BREAKING: Whyte Forced To Withdraw From Joyce Fight Due To Injury

It has been reported by TalkSport out of the United Kingdom that Heavyweight contender and former world title challenger Dillian Whyte has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled April 5th bout with Heavyweight contender Joe Joyce due to what is at this time an undisclosed injury. The bout, which was due to headline a fight card at the Manchester Arena in Manchester England as part of Queensberry Promotions global debut on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN might be salvaged as Joyce is reportedly looking for a new opponent to step in for Whyte.

We will keep readers updated on developments as they become available.

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Chisora And Shields Triumph In Heavyweight Bouts

While July 27th signaled the beginning of competition of Boxing at the 2024 Summer Olympics being held in Paris, France, two intriguing bouts took place in two other countries on the professional side of the sport in the Heavyweight division featuring both Men and Women. First at the O2 Arena in London, England, it was a crossroads encounter between two longtime Heavyweight contenders Joe Joyce and Derek Chisora.

This was a fight where both fighters entered at a stage in their careers where some felt each was on the verge of a win or retire scenario. Hence, this observer’s label of it being a “Crossroads Encounter." Thought the label was appropriate, one might argue, despite the appearance that both fighters were at a similar stage, it was Chisora that was closer to retirement due to both the fact that he has had a seventeen year career, but also his talking about wanting to retire after his fiftieth professional fight. Chisora’s forty-ninth fight would arguably be one of his best.

From the opening bell Joyce tried to impose his 6’6 frame and 281lb. body on the 6’1 Chisora. While Chisora entered the fight weighing 256lbs., the difference in size was clear as was the pressure Joyce applied on Chisora. Despite appearing to have more success when he used his reach to keep Chisora at distance, Joyce chose to fight in close, which not only negated the effectiveness of his punches by smothering them, it also played into Chisora’s strategy, which is almost always to get in close and fight on the inside as more often than not, he is competing against taller and heavier opponents.

What was also evident early on was Joyce was throwing slow, but hard thudding punches, and Chisora was either looking for counter punches, or trying to land in two or three punch combinations. The pace in which this fight was fought was one that at times was slow, but also seemed to be higher compared to most fights fought in the Heavyweight division. As yours truly watched this fight, I had a sense that it may come down to which fighter runs out of steam first as both fighters landed hard shots throughout and both had moments where they looked utterly fatigued and struggling to stay on their feet. Despite this, I felt that Chisora was outworking Joyce in what was a hard fought battle. With the fight entering the final three rounds, however, I questioned whether Chisora would get to the finish line.

Just as it appeared the effects of fatigue and Joyce's pressure were breaking him down, Chisora landed a right hand out of nowhere that knocked Joyce flat on his back on the canvas. To his credit, Joyce was able to get to his feet and continued the fight. It was at this point given that he had scored the knockdown and seemed to be outworking Joyce that I felt the knockdown likely secured the win on the scorecards. 

With both fighters looking utterly exhausted, the tenth and final  round was as the previous nine had been, a battle of wills. It would be Derek Chisora, who would get the nod from the three official judges in scoring one of the biggest wins of his career. In doing so, he also likely opens himself to more opportunities that will take him beyond fifty fights in his career.

As one fighter seemed to revitalize his career at age forty, another fighter looked to further cement her legacy. Yours truly is referring to undefeated three-division world champion Clareasa Shields, who after becoming an undisputed world champion as a Jr. Middleweight and Middleweight, the latter of which she still holds, made another jump up in weight to challenge Women's WBC Heavyweight world champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse.

The flight, which was held in Detroit, MI at the Little Caesars Arena, was essentially a hometown fight for Shields, who is from Flint, MI. In addition to the WBC Heavyweight world championship, the vacant Women's WBO Light-Heavyweight world championship was also at stake, giving Shields the opportunity to become a five-time world champion in five divisions in a single fight.

Although when a fighter is making a move up in weight as Shields was, the standard question of how that fighter will respond to being hit by fighters who are used to competing at heavier weights, was asked prior to this encounter, the reality is Shields did not give the champion an opportunity to test her ability to take a punch. This was due to Shields being able to showcase her hand speed early. In the second round, the challenger would drop the champion with a three punch combination that sent  Lepage-Joanisse down to the canvas. Shields followed up with two more knockdowns forcing the fight to be stopped giving the future Hall of Famer and two-time Olympic Gold medalist another accolade tonadd to her legacy. 

There is simply not much to say here other than Shields saw her opening, took full advantage, and closed the show. While this victory was only the third knockout in Shields’ professional career, she did show that she has punching power even though knockouts in Women's Boxing remain rare due largely to the fact that rounds are only two minutes in duration, and only recently has the transition to three minute rounds been used on a selective basis, but has been used and is currently being used in women's bouts in the ongoing Olympics. It is something this observer has long advocated for to see three minute rounds become the standard in Women's Professional Boxing, the same as Men's bouts.

Nevertheless, Shields did not need three minute rounds in this fight and got the job done. The obvious question remains, however, for Shields. After being so dominant for her entire career and now having successfully moved up to Heavyweight to further her legacy, is there an opponent out there in Boxing that can compete with Shields, and furthermore, how much more can she accomplish? This observer cannot give an answer…

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Joyce-Chisora: A Crossroads Heavyweight Battle

There is an old saying that this observer firmly believes in. “A Fighter Is Always One Punch Away From Revitalizing Their Career." While that can be applied to the entire sport, it is especially true with regard to the Heavyweight division. After all, if one were to go through the history of the division, no matter the era, you would find along with the various world champions that dominated a certain period, several fighters who had opportunities to fight for world titles and came up short, or others who spent their careers on the fringe or contender level that continued competing for years in search of an opportunity that for some never came.

The one thing that you will find as you research is there are some fighters whom either because of age, or issues having to do with ability to continue competing at or near the top of the sport, are written off at some point by various pundits and Boxing scribes. While such statements do not always prove to be accurate, where the fighter ends up getting the last laugh on his or her skeptics that say they should retire, it is very much a case by case scenario.

In present times, two Heavyweights that one might argue fit that description are former European Heavyweight champions and contenders Joe Joyce and former  multi-time world title challenger Derek. Two men who will meet in a crossroads Heavyweight bout on Saturday, July 27th at the O2 Arena in London, England in a fight that can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. The question going into this fight could be what does either fighter have left in them?

In this case, we are discussing a scenario of one fighter, who just a few years ago, was viewed by many as potentially the next dominant Heavyweight going against a true veteran, who has worked his way back into contention on more than one occasion after suffering setbacks over the course of a seventeen year career. What makes this a crossroads battle is while Joyce was the fighter that was viewed as a potential dominant World Heavyweight champion in the making, both he and Chisora are each trying to rebuild following setbacks.

For Joyce, “Knockout Artist" with a near 94% career knockout percentage, his setback came in the form of suffering back to back knockout losses at the hands of top contender Zhilei Zhang last year. While those losses represent the only defeats in Joyce's eighteen fight professional career, the knockouts he suffered at the hands of Zhang were brutal and sometimes it is not the number of fights one has, but rather what happens in those fights that can take a lot out of a fighter. Joyce was able to take the initial step forward in trying to bounce back in March of this year when he scored a tenth round knockout of Kash Ali.

As for Derek Chisora, a career that began in 2007 and has seen numerous ups and downs including challenging former longtime Heavyweight world champion Vitali Klitschko in February 2012 for the WBC World Heavyweight crown, appeared to reach its end when Chisora after forty-five professional fights in his career got one last attempt at the WBC crown and was stopped in his third fight with then WBC champion Tyson Fury in December 2022. Chisora, however, returned to the ring in August of last year and scored a ten round unanimous decision over fellow longtime contender Gerald Washington.

If one were to look at bare statistics to compare between Joyce and Chisora, one could give an edge to the younger and theoretically fresher fighter based largely on the fact that Joyce has scored knockouts in fifteen of his sixteen career wins. The thing that will make this interesting, however, is the experience of Chisora in that he has foug\ht several fighters that were known as power punchers and, though he has suffered some knockout losses, he has shown that he can compete effectively when he is at a theoretical disadvantage. The question for him will not only be what he has left, but also, was he able to learn anything about how Zhang approached his encounters with Joyce that he might be able to use in this fight.

Derek Chisora is a fighter that applies pressure from the opening bell and tries to get on the inside of his opponents and look to gradually break them down. While Chisora is a different style of fighter than Zhilei Zhang, he is consistent and does have punching power of his own having scored twenty-three knockouts in his thirty-four wins. Whether Chisora at 6’1 ½ can get on the inside of the 6’6 Joyce remains to be seen. 

At least on paper, Joyce seems to have the advantage standing 6’6 and an eighty inch reach compared to Chisora’s seventy-four inch reach. The question for him will be whether those knockouts at the hands of Zhang have taken something out of him and how he will be able to withstand Chisora’s pressure. Although some might see this encounter as a win or go home scenario, the reality is one can never count any fighter out in the Heavyweight division and the question here might be who will take a step forward and who will wait for another opportunity down the line.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Joyce vs. Chisora takes place on Saturday, July 27th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The fight can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 3:30PM ET/12:30PM PT.

For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com.

(*Card and Start Time Subject To Change.*)

(*Check your local listings Internationally.*)

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Zhang Makes A Statement With Brutal KO

When it comes to rematches where there was a conclusive outcome in the previous meeting, more often than not, the subject going into the return encounter will be whether it will be repeat or revenge. Often such a subplot is centered on the fighter who was defeated and whether or not they can change the outcome the next time around. Perhaps those of us in the media should start approaching rematches from a slightly new perspective.

A perspective such as whether the fighter who emerged victorious in the previous encounter can produce the same outcome in a rematch being a victory, and could they do so in an even more convincing fashion. When top Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang scored a convincing sixth round stoppage of undefeated top contender and former Olympic Gold medalist Joe Joyce earlier this year, it was a convincing stoppage as the effects of the punishment he was able to dish out was such that it caused significant swelling to Joyce's right eye to the point where he could not see, thus forcing the stoppage. Despite the clear victory, Joyce, a fighter known for both his punching power and his ability to absorb punishment, was never knocked off his feet. This in addition to Zhang being the first fighter to defeat Joyce as a professional, fueled demand for a rematch.

A rematch that would take place on September 23rd at the historic Wembley Arena in London, England. As was the case the first time around and perhaps in spite of his dominant performance in April of this year when these two fighters met, Zhang was viewed as a significant underdog. While no one should ever diminish the enthusiasm and fandom of a Boxing fan, it was hard to gloss over what Zhang was able to do in the first fight even though there were some who were of the opinion that Joyce may have been able to turn things around in that fight as it progressed into the middle and late rounds, had it not been for the condition of his eye. It is certainly possible for a fighter to have what this observer often refers to as "A Bad Night At The Office" because fighters, like the rest of us, are only human. For yours truly however, I could not simply dismiss Zhang as a favorite going into the rematch based simply on a "What Might Have Been" possibility. It is also worth noting in taking nothing away from Joyce's reputation, Zhang had a lot of the same attributes going into the first fight including punching power and Olympic pedigree as a former Silver medalist in the 2008 games as a Super Heavyweight.

Nevertheless, with a lot of the buzz going into the rematch centered on Joyce and some merely dismissing what he had done in the first encounter, I was interested to see what Zhang would try to do to attempt to improve on an impressive performance. From the opening bell, it was clear that there was only one fighter in the ring that was prepared in all aspects for the second meeting and that fighter was Zhilei Zhang. 

If one were to ask yours truly to describe Zhang's approach to someone who was only a casual observer of the sport, the best words I could use are"Patient" and "Surgical." Perhaps because he came in twenty pounds heavier than he was in the first fight, Joyce hardly threw any punches, was hesitant and did not appear willing to engage. Zhang simply took his time and took advantage of whatever openings Joyce gave him. Rather than being overly aggressive, which might have been a strategy of Joyce's corner, Zhang simply bided his time. He also was able to do something in the first two rounds that had not been done to Joyce before, he staggered him with both his left and right hands. 

After seeing that Joyce did not want to let his hands go and the reaction his body showed to being hit, my immediate thought was the fight would not last long and that clearly Joyce made a bad decision to invoke a rematch so soon after taking a significant beating five months earlier. No sooner did that thought cross my mind, the fight ended in brutal fashion. Late in the third round, Zhang connected with a perfectly timed right hook to the jaw that sent Joyce down hard face first on the canvas. If Zhilei Zhang's victory in the first fight was convincing, his one punch knockout over a previously iron-chinned Joyce should be viewed as an emphatic statement-making performance in proving that the outcome of the first fight was not a fluke.

While Zhilei Zhang is one step from fighting for a world championship as the WBO's number one Heavyweight contender, this second loss for Joe Joyce should probably serve as a cautionary tale for fighters and more specifically those who are tasked with the responsibility of looking out for the long-term well-being for those fighters to not rush into a rematch even if you might be contractually entitled to one as Joyce was here.

Clearly Joyce was not recovered from what he suffered physically from in the first fight and now there may be cause for concern as to whether he should continue on with his career. There have been countless fighters who have lost back to back fights or even more than that and have been able to rebound throughout the history of Boxing, but when a fighter shows obvious signs of not having punch resistance, nor the ability to throw punches consistently, it is time to seriously consider the fighter's health and what the goal might be for life after Boxing.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Can Joyce Even The Score?

An old saying that any Boxing fan is likely to hear at some point is anything can happen in Boxing and that especially holds true for the Heavyweight division. At this time last year, Joe Joyce was an undefeated Heavyweight contender, who was riding high following the biggest win of his career in becoming the first fighter to stop former Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker inside the distance. Just as it appeared that Joyce was on the verge of fighting for a world championship within a short time, he ran into a wall that brought his road to a world title to a halt.

The wall came in the form of 6'6 Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang. When the two Heated giants met in April of this year, it would be Zhang who would emerge victorious stopping the previously unbeaten "Knockout Artist" Joyce in six rounds. In a rare simple instance in the sport, Joyce exercised his rematch clause, which will take place without much delay or bucket between the two fighters or their camps on Saturday, September 23rd at the historic Wembley Arena in London, England. A rematch that can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+.

There are two questions that surround this rematch. The first question is one that could be asked in two parts. Is Joyce coming back too soon from a loss where frankly he suffered significant punishment before being stopped and whether there is wisdom in seeking an immediate rematch against Zhang. Question two is one that could be both simple or complex to answer. Will the outcome of the rematch be different than the first fight?

Prior to the first encounter, Joyce had firmly established himself as not only one of the Heavyweight division's feared "Knockout Artists," but as someone with a granite chin. One need look no further than his fight with Joseph Parker nearly one year to the day coincidentally of this rematch with Zhang for an illustration of Joyce's ability to take a punch as Parker regularly connected with hard punches, in particular with his right hand that often landed flush on the jaw and chin of Joyce. Punches that would have ended the night for most Heavyweights that Joyce was somehow able to walk through and keep coming forward. 

One could argue however, that it is that very ability, the ability to take a punch that led to his downfall against Zhang in April. Zang was able to frequently land his left hand and right hook from the southpaw stance throughout the first fight. Although Joyce showed an often granite chin as he had done throughout his career, this was the first time in his career where he would be staggered by an opponent and, despite having some moments throughout and seemingly being able to out throw Zhang, he did not have an answer to avoid what Zhang was throwing at him and to be more specific, he had no way to defend and protect himself against what Zhang was able to land. The effects of the punishment dished out by Zhang became apparent as Joyce's right eye became cut and badly swollen resulting in the fight being stopped in round six.

As this rematch approaches Joyce must show some improvement in his ability to evade punches this time around. It is possible that Joyce's right eye may not be fully healed with only five months between the first fight and the second encounter. With this in mind, it may be likely that Zhang will look to target the right eye of Joyce early on, knowing what damage he was able to cause as well as the narrow period of time Joyce has had to heal from the first fight.

Although Joyce was heavily favored going into fight one, Zhang had only suffered one defeat, a narrow twelve round unanimous decision to Filip Hrgovic in August of last year. A fight that many, including this observer, felt Zhang deserved the decision. Even though it may have been possible that some, including perhaps even Joyce himself, underestimated Zhang back in April, it would be a mistake to write off what occurred the first time these two fighters were in the ring as merely a bad night at the office for Joyce.

Going into fight two, it is Zhang with the theoretical advantages and it is Joyce in the position of trying to avenge the only loss of his professional career. Nevertheless, one of the appeals of the sport of Boxing is indeed anything can happen and with much on the line for both fighters as well as the potential future of the division, this fight is truly must see. Whether Joe Joyce can even the score is a question that will be answered on September 23rd.

"And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Zhang vs. Joyce 2 takes place on Saturday, September 23rd at the Wembley Arena in London, England. The fight can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 5PM ET/2PM PT.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices, and Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

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Audley Harrison: :Fury Would Beat Joshua

Press Release: June 2, 2023  

By Liam Solomon/LegalSportsBooks.com -  Liam Solomon recently sat down for an interview with former Olympic Gold medalist and former world title challenger Audley Harrison. Giving his heavyweight prediction on what would be the fight of the decade, Harrison said;

“Tyson Fury isn’t a big puncher, so he’s someone that would wear you down. Now he’s with SugarHill Steward. Tyson Fury has always been a good boxer, even from the amateurs he’s been a quality boxer. But what they have done now as a pro, going to SugarHill, he’s taught him about going forward. Now he’s using his weight and he’s able to go forward. He’s not a big puncher but over time, with his mental strength as well, you’d have to make him the favourite against Joshua. But you definitely cannot rule Joshua out. He’s going to come in in great shape and he’s got to go forward and put that pressure on.”

Fury is all hype & games - sending contract to Joshua

Reacting to the news that Joshua ‘laughed’ at Fury’s recent contract proposal, Harrison said; 

“I think Tyson Fury is the vehicle, he's the voice, and he's the one making the noise, but ultimately, as a team behind him, you've got Frank Warren behind him, you've got Bob Arum behind him, so he has the team behind him. It isn’t just Tyson Fury going out on his own and they're obviously having the talks. For them to send out a contract, you imagine that they've had a conversation, it's like, ‘hey, let's send out a contract’, but I don't know if it's games or what.

“Typically what will happen is that, ‘want to make this fight?’ You've talked the terms, then a heads of agreement will come out with the terms that you've spoken. But they haven't even spoken. It’s pointless just sending an agreement without having discussed it first because you don't know what the other people are going to agree to or not. The negotiation process, it may be a bit of hype if you just say, ‘oh, I'm just going to send you a contract.’ It's not typically how it works.”

I can get Anthony Joshua’s swagger back

Harrison urges Anthony Joshua to take the retired heavyweights advice; 

“When you keep your ‘0’, it gives you that aura. I know when I was undefeated I had that swagger. Once you lose that ‘0’, you’re going to have to rebuild. That’s where he [Joshua] is right now. He’s in a rebuilding process. The Usyk fights didn’t go his way but I think he’s got one more run in him, he’s just got to get it right. 

“Joshua - sit with me, we'll watch your take together. We’ll just watch your last fight together and then I'll just pick up on some stuff. Then we could talk it through in a gym, maybe work it through, that's not offered to you. And I'm guaranteeing you it'd be a good time for your investment. I know it'd be a great time of mine, but great time on your investment.”

Joe Joyce needs to ditch his coaching team for me!

After Joyce’s shock loss to Zhilei, Harrison gives some hard truths about Joyce’s current coaching team; 

“Another guy {Joyce}, who got it all wrong on the night and Zhang took advantage. When he looks at what went wrong, he can't go back with the same team, no adjustments, because that's the definition of madness. You can't get a different result if you do the same thing. So when they look at what went wrong, they should be doing that with an outside audit. You can't audit yourself. Let me audit you in a good way, not a bad way. It can only help you. It cannot be a negative. Trust me, I know a lot. What I know is too much to go to waste. I'm someone that can teach you, external to your system to the training teams, but they {coaching teams} look at me as a threat. There's fear, there's fear.”

I’ve reached out to Dubois, I can help him beat Usyk

Ahead of Dubois’ megafight with Usyk in August, Harrison believe he has the key to beating the Ukrainian;

“Dubois, Joe Joyce, even Lawrence Okolie losing the other day. All those guys I've reached out to. Talking about Dubois and Usyk. Obviously, Usyk has the big advantage. Dubois is a big puncher, but as we've seen in his last couple of last fights, even though he got the win, technically there's some stuff that he can do. I'd love to sit down with Dubois and give him some stuff. If you get an opportunity like that, you can't turn it down. Usyk is a big favourite and he's [Dubois] got to try and make the most of it and get as much advice as he can.

Material Courtesy of Liam Solomon/ LegalSportsBooks.com  Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved. 

Can Joyce Or Zhang Make A Statement To Earn A Shot At A World Heavyweight Championship?

There is little doubt that one of the biggest stories occurring outside the ring in the world of Boxing in 2023 has been the on again, off again, back on again,  and finally stalled negotiations for a fight for what would be the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the world between undefeated world champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. While that subject will certainly remain a topic of discussion, the longer both champions are idle also creates a ripple effect for others in the Heavyweight division that are all looking to get into position to challenge either champion. Such is the case with undefeated WBO number one contender Joe Joyce. 

Joyce,  a former Olympic Gold medalist, has boxed his way to an undefeated record of 15-0, with 14 Knockouts and has successfully moved into the mandatory position in the World Boxing Organization's (WBO) Heavyweight ratings, which in theory puts him next in line to face the unified IBF/WBA/IBO/WBO world champion Oleksandr Usyk. Despite this and an impressive knockout win of former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker in his last fight in September of last year in becoming the first fighter to stop Parker, Joyce is unfortunately no closer as Mid-April 2023 now comes to facing Usyk. While unfortunately that is likely the result of the stalled negotiations between Usyk and Fury, which if that fight had happened, Joyce would theoretically be in line to face the winner, it now creates a scenario where Joyce needs to fight both as a means of staying active, but also to try and maintain his number one ranking.

Although it has to be frustrating for a fighter in Joyce's position in the politics that be in the sport more or less for the time being maneuvering him out of the equation for a shot at the title, there is a way that this could turn out to be a positive for him. A brief dive into Boxing history by this observer for the reader provides some precedent as to how. 

Many of us of a certain age who have followed the sport for most of, if not all of our lives likely remember the circumstances that the legendary Evander Holyfield found himself in during his initial rise as a Heavyweight contender in the 1980"s after an unbeaten run where he successfully unified the Cruiserweight division. As a Heavyweight contender,  Holyfield fought his way to a number one ranking in the WBC,WBA, and IBF during the period where those were the three recognized world sanctioning organizations in the days that predated the inception of both the WBO and the International Boxing Organization (IBO). The Undisputed Heavyweight champion in those days was a young and unbeaten Mike Tyson,  who in addition to getting into troubles outside of the ring, was facing other opposition in the ring and for circumstances that can be explained simply as the politics of the sport,  Holyfield was denied his opportunity to face Tyson. 

Holyfield responded to those circumstances by fighting more frequently than the champion, facing both top contenders and former world champions in the process. By doing so, it not only kept him active against the best available competition at the time, but it also kept Holyfield in the public eye. This served to his benefit as he built public support in the process and eventually used that to secure a fight with James "Buster" Douglas, who had defeated Tyson in February 1990, to fight for the undisputed championship in October of that year. Holyfield made quick work of Douglas knocking out the champion in three rounds to win the championship and in the process, ushered in a new era of the division, which was largely dominated by him as its central figure. 

While obviously Holyfield had to wait longer than he should have to get his shot, his patience and persistence paid off in the long run and today he is a Hall of Famer and regarded as one of the all-time great Heavyweights. The point of this brief background into a fighter that found himself in similar circumstances as Joyce is now in is simple. Though it has to be frustrating,  it can work for him by turning a negative into a positive.

The next step in the career of Joe Joyce will take place on April at the Copper Box Arena in London, England when the unbeaten "Knockout Artist" will face number thirteen ranked WBO Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang in a fight that can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. Zhang is the first Heavyweight that this observer can remember to hail from China and will enter this fight with a 24-1-1, with 19 Knockouts. 

Zhang will also come into this fight however,  coming off of his first loss in his career in dropping a twelve round unanimous decision to undefeated Heavyweight contender Filip Hrgovic in August of last year.  While Zang, much like Joyce, has punching power and has shown the ability to score quick knockouts in his career, an argument could be made that the two times he has stepped up his caliber of opposition up to this point, it resulted in a draw with veteran Jerry Forrest and the loss against Hrgovic.

With this in mind, Zhang might be looking to not only win this fight, but do so by making a statement against clearly another opponent that is a step up for him. What this could mean is potentially a short, but explosive fight where it may simply come down to which fighter is able to land flush on the other. In terms of each fighter's ability to take a punch, Joyce took the best of what Joseph Parker threw at him including several flush punches that would have likely dropped most Heavyweights and he kept coming forward. The question is how will Zhang respond to Joyce's power if the unbeaten contender lands flush.

Although much of the attention on the current state of the Heavyweight division has centered on the Usyk-Fury saga as well as the recent return of former two-time Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, who scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin at the beginning of April, it is now time for Joe Joyce and Zhilei Zhang to take center stage to see if either can maneuver their way into a possible opportunity to fight for a world championship, which unfortunately due to the business and political elements of the sport,could prove to be an easier fight to make for either Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury, than a fight between each other for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world appears to be.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Joyce vs. Zhang takes place on Saturday, April 15th at Copper Box Arena in London, England. The fight can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+  beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

ESPN+ is available through the ESPN app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices and Smart TVs. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com. 

*Card and start times subject to change.

"Check your local listings internationally.*

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Fury Concludes Chisora Trilogy In Dominant Fashion

 

In previewing the third bout between undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and longtime contender and former world title challenger Dereck Chisora, this observer pointed out that the trilogy bout between the current holder of the WBC World Heavyweight championship and the former European Heavyweight champion Chisora did not come in the standard way that most think of when it comes to a series of three fights between two fighters. While it was indeed true that Fury had won both of the previous encounters, including stopping Chisora in the second bout eight years ago, the question going into the third fight for the champion was whether or not he was looking past the challenger and toward a potential unification bout in 2023 against undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk for what would be the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world.

 

An additional question that I personally had in mind given not only what had occurred in the previous two meetings between Fury and Chisora, but specifically given Fury’s status going into the third fight as a significant favorite, was whether Fury could produce a statement-making performance and close the book on the trilogy in convincing fashion. It was also worth wondering whether at an advanced stage of his career, if Chisora could produce an upset the likes of which would be one of the top in the history of the Heavyweight division.

 

With a crowd of over 60,000 in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night in London, England, Fury showed that he was not looking ahead to a more lucrative bout to come in the near future. Although Chisora came out aggressively in the first round and did what a shorter fighter is theoretically supposed to do against a taller and longer fighter in trying to push the 6’9 268lb. Fury back by going to the body and applying pressure, it was not long before Fury put on a full display of his Boxing skills. Following the opening round where the challenger seemed to land more punches, Fury began using his reach, angles, and combination punching to gradually administer a beating on the longtime contender. One of the primary weapons that the champion used in doing that was his jab, followed by overhand rights, and mixing his punches in combination to keep the 6’1 ½ Chisora at a distance where Fury could hit him and the challenger could only occasionally return offense. Another weapon that was noticeable in this fight as was the case in Fury’s last title defense in April against top contender Dillian Whyte was the use of the right uppercut that the champion used when Chisora tried to duck under his long reach and attempted to get on the inside.

 

Although Chisora as has been the case throughout his career remained very “Game” and was able to hit Fury sporadically, particularly with flush overhand rights, as the fight progressed, one question came to mind as it became clear that Fury would be able to take what Chisora had to offer and continue dominating the combat, how long would the fight last? While no one can take anything away from the heart a fighter shows during a fight, this was the type of fight that I frankly worried that if it were not stopped as the one-way beating continued, it may have resulted in permanent injury for Chisora.

 

It was after all only recently that Aidos Yerbossynuly was hospitalized with a severe brain injury after being stopped by undefeated Super-Middleweight contender David Morrell. The commonalities between that fight and this one was clearly apparent. Both Yerbossynuly and Chisora were too brave for their own good and both fights were allowed to go on well beyond where they should have been stopped. In a scenario that was similar to the second encounter between Fury and Chisora where Fury stopped him in ten rounds in a mostly one-sided fight, the third bout between the two would also be stopped with just ten seconds remaining in the tenth round when Referee Victor Loughlin finally decided that Chisora had taken enough punishment.

 

Although in some ways Fury’s performance and to be more specific the dominance he showed in this fight reminded me of two dominant Heavyweight champions from a recent era in the sport, brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, the latter of whom Fury defeated to win his first world championship in November 2015 in that he was so dominant that the outcome of the fight was formulaic, I found myself openly questioning why the fight was allowed to go into the tenth round. No one should take anything away from Dereck Chisora for the heart and frankly mettle he showed in this fight and has shown for his entire career, but as was the case several weeks ago following David Morrell’s twelfth round stoppage of Aidos Yerbossynuly, I feel that both Chisora’s corner as well as Referee Victor Loughlin allowed this to go on well beyond where it should have been stopped.

 

A fighter’s mentality, at least most of the time where a boxer does not determine on their own that they have taken enough punishment and decide to retire from a fight, is to keep fighting no matter what where the only way a fight will be stopped is either that fighter being knocked out, or being able to go the distance. What is not factored into the equation is the amount of punishment a fighter suffers in the process. It is therefore, the responsibility of both the referee officiating a bout and more specifically a fighter’s corner to know when enough is enough and to protect a fighter from themselves in order to hopefully prevent the possibility of permanent injury.

 

While in this case Dereck Chisora was able to leave the ring and by all accounts at least as of this writing seems to be okay following this fight, the subject of when a fight should be stopped is something that yours truly feels needs to be addressed by the various state athletic commissions, international regulatory boards, and sanctioning organizations that appoint referees to official bouts. It should also be explained to those working a fighter’s corner that they are the first line of protection to ensure that their fighter can exit competition safely. Although thankfully there was no instance of severe injury resulting from this fight, preventing and perhaps protocols need to be implemented in the future at every level of the sport.

 

As for Tyson Fury, if a bout between he and Oleksandr Usyk is indeed the aim going into 2023, he has done his part to set up the potential Undisputed Heavyweight championship fight. Perhaps the champion will choose to have one more fight prior to a potential bout with Usyk. If that were the case, top contenders Joe Joyce, who is currently unbeaten and the WBO’s top Heavyweight contender and WBA number one contender Daniel Dubois, who scored a third round stoppage of Kevin Lerena after being dropped three times in the first round on the undercard of Fury’s second stoppage of Dereck Chisora, would both be good potential options for Fury, particularly if the champion wants to continue fighting for the time being in the United Kingdome where both fighters much like Whyte and Chisora before them, have sizable followings and could likely help sell a stadium out to challenge Fury.

 

With two victories in 2022 now in the books, if Fury is done toying with retirement, it is hard to say that he would not be favored over Usyk, Joyce, or Dubois given both his size and skillset, which seems to be improving with every fight. No matter who the current WBC world champion fights next, there are some interesting times and possibilities ahead in the Heavyweight division heading into 2023. The only question might be could either of the three potential opponents or perhaps a contender not currently in the mix pose a challenge for Fury.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

 

Jabs And Observations September-November 2022

 

While it was originally intended as a monthly to bi-monthly feature that was introduced earlier this year by this observer here on The Boxing Truth® as a means to frankly cover as much ground as possible in covering the sport of Boxing beyond the short-form card coverage and individual features that cover specific fights and subjects throughout the calendar year, Jabs And Observations has been absent since March. Although this was not intended as such, I felt coverage provided throughout 2022 had been smooth where the feature would be used on an occasional basis for the remainder of the year when circumstances warranted, with the aim of returning it as a bi-monthly feature column in 2023. As tends to be the case from the months of September through the remainder of a year, yours truly began the month of September in the midst of what I consider to be my norm, covering what usually tends to be a very active Boxing schedule during the latter months of the year.

Even though most of September ran smoothly in this regard, unfortunately plans changed in the last week and a half of the month. This was due to the unfortunate disaster known as Hurricane Ian, which necessitated my family and I to evacuate to seek higher ground. Although I am as have said in the weeks and months since the storm across social media, extremely grateful that the storm did not directly impact my area as was originally forecasted in the days prior to it making landfall in Florida and have no illusions as to how lucky we were upon seeing the effects of the storm in other areas as it could have been much worse, unfortunately having to evacuate as well as the Boxing schedule continuing as normal resulted in material that was in development for the final week of September as well as the first few weeks of October being sidelined, thus necessitating the return of Jabs and Observations.

 

While I will not put the reader through the several pages of material that was written across two features if memory serves me as I write this, I do want to spend a little time discussing some of the events that took place prior to the storm that I did cover as well as some things that have happened since as I have eased back into the schedule following what frankly was a scary and stressful time. Something that unfortunately we had a subtle reminder of recently with hurricane Nicole as well.

 

With the subject now thankfully turning to Boxing, the last week of September 2022 featured two bouts that were of particular interest to yours truly. First, was the September 23^rd bout, which featured undefeated two-division world champion  Shakur Stevenson in what turned out to be his final bout in the 130lb. Jr. Lightweight division. This was because not only his setting his sights on the 135lb. Lightweight division where there are some interesting fights that could be ahead for him as well as more lucrative paydays, but also because he failed to make weight for his scheduled title defense against top contender Robson Conceicio resulting in his losing the unified WBC/WBO Jr. Lightweight world championship on the weight scale. Stevenson’s struggle to make the 130lb. limit did not have an adverse effect on him as he soundly out boxed Conceicio over twelve rounds to earn a convincing twelve round unanimous decision.

 

While some were critical of Stevenson for not making the weight prior to this fight, it is important to keep in mind that the human body can be a mystery at times and what may work for one fighter in terms of cutting and maintaining weight may not necessarily work for another fighter under similar circumstances. There are also times where no matter what a fighter does, the issue of making weight remains difficult especially for fighters who are naturally bigger than where they compete in terms of fighting weight, thus a move up in weight to a heavier weight class is often a necessity for fighters that are not natural Heavyweights as their careers progress. With his focus now turning to the Lightweight division, I do not necessarily see Stevenson remaining in the division for long.

 

This is due to several notable fighters that could be lucrative opportunities for him either having already moved up to the 140lb. Lightweight division or will soon be doing so. Along with Stevenson’s comfort level at that weight, which is yet to be determined, it will likely mean that his time as a Lightweight could be brief depending on what may be available to him as a Jr. Welterweight down the line.

 

On September 24^th, an important Heavyweight bout took place in London, England that featured former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker and undefeated top contender Joe Joyce in what was billed as a world title elimination bout. Although Joyce had ended every bout, but one he has fought as a professional inside the distance, the question remained as to whether or not he would face a sufficient test before getting a shot at a world championship. Parker proved to provide that test as the former world champion was able to land flush right hands on Joyce throughout the fight. Despite Parker’s success, as the fight progressed, Joyce gradually wore and broke him down before knocking Parker out in the eleventh round. The first knockout loss of Parker’s career.

 

Two important questions of Joyce were answered in this fight. The first was how he would react to being hit flush by a fighter that has some punching power. Despite being hit with right hands that may have dropped some Heavyweights, Joyce was able to take the best that Parker had to offer and press forward. The second question was would being hit flush change his approach? Joyce was able to show that he could keep his mind on the task at hand and ended up producing one of the best performances of his fifteen fight professional career. With the win, Joyce became the WBO’s number one Heavyweight contender for undefeated current IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk. It may be unlikely based on Usyk’s desire to meet undefeated WBC champion Tyson Fury in a bout for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world in the near future that Joyce will get his opportunity at least in the immediate months ahead. If however, Joyce can remain active against other top contenders in the meantime and continue to maintain his position as the WBO’s top contender, he will likely be the first fighter in line once the issue regarding a potential undisputed championship fight is settled.

 

While yours truly spent the last week of September and the first weeks of October evacuating due to hurricane Ian and subsequently taking a little time to recharge and refocus after a difficult time, the month of October was dominated by one topic. The collapse of the scheduled bout between undefeated Welterweight contender Conor Benn and former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. By now most know that the bout, which was to take place in London, England on October 8^th ended up being cancelled by the British Boxing Board of Control in the days prior to the bout taking place, while the fighters were in the midst of the normal “Fight Week” festivities and obligations. The reason for the abrupt cancellation was due to Benn testing positive for a banned substance in the weeks prior.

 

In the interest of honesty with the reader, my mind was frankly on other things at the time this occurred, but as I observed the fallout, which as of this writing is still not settled, one question continuously ran through my mind. Why would the British Boxing Board of Control wait until mere days before what was a highly anticipated event, particularly throughout the United Kingdom, if the board were aware of a positive test well before fight week festivities began? It is important for me to point out that I ask this question not as an expert in the field of drug testing, but merely as an observer who covers the sport. This situation has not been resolved as of this writing, but I will say that at minimum, the protocols of not only the British Boxing Board of Control and any other reputable state or international regulatory boards should be reviewed in order to ensure if there is indeed a circumstance of a positive test that a situation like this can be avoided in the future.

 

Now as we approach Thanksgiving here in the United States, I would like to share a few brief thoughts about what has gone on in recent weeks. First, as the reader can probably tell, I have jumped around a bit here and if there is anything omitted from this edition of Jabs And Observations it is merely a circumstance of the constraints of what can fit into a single column. Originally, I intended to conclude this edition with the Benn-Eubank Jr. controversy. I would however, be doing readers and the sport a disservice if I did not share my view on the recent fights between undefeated Super-Middleweight contender David Morrell and Aids Yerbossynuly. A fight that took place in the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN on November 5^th. Quite frankly, the fight was a mismatch from very early in the bout as Morrell administered what can be described as a beating on a very “Game,” but overmatched Yerbossynuly. Despite the one-sided nature of the bout, somehow the fight was allowed to go into the twelfth and final round, where after sustaining significant punishment throughout the contest, Morrell was able to drop Yerbossynuly and led to a long overdue stoppage.

 

Most who are familiar with this fight know that Yerbossynuly suffered a severe brain injury, had to be helped back to his corner by Morrell and Referee Tony Weeks. Following the bout, Yerbossynuly was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery to reduce swelling on his brain and was for a time put in a medically induced coma. Although Yerbossynuly remains hospitalized as of this writing, he is said to be improving, which is news that  all who are involved in the sport should welcome.

 

This observer however, has struggled to find the words to describe my feelings on what I saw in this bout. After a lifetime covering Boxing and by extension combat sports, there is not much that I have not seen. This unfortunately includes several bouts that were allowed to go on well past the point where they should have been stopped resulting in traumatic brain injury and death. While I will admit that the topic of when a fight should be stopped is one that can be it’s own column and perhaps several if I am honest with the reader, I do wonder when does common sense enter the equation?

 

As in when it is clear that a fight is one-sided as this one was, at what point is it the responsibility of a fighter’s corner, the referee, and the athletic commission overseeing a fight to exercise common sense and prevent an injury or God forbid worse before it occurs. No one can take anything away from the heart Aidos Yerbossynuly showed in this fight, but his corner, the Minnesota Boxing commission, and Referee Tony Weeks should review the fight, which was subsequently pulled from reairings by United States premium cable network Showtime and see where they could have stopped the fight sooner. While Aidos Yerbossynuly is recovering, the reality is missing the signs of when a fight should be stopped may result in a more tragic outcome next time. Everyone involved in the sport, especially commissions/regulatory boards and referees should consider if protocols need to be changed. This observer believes at minimum a dialogue should take place in order to hopefully, try and prevent something like this from happening in the future.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

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Joyce-Parker Weights From Manchester, England

The official weigh-in for Saturday’s Heavyweight bout between undefeated WBO number one contender Joe Joyce and former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker took place earlier today in Manchester, England. The scheduled twelve round bout, which will determine interim championship status in the WBO Heavyweight ratings as Joyce and Parker are rated number one and two respectively, can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ from the Manchester Arena.

Joyce will be the heavier of the two fighters having weighed in earlier today at 271 1/4lbs. The former world champion Joseph Parker weighed in at 255 1/4lbs. This bout will in essence determine the next mandatory challenger for undefeated current IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk as mandated by the WBO.

*Weights for the undercard bouts are unavailable as of this writing.

Joyce vs. Parker takes place on Saturday, September 24th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. In the United States, the fight as well as it’s undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com.

*Check your local listings internationally.

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Joyce-Parker Preview

 One of the intriguing bouts on the Boxing schedule for September 24^th will take place in the Heavyweight division as former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker will face undefeated WBO number one contender Joe Joyce at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. The fight, which can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ will be to determine interim championship status in the World Boxing Organization’s current Heavyweight ratings as both Joyce and Parker are the top two contenders for the WBO championship currently held by  undefeated unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk.

 

While this does amount to an elimination bout to see who the next mandatory challenger as far as the WBO is concerned for its version of the World Heavyweight championship, it is still one of the best fights that has been made in the division in recent times. Parker will come into this fight having been unbeaten four years. In that time, Parker has won six straight fights with three of those bouts coming by knockout. Most recently, Parker is coming off back to back decision victories over longtime contender and former world title challenger Dereck Chisora in 2021.

 

Although Parker has rebounded well from his loss to former world title challenger Dillian Whyte in 2018 and his loss earlier that year in losing his world title in a unification bout against Anthony Joshua, he has yet to secure another opportunity to challenge for a world championship again. Now Parker finds himself in position to be the mandatory challenger for the world title he once held, if he can defeat Joe Joyce.

 

Joyce is unbeaten in fourteen professional bouts having scored knockouts in thirteen of those fights. Despite currently having a career knockout percentage of nearly 93% coming into this fight, Joyce will be at a significant disadvantage in terms of experience and more specifically experience at nearly the top level of competition in the Heavyweight division. In his last fight, Joyce scored a fourth round stoppage of longtime contender Christian Hammer in July.

 

What this fight will boil down to in this observer’s eyes is whether or not Parker will be able to use his experience to his advantage. To be more specific, whether Parker will be able to extend Joyce into the deep waters of a fight also known as the middle and late rounds and put the unbeaten contender in a position where he is not dictating the tempo of the combat. Parker is a good boxer/puncher that has shown in his career not only an ability to go into the late rounds of a fight at the highest level of the sport, but also an ability to gradually outwork his opponents. There have however, been times throughout Parker’s career where he has been caught and knocked down as was the case in his first bout against Dereck Chisora and was also the case in the latter stages of his bout against Dillian Whyte.

 

Joe Joyce does have the type of punching power that can end a fight suddenly. While some may be expecting that to happen in this fight should Joyce connect flush with his punches on Parker, the challenge for the former world champion that may prove to be easier said than done will be to fight an extremely tactical fight from start to finish and not allow Joyce to dictate how the combat is fought. Joyce meanwhile should not go into this fight expecting to rely on his punching power.

 

Simply put, Joyce must know the caliber of opponent his is in the ring with and must be prepared to go all twelve rounds if need be. If Joyce goes into this fight with the intention of trying to end it quickly and does not pace himself, it could play into the strategy that Parker will likely be looking to implement by using movement and attempting to out box Joyce.

 

With the Boxing world still abuzz over Oleksandr Usyk’s recent second victory over Anthony Joshua in August, and recent ramblings of Joshua facing undefeated WBC champion Tyson Fury later this year, the winner of this fight may seem to be on the outside looking in, especially if Usyk has no intention of fighting anyone else than the winner of the potential Fury-Joshua bout. A good performance by either fighter however, may be the fuel that will start an argument for them getting an opportunity to fight Usyk in the near future. With the stakes rising in the division, we will see who will be able to make the next step forward between Joyce and Parker on Saturday night.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Joyce vs. Parker takes place on Saturday, September 24^th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. In the United States, the fight as well as it’s undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ beginning at 2PM ET/11AM PT. For more information about ESPN+ including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ESPNPlus.com.

 

*Check your local listings internationally.

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

BREAKING: Women's World Championship Unification Doubleheader Back On For October 15th In London, England Boxing Set To Resume In The United Kingdom

It has been announced that the highly anticipated Women’s Boxing world championship unification doubleheader featuring a bout for the Undisputed Women’s Middleweight world championship between world champions Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall and a Jr. Lightweight world title unification bout between world champions Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner has been officially rescheduled for October 15th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The card, which can be seen in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ was originally scheduled for September 10th at the same venue was postponed the day before it was supposed to take place due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8th.

Following an official ten day period of mourning throughout the United Kingdom and funeral services for the Queen on Monday, September 19th, sports including Boxing are set to resume throughout the United Kingdom. The first Boxing card scheduled to take place will be on Saturday, September 24th headlined by a Heavyweight bout between former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker and understood top contender Joe Joyce at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. As will be the case with the women’s world championship unification doubleheader on October 15th, the Parker-Joyce bout can also be seen on ESPN+. Also in action on September 24th in Nottingham, England at the Nottingham Arena, IBO Lightweight world champion Maxi Hughes will defend his world title against former IBF Featherweight world champion Kid Galahad. On the Hughes-Galahad undercard, unified Women’s IBO/WBA Jr. Middleweight world champion Hannah Rankin will defend her title against former IBO/WBC Jr. Lightweight world champion Terri Harper. Both bouts as well as it’s full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

We will have coverage of both cards over the next week and will keep readers updated on any developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Joyce Stops Takam In 6, Was The Fight Stopped Prematurely?

 

Originally July 24^th was to be a day highlighted by the anticipated third encounter between undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, the current holder of the WBC crown in the Heavyweight division, and former WBC world champion Deontay Wilder. As most know, the fight was postponed due to Fury and several members of his team testing positive for the COVID-19 virus. The latest twist in what has been a turbulent time not just in the division, but in the entire sport due largely to the ongoing global epidemic.

 

In the absence of the third chapter in the Fury-Wilder saga, an intriguing fight took place at the Wembley Arena in London, England that had serious implications as to the near future of the Heavyweight division. This observer is referring to the Heavyweight elimination bout between undefeated WBO mandatory challenger Joe Joyce and longtime contender and former world title challenger Carlos Takam. An encounter that for all intents and purposes amounted to an elimination bout to determine the next mandatory challenger in the World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) Heavyweight ratings to face the winner of the upcoming world championship bout between unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO world champion Anthony Joshua and current WBO number one contender and former Undisputed World Cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, which is scheduled to take place in September.

 

In many ways, this fight though compelling because of what was at stake can be summed up simply as a battle of youth versus experience. The youth end of the equation was in favor of the younger and seemingly stronger unbeaten Joyce. Despite stopping over 90% of his opponents in his twelve previous professional bouts, the 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist had not been tested significantly in his professional career, and naturally the question of how he would respond to a test had been asked.Joyce’s opponent in Carlos Takam appeared to be the type of opposition capable of answering just how good Joyce might be in being a fighter with a level of experience that could provide him with a test. Some may remember Takam for his valiant effort in his challenge of the then undefeated unified Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in October 2017.

 

Although Takam was stopped in that fight, he was able to give a good account of himself in defeat and has remained one of the division’s top contenders in the years since.  At forty years old after a career of forty-five professional fights that began in 2005, it was logical to question just how much Takam had left at this stage of his career. In addition to Joyce’s youth in being five years younger than him, Takam also had to deal with a disadvantage in height of nearly five inches to the 6’6 Joyce.

 

It appeared for a time that Takam would not have as much difficulty as someone might have assumed going into this fight regarding whether he had the ability to navigate Joyce’s reach as he spent much of the early rounds trying to use head movement to slip underneath Joyce’s punches. A strategy that proved to be reasonably successful and created opportunities for him to land his right hand to the head of Joyce. While he was not always the more active of the two fighters, the success Takam had in frequently finding the target with his right hand, I felt carried the tempo of the fight through most of the early rounds. 

 

In round five, Joyce, who had gradually found success of his own in landing hooks to Takam’s body, appeared to have what was to that point his best round of the fight as with the success in landing to Takam’s body, Joyce, the current Commonwealth Heavyweight champion was able to get some space between himself and his opponent. As it appeared as Joyce’s strategy was to gradually step up his offense from this point in the fight on, he surprised Takam by opening round six with a barrage of punches that did have him stunned, on the defensive, and struggling to return offense 

 

Although Takam was stunned, he did not get knocked down. The volume of offense from Joyce however, was enough to convince Referee Howard Foster to step in and stop the fight. A stoppage that appeared as though it might have been a little quick as Takam was still attempting to find a way to return offense, was met with disgust by Takam and his handlers.

 

There is no disputing that Carlos Takam was under heavy fire from Joyce and did appear visibly stunned. Even though the stoppage did appear to be quick in this observer’s eyes, Referee Howard Foster was the closest person to the combat inside the ring and thus had a better view than anyone as to whether Takam was in eminent danger or was capable of continuing. Though I stand by my initial reaction that the stoppage was a bit quick, I do not believe it was a case of a referee recklessly jumping in before it would have been appropriate to do so. This is more of a circumstance where it may have been a matter of seconds before the window of a stoppage would have been the right call if one is objective and views things fully.  As such and having seen the consequences of what can happen when fights are allowed to go on longer than they should, I will always give the benefit of the doubt to the referee under these circumstances.

 

Although for Carlos Takam, this setback is the definition of a tough break, much like his loss to Anthony Joshua, he gave a good account of himself in defeat and will likely get another opportunity against a top contender off of what was a good performance. For Joe Joyce meanwhile, he now has placed himself firmly in position to challenge for a world championship at some point in the future. Just how quickly he will get that chance will likely be determined by what occurs at the top of the division as the wish for unification of the World Heavyweight championship, a goal that appeared so close at the beginning of 2021, remains so far from becoming reality. For top contenders like Joe Joyce however, such stalls in progress could well lead to opportunity.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison