Sports
THE definition of a juggernaut is ‘a huge, powerful and overwhelming force’.
At 6ft 7in and 19st, Joe Joyce showed why he is known as ‘The Juggernaut’ at the Manchester Arena on Saturday as he delivered an exhilarating win over Joseph Parker to extend his unbeaten professional run to 15-0.
The 37-year-old, who has stopped all but one of his opponents, says he is now being viewed in a different light following the stunning performance.
“I’ve realised that people are taking me seriously now,” Joyce told BBC Sport.
“A lot of people thought Parker was going to win. It was such a tough fight, but the way I dispatched him like that with that finish has changed minds.”
Joyce finished Parker with a tremendous left hook to win the WBO interim heavyweight title – but says he cannot remember how the fight ended.
He said: “They were showing me the highlights and I was like ‘woah… what a shot’.”
What next for Joyce?
Talks have now circulated on who Joyce’s next opponent will be, with the likes of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury rumoured to be returning to action in December.
Joyce, an Olympic silver medallist, has his eyes on the unified heavyweight champion and WBO belt holder Oleksandr Usyk, but he is keeping his options open.
“It’s Usyk, but if he’s going to fight Fury then I have other options,” he said.
“Tyson Fury has been mentioned, Anthony Joshua has been mentioned, there’s Dillian Whyte – there’s lots of big names out there.”
Joyce and Usyk have history. Joyce was beaten by the Ukrainian when the pair met in an amateur fight at York Hall in 2013 over five rounds.
Joyce recalls the fight with Usyk and says the outcome would be different should the pair face each other again.
“I was a novice at the time and he was an Olympic champion,” Joyce said.
“I gave him the best fight and it was close. I really pushed him and hit him with some good shots, so over the 12 rounds, I don’t think he can live with my output, my work rate and punches.
“But he’s a skilled boxer and I want to fight him, if not next, then after he fights Fury or something. I want that fight but let’s just see what happens.”
Joyce to continue taking risks
Despite calling out Usyk, Joyce may have to wait, with talks of a mega fight between Fury and the Ukrainian brewing for some time in early 2023.
Fury is also engaged in a very public back and forth with Joshua about a potential fight in December.
Joyce says he will continue to take risky fights and believes a domestic meeting with Joshua could be a possibility.
“I like to be in exciting fights. I didn’t need to fight Joseph Parker, but what a great fight it turned out to be and it cemented me as an elite fighter and on the verge for a full world title,” he said.
“It’s an option [to fight Joshua]. Let’s see what the figures are saying.
“There’s plenty of good fights now I’m at this elite level, so it’s just the one that makes most sense and I want to capture all the titles as well as getting in great fights.”
Culled from BBC SPORT
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Tags: Anthony Joshua Joe Joyce Joseph Parker Oleksandr Usyk WBO belt
