Joshua vs Johnson - Is this fight more competitive than we think?

First topic message reminder :

I've just heard an interview with Kevin Johnson that has made me think twice about what might happen on Saturday night

In the interview he says he has a new trainer (No idea who, based out of Manchester, Peter Fury?????) and he also says that this new trainer has stuck a rocket up his backside and told him he is wasting his talent and needs to wake up.

I've watched Johnson a few times and he has some seriously under rated skills, he just hasn't been their mentally. This is probably all hype and another fighter talking big to lull you into a false sense of security. BUT if Johnson is on his game and is there mentally, then he could really be a banana skin.

If Johnson is there mentally and utilises what he has for once, this could be a very tough night

Or am I just going crazy??

Link to the interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMVESr1d2Q4

Sums Damian up nicely ranjit, that's why I believe being spurred on by 'textgate' is just the motivation he needs to rise to the AJ challenge

milkyboy wrote:Sums Damian up nicely ranjit, that's why I believe being spurred on by 'textgate' is just the motivation he needs to rise to the AJ challenge

Problem is Damien is 6 stone wet..............

If he comes over to the weightlifting forum maybe we'll help get him ready..

Bigger fraud than Harrison imo - not in that he can't fight but that he is being coasted through against bums and has been's to pad out his record to justify a shot at the title when an easy option emerges. Joke that this is on pay per view.

Used to think you were an OK poster, but comments like this one make you look a complete arse.

Haha

rodders wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:Problem is, Rodders, you can call Fury a 'top British rival', but really, sadly, he's actually 'world level' therefore not on a novice's radar and vice versa.

Fury, understandly and reasonably, wants titles and money.  AJ is high risk and low reward in both respects.

There are more realistic fights out there for him than Fury.

Well there is Chisora and David Price as well. These are guys he should be meeting at this stage. This is another non-event, its like watching a british Sonny Bill Williams.

Has any of his opponents even thrown a punch yet?

Chisora? The Del of 3-4 years ago maybe, but the current one is a mess, a waste of time and no way a better option/challenge than Kingpin.

Price I'd like to see, genuine danger fight given his size & power.

Would rather see TT though.

rodders wrote:I think he'll flatten Johnson inside 2 rounds to be honest. Another set up fight against another stiff.

At this stage he should be getting in with the top British rivals - namely Tyson Fury and setting up for a clash for someone like Wilder instead of waiting to see if Fury can capture a belt or waiting for Vlad to vacate.

Bigger fraud than Harrison imo - not in that he can't fight but that he is being coasted through against bums and has been's to pad out his record to justify a shot at the title when an easy option emerges. Joke that this is on pay per view.

Fury is not going anywhere near him. Fury is mandatory for Wlad's titles, as such all he has to do is wait for Wlad to fulfil his mandatory commitments, which thus far in his career he has always done, and he gets a chance at the best fighter in the division and opportunity to call himself heavyweight champion of the world, he ain't risking that, and rightly so I should add.

People need to be realistic with Johsua, in heavyweight terms he is still a pup, he has time on his side. Accept he has not really fought anyone yet, but he come into the game off very little amateur experience in terms of years and number of fights, so still has plenty to learn. Johnson is not going to beat him this weekend, but may take him into the later rounds and pose a few questions, as coxy mentioned earlier, does his stamina hold up, does he get frustrated if someone does not go early and so forth. These questions may not set the pulse racing in terms of spectacle but do need asking and answering.

We have a heavyweight we might actually be able to get excited about for once, let's do that rather than great his every move with negativity and cynicism.

I don't like Joshua.......sorry but that's how I feel. I'm with Dee, he needs to be brought down a peg or two. Remember when Price was unstoppable? This guy is a construct, shouldn't even have a gold medal. Moved from the waki tabacci to other nefarious misdeeds I feel.

With his gifts and the lack of talent around...

I think we are looking at a future Top 15-20 Heavy...

Thinks that's harsh strongy mate! He has always come across as a decent chap (thanks to the Eddie PR machine I know).....same as Price as well. Nice genuine character on TV from what I see.

Big heavy, knockout power, muscle, speed, gold medal....you knew he was going to be built into something great (I know we are yet to test it).....

I think he could be brill, a quick chin check and let's see how he gets on against top ten fighters (who are not that great anyway)

People will always have a past regardless, but this man has changed his life, dedicated himself and done something unlike people that done even bother.

Got to agree he robbed the Cuban fella blind in the Olympics.

Strongback, this is a sport where the aim of the game is to render your opponent unconcious. Guys that punch people in the face for a living probably haven't had it rosey like you in your big mansion and your multinational corporations. The guys putting all his effort into this clearly, he's playing the game he has to play, cut him some slack.

Got no problem with Joshuas opponents so far. He is still very young for a heavy. But Sky and Co need to reign in their excitement of him a tad. It will turn people against him. Sprott and Johnson are totally finished as fighters and must be taken into account when assessing his performance. Way too much hyperbole. Let him have a few fights lower down on cards might help

Strongback wrote:I don't like Joshua.......sorry but that's how I feel.  I'm with Dee, he needs to be brought down a peg or two.  Remember when Price was unstoppable?  This guy is a construct, shouldn't even have a gold medal.  Moved from the waki  tabacci to other nefarious misdeeds I feel.

Why?

I'm expecting Joshua to win but would'nt be surprised if it takes him 4 or 5 rounds. Kevin Johnson has lost something like 4 or 5 out of his last 6 and though he has a nice jab and a little slickness, once he gets hit with a good shot tends to go into his shell and produce little to almost no output. As others have alluded to, AJ is still young and heavyweight tends to be more favourable towards age than the lower divisions.

Dipper Brown wrote:

Strongback wrote:I don't like Joshua.......sorry but that's how I feel.  I'm with Dee, he needs to be brought down a peg or two.  Remember when Price was unstoppable?  This guy is a construct, shouldn't even have a gold medal.  Moved from the waki  tabacci to other nefarious misdeeds I feel.

Why?

He's English...

He has a point though !! Josh is in great shape and he's colorful and exciting.

Much better to have slobs around running the division..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Dipper Brown wrote:

Strongback wrote:I don't like Joshua.......sorry but that's how I feel.  I'm with Dee, he needs to be brought down a peg or two.  Remember when Price was unstoppable?  This guy is a construct, shouldn't even have a gold medal.  Moved from the waki  tabacci to other nefarious misdeeds I feel.

Why?

He's English...

He has a point though !! Josh is in great shape and he's colorful and exciting.

Much better to have slobs around running the division..

Colourful and exciting?...........get a grip son, not even you believe that.

He's a moody dark character, I see no people skills.  He's on the gravy train but some day he'll have to sign up to have a real fight, until that day comes I have no interest in him and even less so in the Circus Charlie's around him.

I like him...

Its time to put Joshua in with someone who will fight back now.

catchweight wrote:Its time to put Joshua in with someone who will fight back now.

To be fair it doesn't help when they try and fight to get wasted by big shots.

And give it a rest Strongy you pathetic tool. We've got one of the most exciting prospects in all of boxing, who's had 13 fights and you're attempts at putting him down are laughable at best.

There's nobody that can test Joshua before Wlad and I think he wins that.

I honestly don't know what real opponent people expect. Fury? Kidding me, he wouldn't last 5 minutes.

Put him in with a guy who actually has some ambition of winning a fight. Its not that difficult. Joshua looks the part but he hasnt fought anyone who hasnt been selected to be a human punch bag. The heavyweight division is crap. I would pick Joshua to beat nearly everyone in it. But that doesnt mean we have to pretend he cant get a better opponent than Johnson. Time for him to actually fight an opponent who is not a sparring partner being paid to add their name to a record.

catchweight wrote:Put him in with a guy who actually has some ambition of winning a fight. Its not that difficult. Joshua looks the part but he hasnt fought anyone who hasnt been selected to be a human punch bag. The heavyweight division is crap. I would pick Joshua to beat nearly everyone in it. But that doesnt mean we have to pretend he cant get a better opponent than Johnson. Time for him to actually fight an opponent who is not a sparring partner being paid to add their name to a record.

Who do you suggest bud? Arreola for me would work.

As Scott said there's hardly a plethora of guys he could fight, he's only a few fights away from fighting Wlad or Wilder such is the lack of depth in the division.

As someone else mentioned. He could fight anyone ranked in the top 30 and avoid fighting journeymaen from now on.

I suspect that from here on his opponents will be people we've heard of. Maybe sone will be at the tail end of their careers but kingpin was done inside 3 really, no need to take a step back from here. Next guy will be a huge underdog again, but we'll know the name. Eddie must be loving this, his potential golden goose could have done no more at this stage. If Joshua goes on to be the man at heavy it's PPV every fight, regardless of the undercard.

Meant done inside 3 minutes, not rounds.

catchweight wrote:Its time to put Joshua in with someone who will fight back now.

Good luck finding that guy...........

He isn't going to be risked before a title shot because fighters aren't these days and he's too valuable a commodity..............and there aren't any Tillis, Bugner, Ribalta, Chuvalo and Broad types to extend him.........

He'll just waste one or two "good" years treading water till Wlad retires.................

Shame..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

catchweight wrote:Its time to put Joshua in with someone who will fight back now.

Good luck finding that guy...........

He isn't going to be risked before a title shot because fighters aren't these days and he's too valuable a commodity..............and there aren't any Tillis, Bugner, Ribalta, Chuvalo and Broad types to extend him.........

He'll just waste one or two "good" years treading water till Wlad retires.................

Shame..

Based on what exactly? Hearn has sent Brook, Burns, Degale for world title fights. He's not scared to match his guys against good oppo I.e. Linares against Mitchell etc.

He's only had 13 fights, some people like yourself may want to remember that.

Have full confidence he will step up soon, he's fighting again in 6 weeks and then another 6 weeks after that.

Hearn mentioned Joshua would be out again July and then they had a big fight lined up for September. I would guess that fight might be Thompson or Price. Hopefully Price but Id say Thompson is more likely. At the very least now, they need to start matching him with opponents who have ambition of winning and not sparring partners who are being paid to try and last a few rounds.

Lance wrote:Got no problem with Joshuas opponents so far. He is still very young for a heavy. But Sky and Co need to reign in their excitement of him a tad. It will turn people against him. Sprott and Johnson are totally finished as fighters and must be taken into account when assessing his performance. Way too much hyperbole. Let him have a few fights lower down on cards might help

The guy is selling a lot of tickets brings a lot of excitement. Let's just enjoy the Joshua ride, I'm on it, its great lol

Dipper Brown wrote:

Strongback wrote:I don't like Joshua.......sorry but that's how I feel.  I'm with Dee, he needs to be brought down a peg or two.  Remember when Price was unstoppable?  This guy is a construct, shouldn't even have a gold medal.  Moved from the waki  tabacci to other nefarious misdeeds I feel.

Why?

Because Strony holds a permanent latent hatred for anyone with any more success & recognition than he. Especially when that person is better looking and (even) more stacked.....