Boxing fans have not been this excited since the ‘fight of the century’ between Pacquiao and Mayweather. An undisputed heavyweight champion will be crowned since Lennox Lewis had all the four heavyweight belts in 2000. AJ already holds three belts; WBO, WBA, IBO and IBF titles. The ‘Gypsy King’ holds the coveted WBC belt. Sports punters are eyeing the fight closely for betting options. Some bookmakers already have the odds out, although the fight date is not fixed.
Why All the Excitement?
In one corner is AJ who has the cool athletic look of a champion. He has gotten here the way most boxers do, by working through the ranks from being an amateur Olympic boxer to professional heavyweight. He has shown his talent by beating big heavyweights including Alexander Povetkin, Carlos Takam, Dominic Breazeale, Eric Molina, Wladimir Klitschko, and Andy Ruiz Jr. He has been beaten and comes back tops.
In the other corner is the maverick ‘Gypsy King’ known for his eccentricities in and out of the ring. He is big and loud with a barrel chest instead of a chiseled physique. He is not afraid of being foul-mouthed. He has fallen to substance abuse and comes back to stop the wildest man in the ring, Deontay Wilder. He is the bad boy of boxing.
The much-anticipated fight promises to give boxing fans action like they have not seen in a long time. Bookmakers are already lining up to take the wager. Take a look at the boxing betting offers and get your bets placed! There are wild views and predictions, with such different boxers in the ring. Even old hands in boxing are finding it hard to call the fight.
Anthony Joshua
- Height= 6 feet 6 inches
- Weight = 107 Kgs
- Reach=82
- AV. Punch landed/Thrown per round = 11/35
- What are AJ’s strengths and weaknesses?
Anthony Joshua has proved he can be aggressive when the fight calls for it, which is pretty much all the time in heavyweight boxing. He has shown it going toe to toe against aggressive punchers like Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin. He lost some of this aggressiveness in the first fight against Andy Ruiz jr., but proved critics wrong in the second fight.
AJ has a fearsome uppercut that was instrumental in his wins against Klitschko and Pulev. There are rumors that he once spared Fury in 2010 and drilled him a good one. He could rely on it again to get to the taller opponent.
Boxing fans claim that AJ has a weak chin which got him KO’d in the first Andy Ruiz jr. fight. He also likes to keep a high guard leaving his lower body open for body shots. It could be a big disadvantage against a power puncher like Fury who KO’s Wilder with a shot to the stomach.
- Height= 6 feet 9 inches
- Weight =123 Kgs
- Reach=85
- AV. Punch landed/Thrown per round = 12/47
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Gypsy King?
Tyson Fury surprises both fans and opponents with his agility despite his massive size. His long reach makes it hard to get close. He has power and size working for him as he showed in the fight against Wilder. He wore down Wilder by leaning on him in clinches. AJ is shorter than Wilder and could be more at risk from this tactic.
Fury can switch stances effortlessly, making it hard to read him. He used this tactic well to beat Chisora by switching to Southpaw. He has also proven he can take a beating. He earned the Comeback of the Year award for recovering from a massive knockdown in the first Wilder fight.
Critics say that his size and reach make Fury overconfident and prone to underestimating his opponents. He made this mistake against Steve Cunningham, Nikolai Firtha, Otto Wallin and Nevan Pajkic, all who shook him up when they shouldn’t have. He does not put up his guard as he trusts his height, which leaves him open to overhead counters.
Tyson and Foreman think that Fury will take the fight while Hopkins and Klitschko think that Joshua will beat the Gypsy King. This fight is one that pundits have a hard time calling. The boxing community is split in half on the chances for the two heavyweights. They can only be settled in the ring. There is no definite date, but there are rumors that the fight could happen on May 21. Every boxing fan is keeping a very close eye on what could be a fight to talk about for years.
