Joe Joyce v Zhilei Zhang 2

Joe Joyce will face a rematch against Zhilei Zhang in London later this year as he bids to get back on track for a world heavyweight championship fight.

Chinese boxer Zhang delivered a major blow to the Brit’s title dreams in April with a bruising sixth-round stoppage, Joyce’s first defeat of his professional career.

There had been talk of the pair heading to Beijing after the rematch clause was activated, but Joyce’s team have secured Wembley Arena as the venue for this bout on September 23, 2023.

“I’m coming back to take back what’s mine,” 37-year-old Joyce declared with Thursday’s announcement.

“September 23rd I am leaving everything in that ring. No compromises. No underestimating my opponent. Nothing, but a win.”

Zhang, 40, was linked with fighting Tyson Fury after upsetting Joyce to claim the WBO interim heavyweight title, which will again be on the line in September.

Oleksandr Usyk is the current reigning WBO heavyweight champion and the victorious fighter in Zhang vs Joyce 2 could be handed a shot at the belt as the mandatory challenger, amid talk of Usyk fighting Fury later this year.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...69acd68e&ei=16

Fair play going straight back in but I can see same outcome and a career ender along the lines of Price.

So Joyce gets beat up bad and gets the rematch in his own back yard. Maybe they should tie one of Zhang’s hands behind his back just make sure it’s evened out. :rolleyes:

Random thought, what is so wrong but at the same time so right about this rematch halfway into 2023. Just two top ten guys who already had many doubters watching other "top" guys with another eye. They took the headlines no one intended for them, game tough scrap and then are running it back immediately.

Look...right now this division is a stagnant joke. Champs in name only barking about fighting mma guys, circus bears or God knows what at this point, former champs talking their way out of mutual and needed top contender match ups and other former champs sitting on the sideline content to wait on some "magical Christmas lottery in Dubai" :juggle:. It's really quite sad. So glass up for Zhang and Joyce I say. I honestly have more anticipation and respect for the two of them mid 2023 than the rest of the CF of a division.

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Originally Posted by Spicoli

Random thought, what is so wrong but at the same time so right about this rematch halfway into 2023. Just two top ten guys who already had many doubters watching other "top" guys with another eye. They took the headlines no one intended for them, game tough scrap and then are running it back immediately.

Look...right now this division is a stagnant joke. Champs in name only barking about fighting mma guys, circus bears or God knows what at this point, former champs talking their way out of mutual and needed top contender match ups and other former champs sitting on the sideline content to wait on some "magical Christmas lottery in Dubai" :juggle:. It's really quite sad. So glass up for Zhang and Joyce I say. I honestly have more anticipation and respect for the two of them mid 2023 than the rest of the CF of a division.

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A lot of good points above. But it comes to something when we feel we have to praise 2 fringe fighters for actually doing what they’re paid to do.
Not just this fight , but it is a perfect example, neither of them is a champion, and there was no controversy, so what the fuck need is there for a rematch ?
The real problem is the governing bodies are weak as piss and are only interested in their commissions.
I watched Carl Froch on YouTube yesterday and although he’s full of self righteous bullshit, every now and again he makes a decent point. He had a list of the top 25 HW’s in the world , and not one of them had a fight scheduled! He acknowledged Jared Anderson fighting Charles Martin this weekend , but Anderson wasn’t on this list.
How the fuck can the division go forward if nobody fights ffs? It’s a fucking disgrace and guess who suffers from it? Yep, the fans.
We’re left to debate whether Fury is better than Usyk or if AJ could beat him blah blah blah.
Total bullshit.

Man, this is gonna be a good one! Joyce is out for redemption and ready to give it his all. Zhang obviously put on a stunning performance last time, so we'll see if he can take him the distance this time. Can't wait to see how it all plays out. Ready for September 23!

Zhang says he wants a shot at Fury should he inflict another defeat upon Joyce.

“After Joyce, fighting with Tyson Fury would be my next target,” he told CGTN Europe.

“Last time I made history, the best inheritance of history is to create new history. Creating a new history of the Chinese in the field of boxing is my mission and my original intention.

“People always think Chinese boxing can’t produce heavyweight boxers, and Chinese boxing can’t compete with European and American boxing. I don’t agree. I believe Chinese boxing will definitely occupy the most central position on the international stage.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...e0f5054&ei=100

Picked up by ESPN+ in the States! And Zhang called Fury a phony chump disgrace and bad for the division so I’m all in 😆

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Originally Posted by Mark TKO

Fair play going straight back in but I can see same outcome and a career ender along the lines of Price.

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I have to agree with you Mark, Zhang is all wrong for with wide open slugger Joyce.

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Originally Posted by Spicoli

Picked up by ESPN+ in the States! And Zhang called Fury a phony chump disgrace and bad for the division so I’m all in 😆

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lol...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F6fgpMQW...jpg&name=small

Forgot about the time difference :p. Well we'll make it work. Looking forward to this afternoon event.

both guys came in at career high weights. joe was two eighty one & zhilei was two eighty seven. who does this favour?

Rewatched the first fight and Zhang wobbles Joyce on numerous occasions. He also could not miss with that southpaw left cross which caused the damage to Joyce face. It was so one sided that there should not be a rematch.

Joyce has come in heavier to land the harder punches but he does need to move his head and avoid the shots coming back at him.

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Originally Posted by Master

Rewatched the first fight and Zhang wobbles Joyce on numerous occasions. He also could not miss with that southpaw left cross which caused the damage to Joyce face. It was so one sided that there should not be a rematch.

Joyce has come in heavier to land the harder punches but he does need to move his head and avoid the shots coming back at him.

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And you put Joyce down to win in the prediction challenge.

I'm in the it wasn't that bad and if the eye doesn't close, Joyce probably grinds him down camp. I've heard people say the eye will go again and he'll lose, like it's a given. Those sorts of eye injury are an anomaly. Yes symptomatic of being punched in the face, but if being punched in the face alone was all it took Joyce's eyes would have closed permanently years ago. There's generally something else involved that starts the ball rolling, a headbutt or a graze.

Joyce looked powderpuff in the first fight early doors. He was outmuscled. Why he came in light I don't know. It can't have been a case of come in lighter and be faster, there is no higher gear for Joyce and I can't believe anyone would be that stupid.

I think Joyce gets the job done this time around.

I see Yarde is back in his natural habitat. Beating the piss out of an overmatched opponent. The Arthur loss is the most interesting thing that's happened in Yarde's career. Everything else has been painfully black and white.

Royston Barney Smith wins on points he looks about 12 years old.

Itauma wins in a first round KO. The card has not been good.

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Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

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Originally Posted by Master

Rewatched the first fight and Zhang wobbles Joyce on numerous occasions. He also could not miss with that southpaw left cross which caused the damage to Joyce face. It was so one sided that there should not be a rematch.

Joyce has come in heavier to land the harder punches but he does need to move his head and avoid the shots coming back at him.

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And you put Joyce down to win in the prediction challenge.

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Heart ruling my head.

Yarde wins in 2 rounds.

Awful undercard.

I'd love to know who these guys are that Yarde is taking apart in sparring. That would imply that he does a bit of sparring.

I really want Yarde to do well, I think he's got the tools to do well. But he/they seem insistent on jumping into deep waters fresh from a gentle paddle. The Buatsi Azeez winner would represent that middle ground that's missing from his career. Which is probably why it wont happen despite it being an open door.

I don't get the big weight addition for Joyce. Indicator he'll get much more physical maybe to sap the stamina bug on Zhang early. Just as well puts his flesh in line to get touched up then. By glove shoulder elbow or head. Two behemoths right here. Hide the childrens this get be wild :-X

Both cautious in the first round. Joyce moving left away from the damaging left hand of Zhang.

Zhang pulverising Joyce in the 2nd round. Joyce gone back to type.

Come in bigger and box. Don't get it. Have 1-1 legs of Joyce little jello in 2nd off hard left.

joe getting caught & hurt by that left again. big second round for zhilei

Joyce stopped in the 3rd round!

:angryxo4: What a cracking right hand. Huge contrast in hand speed for guys this size.

Wow. I don't think anyone had a one punch chinning on the cards. Devastating.

joe down at the end of the third. looked like he quit

I cannot believe all those pundits who honestly thought Joyce would win this rematch.

That was way too easy. Career over

Joyce needs to retire. He takes way too many punches to the head. As for Zhang, well before these fights , many people were touting Joyce for a title shot. Let’s see if the same energy now goes to Zhang now he has absolutely battered Joyce twice!

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Originally Posted by TIC

joe down at the end of the third. looked like he quit

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No that was a heavy shot he took. Amazed he was not knocked out cold.

That vaunted punch resistance evaporated off the 1-2. Buzzed early but like watching a huge water dam crack and spider wed to burst instantly. Who would have thought...40 yr old Zhang scoring bigger brick kos than Wilder :-X;D

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Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

Joyce needs to retire. He takes way too many punches to the head. As for Zhang, well before these fights , many people were touting Joyce for a title shot. Let’s see if the same energy now goes to Zhang now he has absolutely battered Joyce twice!

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Same. Most logical fighter in line for me right now. Some fight, and some diddle and whine.

“Dignity ,Democracy, Honesty” those are the words on the WBO Interim belt. ;D;D;D;D

This is what pisses me off. “Joe didn’t look right” why do they have to make excuses ?

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Originally Posted by Master

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Originally Posted by TIC

joe down at the end of the third. looked like he quit

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No that was a heavy shot he took. Amazed he was not knocked out cold.

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i think he could have beaten the count. but the outcome was obvious at that point

Frank Warren trying to set Zhang against Usyk not Fury. Wonder why?

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Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

Joyce needs to retire. He takes way too many punches to the head. As for Zhang, well before these fights , many people were touting Joyce for a title shot. Let’s see if the same energy now goes to Zhang now he has absolutely battered Joyce twice!

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i'd like to see the fight with oleksandr