Joe Joyce: ‘Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will get Juggernauted!’ | ‘Undisputed has a good ring to it’ | Boxing News

Joe Joyce is waiting in the wings for Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury he would step in to fight either of them subsequent: “It is a very good back-up program” Joyce declared: “I am confident in my skills. I definitely like the sound of the Fury fight… Can you consider? Undefeated, undisputed. Perhaps”

By John Dennen, Sports journalist

13:50, UK, Thursday 16 March 2023

No a single has a higher interest in following the developments of the Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk negotiations than London heavyweight Joe Joyce.

Fury, the WBC title holder, and Usyk, the WBO, WBA and IBF champion, have sparred verbally as they close in on a deal to fight for the undisputed heavyweight crown on April 29.

Of the champions’ mandatory challengers, Joyce is arguably the top contender. He has previously beaten Daniel Dubois as a specialist and has also defeated Filip Hrgovic in the Globe Series of Boxing when he was amateur.

Image:
Joe Joyce dressed as the ‘Juggernaut’ (PA)

Mainly not too long ago he knocked out Joseph Parker in amazing style.

“If I wanted to make a statement, that was a statement there,” Joyce told Sky Sports‘ Toe2Toe podcast.

“Wonderful fight although, a lot of respect to Parker, he appropriate pushed me all the way to the finish. It was an thrilling fight, it had very good exchanges.

“I threw the kitchen sink, anything at him and sooner or later he went down.”

Like the rest of the sporting planet he has been observing the progress of the Fury-Usyk negotiations.

“It is sort of dragging on a bit,” Joyce stated. “Fury’s got 70 per cent of it [the proposed fight purse], I guess it really is taking place now.”

Joyce thinks Fury has adequate time to prepare for April 29. “He’s began camp, I would consider Usyk’s currently in camp,” Joyce stated. “Perhaps he knows one thing we never.”

Tyson Fury says he will fight Joe Joyce at Wembley if an undisputed planet heavyweight fight with Oleksandr Usyk does not materialise.

The likeable Londoner would happily to step in to fight either Fury or Usyk for a heavyweight planet championship, even at quick notice.

“Possibly,” he hinted. “I guess it really is a very good back-up program.”

A lot more most likely although Joyce will be pushing for his shot at the Fury-Usyk winner.

“At final. That would be one thing, would not it?” he stated. “There is been a lot of rematch clauses of late. They drag on, never they? It is fairly refreshing to hear that there is not a single for this fight. I can jump in afterwards, fight the winner.”

Even though he lost to Usyk in the Globe Series of Boxing, he’d choose to pit himself against Fury.

“Usyk, I would not thoughts fighting once more either. But Fury’s a larger fight,” Joyce stated.

“They are going to get ‘Juggernauted’,” he declared.

“I am confident in my skills and I feel it would be a good fight against either of them. But I definitely like the sound of the Fury fight.

“Can you consider? Undisputed has a good ring to it. Undefeated, undisputed possibly.”

On Zhilei Zhang fight

Joyce has demonstrated he deserves a spot amongst the heavyweight elite. His subsequent fight will be on April 15 against Zhilei Zhang. As an knowledgeable, heavy-handed southpaw, China’s Zhang could be excellent preparation for an eventual fight with Fury or Usyk.

“I have not fought a southpaw due to the fact Lenroy Thomas so it really is very good to get in there and practice,” Joyce stated.

“For the reason that as we know Usyk’s a southpaw and Fury can switch southpaw as effectively. Wonderful preparation for the subsequent round of competitors.”

He believes his fight with Zhang could be one more war, at least in the early going.

Frazer Clarke says he hopes for a rematch with Joe Joyce in the future right after Joyce beat him 4 occasions in the amateurs.

“I’d say the initially 5 rounds he’d be fairly unsafe. He’s got the energy and knowledge,” Joyce stated.

“It is going to be awkward since he’s a southpaw, had very good amateur knowledge, Olympic silver medallist as effectively.”

He thinks Zhang was unlucky to drop a selection to Filip Hrgovic in his final bout. “It was a challenging fight correct to the finish but I believed he did much better general and he was unlucky,” Joyce stated.

“He was appropriate blowing in that final round. It is a good story since I beat Filip Hrgovic in the WSB, I am fighting Zhang who regrettably lost out to him.

“It is an thrilling fight, a risky chance but it really is a definitely very good fight.”

On Yoka’s loss to Takam

A different of Joyce’s amateur rivals, France’s Tony Yoka did not fare effectively when fighting Carlos Takam, a single of Joyce’s former specialist opponents himself, final weekend.

“I’ve fought Takam and also sparred him final camp. He’s a very good guy and it was very good to see him get the victory. He boxed definitely effectively,” Joyce stated.

“Yoka, I never know. I never see a lot distinction from the amateurs specially in that overall performance. He’s holding his guard [tight]. The punches he did land have been very good punches but not that quite a few.”

Highlights as Carlos Takam faced Tony Yoka in a heavyweight clash in Paris.

Joyce lost a very controversial selection to Yoka in their Olympic super-heavyweight final at Rio 2016. But Joyce can evaluate how he has progressed with Yoka’s specialist struggles.

“Exactly where he was Olympic champion, he’s got as well more than-confident. His ego, and becoming in a position to choose his opponents,” Joyce stated of Yoka.

“He was saying in an interview, I never feel Joyce will do something in the pros and it appears to have backfired.”