Joe Joyce has been mucked around by boxing - now he has path to Fury and Usyk

14 April 2023 , 15:30

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Joe Joyce fights Zhang Zhilei at the Copper Box on Saturday night (Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Joe Joyce is having to do this the hard way, forced into another lung-bursting effort whilst he and the rest of the heavyweight division work around the failure of Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury to meet each other.

Joyce is the mandatory challenger for the WBO belt, one of three held by Usyk. On Saturday he faces Chinese giant Zhang Zhilei, who at 6ft 6ins is able to look Joyce in the eye.

It is one hell of a fight, a challenge for Joyce more akin to swimming the Channel than treading water. Zhilei dropped a close decision to Filip Hrgovic and gave him nightmares doing so.

On at least three occasions Hrgovic looked on the point of quitting. No wonder. Zhilei is a tough, awkward southpaw with quick hands. Joyce has had to be incredibly patient around Usyk and Fury. He’s been mucked around and treated badly by the governing bodies.

This is a tough fight for anyone. The split-decision loss to Hrgovic is Zhilei’s only defeat. He is hard to shift and takes a good shot. Joyce is starting to train on. His combinations are quicker. He is beginning to throw more in bunches, shifting his weight better. Transference of weight is power.

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I expect him to grind down and maybe stop Zhilei late on. That said, despite his 39 years, Zhilei is still aiming for the top himself and if he sees an opportunity he will take it.

Zhilei will not find Joyce hard to hit. Disturbing him is the issue. Joyce has an unbelievable chin that has so far proved the equal of everything thrown at him.

Joe Joyce has had to be patient for his chance for a big fight (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

For Joyce it’s all about winning impressively. It creates impetus and momentum, forcing organisations to take note and makes it harder for the champions to ignore him. Zhilei will give Joyce the opportunity to look good because to get the better of him the Juggernaut will have to hit top gear.

Neither Usyk nor Fury would fancy facing Joyce. Indeed he’s that guy nobody wants to tackle. He’s big, athletic, has a huge engine and hits hard.

Though he tends to be robotic he is improving and with that becoming more effective. Only Bryant Jennings three years ago has taken him the distance.

And in his last fight, Joseph Parker came up short against him despite giving his best. A 15th knockout in 16 fights for Joyce at the Copper Box would take him one step closer to the mountain top.

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Barry McGuigan