“[What are] your thoughts on the up and coming British fighter Anthony AJ Joshua.”

Regards,

Armando Williams

Armando, I usually do not use last names on this site. But we’re hoping you make it big boxing, so posting your name here might permit Max Kellerman to look me up some day after one of your HBO fights!

First, for you young fighters, watching the greats is, well, great. You also want to watch upcoming fighters of your body type so you can see how they mature, and start to notice the developmental stages so that you can objectively examine your own progress on film. In this day and age there is no excuse for not having your own films of your sparring and fights. Bring your friend or lady to training and have them film.

Okay, Armando, if you are built like AJ, God bless you, because he didn't bless me.

Also, I just posted an article about a man being beaten to death in a Walmart parking lot. The one possible defense I did not suggest, was being Anthony AJ Joshua.

AJ is a beautiful physical specimen, who has been taught to be a punching machine. He can't box—or at least has not boxed in the 13 fights I reviewed.

His opponents in all of his pro fights have either been old, or small, mostly blown up light heavyweights, fat cruiser weights or out of shape heavies of the small variety, possibly MMA fighters and kickboxers picking up money for a trip to the ER. He has not fought a man of his own imposing stature. He is getting by on his physical gifts against what used to be called "tomato cans." Most of his fights amount to you beating me up. I'm a 52 year old 190 pound welterweight—of course you can beat me up.

Now, what specifically does AJ do well, and what does he do poorly?

His one glaring flaw is that he does not have a range-finding, entering or targeting jab. He has a wonderful up jab, delivered with as much power as a shovel hook on the move, which pairs excellently with his dynamite right hand, which he uses well to the body and with devastating effect to the head. Notice that he does not even need a jab against these guys! Nobody that belongs in the ring with you can be T'd-off on like that. The fact that he does not have a blind jab, and that his power jab is thrown low with a winged out elbow, and then the hand cycles back down to his hip, means he does not have an effective double jab. The top light heavy weights could beat him easily. Krusher Kovalev, giving away 50 pounds, would KO him in the first round—early. Hopkins, giving away 60 pounds, would toy with him and tell him jokes about the referee and try to talk him into signing a contract to fight out of Philadelphia while AJ dropped bombs that never seemed to land.

AJ will be a force in any fight because he has—like George Foreman—the ability to punch hard enough to KO with just his arms. He also has good punching footwork, putting a micro-pivot under almost every punch. Every single punch he throws is a power punch, which means he will never beat top heavyweights until he is retrained to jab.

Chris Areola would maul him and drop him late.

King Klitsckho would KO him with a jab, his corner man would beat him, and the big boy from Philly who just took him the distance, would murder AJ.

The heavyweight division is shallow right now, so AJ can make a lot of money doing what he is doing. However, he has the tools to be a champion, and should be better handled. If I was training him I'd make him spar only middle weights and quick American light heavies and not let him do anything but jab. All of his punches other than the jab are excellent, yet he does not have the one punch that sets all of those up. He needs a jab and lateral movement—some angles. I would like to see him throw that lead right with an oblique leftward step to get his head off line.

Video notes:

1. He seems to have his own referee! Is that dude his uncle?

2. Look at the Konstantin Airich fight, and how he throws that up-jab like a stepping shovel hook. That is a nice, nice punch for a big man and he should build combos with that in the middle, but starting with a high blind jab. If he just walks in like this against a heavyweight of his size who is properly trained its going to look like Frank Bruno versus Tim Witherspoon, which is the 2nd video.

3. Video #2: Mind you, Tim does not throw a good consistent jab, and also does not have a good standard guard. He does have a good Philly shell guard he uses at the right time, which no European fighter has. And also, though his jab usually sucks and is often only pushed out there as a measuring stick, at least he has a jab. Bruno, like AJ, has no jab—none, and pays for it. Also, that low British lead hand, just begs for a big sloppy overhand right. The simple math is, if you are a big standup heavyweight and you leave a low lead, if the slob in front of you manages to heave enough leather with the right hand, you will taste the canvas.

4. The video at the bottom is what happens to a big man who does not use a proper guard when he runs into a good Philly style fighter. This is a demonstration that if you keep a low lead your opponent does not even need a jab.

5. AJ's trainer should do him the courtesy of pointing out the reasons why he is KOing these tomato cans, which are the very same factors that will eventually lead to his demise, if he does not correct his form.