In all harsh reality, a win over 40-year-old Derek Chisora will not do all that much for Joe Joyce, not in terms of proving that he still has what it takes to defeat the elite fighters of the division.
Joyce, though, says a win over Chisora on Saturday night will propel him into a big fight with “any of the top boys.” Joyce, beaten only by Zhilei Zhang, with the Chinese southpaw stopping Joyce twice back-to-back, is favored to defeat the shop-worn but still tough Chisora, likely by stoppage.
But then what? Or you might say, so what! Joyce still believes he can and will become the world heavyweight champion. He has listed fighters Joseph Parker, Daniel Dubois (who Joyce holds wins over), Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and even Oleksandr Usyk as the heavyweights he feels will be on his radar after he’s done away with Chisora.
“Get through Chisora, and I’m still up there, I’m still ready, and I’m coming for everybody,” Joyce said when speaking with Sky Sports. “Parker, that would be a good fight, a rematch. Any of the top boys really. Joshua can get it. Dubois can get it. All of them can get it. Fury and Usyk! I’m coming for everyone. Getting that heavyweight title that’s what I’m still in the sport for. I got to the top level in the amateurs and got a silver medal [at the Olympics], and arguably – this is in the past – it should have been gold. I’ve had my setbacks, but I’m still here, I’m still live, and I’m still ‘The Juggernaut.’”
The odds say Joyce, at age 38, will not become the holder of a major heavyweight title, yet at the same time, Joyce cannot be totally written off. Maybe Zhang simply had Joyce’s number. Those stoppage wins over Parker and Dubois do look pretty good on Joyce’s record, especially when we consider what Parker and Dubois went on to achieve after being stopped by Joyce. Maybe Joyce can repeat the two biggest wins of his career?
If Dubois shocks Anthony Joshua in their IBF title fight in September, maybe Dubois will look to give Joyce a rematch. And in heavyweight boxing, one win and a man can be right bang at the top again; Joyce, with a win over Dubois, could win the IBF belt. Again, Joyce shouldn’t have too many problems with Chisora (who, let’s face it, should have retired some time ago), but we won’t know how much mileage is left in “The Juggernaut” until he faces a top 10 guy.
It’s easy to agree with Joyce when he says return fights between he and Parker and/or Dubois would be very interesting. Who knows, maybe Joyce does KO both guys again if given the chance?
