fundamentals. Respect to both men for a great fight. 👏💪
Nice to see the spirit of the Frank Bruno's school of boxing's alive & well!
Boxeador triste ese Joshua, no arriesga nada no da espectáculo ☹️
Franklin looked great, he was relaxed and didnt seem overwhelmed by the occasion. Would have liked to see him change levels a little bit more by going to the body but decent performance 👍🏾
Easy to say that, but when your opponent is significantly taller and bashing your face in with jabs and left hooks as Joshua was....leaving your guard open to go to the body seems a lot harder of a task to complete.
That wasn't a decent performance it was shocking I personally would have given it to Franklin
@PJS72SPELLY8 In what world would you have given that fight to Franklin? He probably won 1 round all fight. Yes AJ didn't get the knockout but Franklin has a decent chin and took some heavy shots. However he didn't do anything but clinch for 12 rounds.
He lost the fight clearly BRO
Great comments bud Franklin the much better boxer, I just hope the guy wasn't on a pay day not to knock that plank of wood out. Hard for Franklin when heavy weights are all so big .
Joshua is so tentative in his shots. Needs to fall back onto his instinct and throw like we know that he can.
I really thought joshua was going to bring all belts together as champ but not any more 😔
Not seeing anyone talk about how better AJ got defensively