This was a big fight for the world heavyweight title. Joshua won in the ninth round when he knocked out Pulev. Joshua was in charge of the fight because he hit his opponent and sent him down. But he did not know that he had an advantage. Joshua hit his opponent, but Pulev got up. They started hitting each other’s head. The referee did nothing about this!
It was not likely that after being knocked out by Andy Ruiz and a very cautious rematch, the Briton would suddenly become the same jolly punching-puncher who has intelligence in the ring. No, here it was the other way around. Joshua worked on his jab, moved on his feet, put his head out and away and forced his opponent to lunge and open. He took care of both of his emotions and his strength too.
Analysis of the fight
Here is an example of what happens in the third round. Pulev starts to scream back at missed punches. Then there are more of them, and Joshua picks up the pace for a little while. The Bulgarian turns his back to him and runs to the corner as Joshua continues to beat him up – and the referee counts out another knockdown. A right uppercut, a right jab – that’s where the fight was supposed to end… But then there is a gong sound – and there are some punches after it – both from Pulev and Joshua’s reply.
The fourth round was really close. The British player played it right down to the wire. They would punch and then clinch, or jab and then clinch. Joshua preferred to stay away from his opponent, waiting for him to tire before he would attack them again, but by the middle of the fight he himself was breathing heavily on his own in one corner.
Conclusions after the fight
Joshua is really fast and strong. Pulev had a virus that made him sick. His team wanted to keep the fight from being postponed. Anyway, Joshua was a smart and faster than Pulev. He wasn’t as tired, but boxers are not liked for their ability to show off how good they are.
He showed some great punches in the 9th round. They were hard and precise, making his opponent’s head shake. Anthony dedicated them to Mike Tyson, then when Kubrat got up from another knock down he knocked him to the ground with a right punch.
Finale
Unfortunately for the audience, Joshua’s killer instinct and finishing skills were not willing or able to be applied before this one. And if you believe he didn’t want to, then he’s definitely a great boxer whose toughness many just can’t appreciate. And if he couldn’t and waited it out, so much the worse for him. The person should have quoted Tommy Morrison after John Wayne, who was a relative of Tommy. He starred in the Rocky Balboa movie and it was terrible.
“I ask that you no longer look up to me. Just think of me as someone who missed many opportunities.”
