Joe Joyce and recently crowned WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk have some history, the two having boxed at amateur level back in 2013, with the Ukrainian southpaw walking away with a pretty wide five-round decision victory – and now, Joyce, unbeaten himself in the pro ranks, wants a shot at his old adversary.
Speaking with UK tabloid The Sun, “The Juggernaut” said his approach against Usyk would be different from that of the recently defeated Anthony Joshua, simply because he himself would throw a lot more leather than AJ did against Usyk. Joyce says he’d love to fight Usyk again, “especially if it’s for the belts.”
“I think AJ suits Usyk more than my style,” Joyce said. “I’m a hard style for Usyk to fight. That’s why I think he was patient in waiting to fight Joshua. I’d throw more shots and I’d have a nice training camp with Ismael Salas again and [we’d] work out the game-plan to beat this guy. It’s a fight that I can win, especially if it’s for the belts.”
Joyce, 13-0(12) is coming off a sixth-round stoppage win over Carlos Takam in July and the 36 year old is waiting on his next fight. Joyce recently said he may well fight again before the end of the year. But Joyce, the WBO mandatory challenger, is in a good position even if he may have to wait some considerable amount of time before getting a world title shot.
Joyce may be slow, of hands and of feet, yet he has a fine jab, he has raw power, and of course, Joyce is as durable as they come, being almost impossible to move in the ring. An Usyk Vs. Joyce fight at pro level would certainly prove very interesting. Joyce is right about one thing, too: he would throw more punches than Joshua did in his fight with Usyk. How would the 221 pound, 6’3” Usyk get on with the 6’6” around 270 pound Joyce?
Before we get an answer to that, if we ever do, Usyk will have to repeat his big win over Joshua; the two set to collide again as per the rematch clause that was in place going into their September 25th fight at Tottenham.
Only one man can beat Usyk and that’s Fury, not on anything other than pure size and even that doesn’t convince me!
The key to beat the southpaw is straight right ,left hook, front foot on the outside. Would have to really pressure usyk though. Force usyk to his (joyces) left. Double up (body head or vice versa) on hook, if it moves usyk , then right hand. Hope he wins it would be nice. Then give yoka a rematch and show him the pros is harder than the amateurs, beat him up and ruin his career for him. Good luck joe