I think people aren’t giving him enough credit. He hasn’t won a fight in 2 years. He lost back to back to Usyk and only fought twice in two years.
He came back, his engine was better than it’s ever been he never once looked tired. Any time Franklin caught him he handled it well. He worked his jab better than he ever has in his career.
Franklin is an awkward fighter. He moves well, he can counter well and his style is ugly he holds a lot and ducks low with the head.
People wanted the knockout but this is a guy who’d never been knocked out pro or amateur. It was a mature performance and he landed twice as many punches but didn’t throw as many as Franklin. He was accurate, commanding jab, better stamina than he’s ever shown and he came prepared to go the full 12.
Can I ask again when you think Manny’s prime was? Yes, the fight should have happened earlier but there are two very good reasons why it didn’t. It happened once those two conditions were met.
It’s all well and good doing it against the journeyman but can you honestly see him being successful with that style against a fury or wilder? It’s already failed miserably against Usyk (why he didn’t go gung ho in that second fight I’ll never know). After all, these have to be the fights he’s aiming for, at his age he isn’t getting any younger.
Completely agree. Franklin came to survive and didn’t take any chances. AJ still won most of the rounds convincingly. Franklin clearly isn’t an easy guy to knock out.
Thought AJ looked solid and his movement was as good as it has ever been. Would that performance be enough to beat Fury, Usyk or Wilder? Maybe not but those fights would play out differently.
The only problem for AJ is that performance won’t make people queue up to buy his next fight unless it is a big name.
Explain why Franklin is a journeyman? Lost two fights, both by decision, one quite controversial.
That’s the direct opposite to a journeyman. He should be winning more convincingly but the other way of looking at it is that he went twelve rounds and didn’t gas.
Obviously twelve rounds of Franklin is different to twelve rounds of Fury or Usyk.
AJ couldn’t win whatever he did Last night. Knocks him out in the first four and Franklin is a bum, 7-11 it took too long and a dominant points win - he’s crap.
Journeyman not the right word to use but you know what I mean, the next rung or two down from the top fighters. That style won’t cut it for AJ against the very best.
His prime was closer to 2010 than 2015 when Mayweather was finally willing to fight him, probably when he was coming off the back of beating Hatton, Cotto, Clottey, Margarito, Mosley and Marquez consecutively.
Closer to 2010 when he lost two fights against Bradley and Marquez (who arguably beat him three times) or the three or four years before 2010 when there were serious P. E. D. claims? The fight didn’t happen because Manny wouldn’t agree to strict drug testing. Yes, he had some good wins but nobody that makes me think this is why he beats Floyd - particularly because of the controversy over the Marquez fights. The Cotto fight was impressive, DeLa Hoya was finished.
2005-2010ish was Floyd’s peak. After this peak, Floyd fought and beat the likes of Canelo and Maidana. I’m definitely forgetting somebody as well
I’ve been over it many times but Floyd was the best matchmaker in boxing. He knew when to take fights and who to fight. He was averse to taking the big risks. It was always obvious with him and everybody knew it.
Soon as he made it after the DLH fight and became a money making superstar his entire approach to matchmaking changed.
I think it looked good on him last night. He was strong, still had decent hand speed and never looked tired at all.
I’m interested to see him fight Fury as I’ve always felt he’d bulldoze him and I think deep down Fury knows that styles make fights and AJ is a tough proposition for him.
Loved the buildup to the Floyd v Hatton fight (16 years ago!) and was so hoping Ricky would do it but you just knew Floyd was a level above. Ricky was never the same after that beating.
Hatton always had the best following around that time. Not many boxers get that kind of atmosphere.
The only risk he didn’t take was moving up further through the weights, but why should he be going up to Middle when starting at feather (I think).
Similar to AJ, Floyd beats Manny at any time and people would find ways to discredit the win. The Floyd that beat Manny was Broken. Manny became a World Champion again after the Floyd fight and beat a top five fighter in Thurman not that long ago.
Early Floyd was calling out Naz, he beat (this one was close) a legend in DeLa Hoya, beat every top welterweight and schooled a Saul Canelo that will end up in the hall of fame. Retired unbeaten, beat twenty something Champions and created his own promotional company.