Joe Joyce v Filip Hrgovic

[Master]

Britons Dillian Whyte and Joe Joyce will headline a heavyweight-stacked card at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena on Saturday, 5 April.

Olympian Delicious Orie will make his professional debut and former cruiserweight world champion Lawrence Okolie will take on Richard Riakporhe, who also moves up to heavyweight.

In another date on Queensberry Promotions' schedule, Belfast super-featherweight Anthony Cacace will face Leigh Wood in a battle between two former world champions at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena on 10 May.

Later that month, former undisputed light-welterweight champion Josh Taylor will move to welterweight to challenge WBO European title holder Ekow Essuman in Glasgow.

Scotsman Taylor has signed with promoter Frank Warren's stable for his first fight since losing a rematch to Jack Catterall in May 2024.

The April card will be the first Queensberry Promotions event shown on streaming platform Dazn, as part of a new multi-year deal.

"We are starting as we mean to go on and, as you might expect, the heavyweights will play a big, big part in 2025 and beyond," Warren said.

"I am also so much looking forward to returning to Scotland with the nation's biggest star and our latest signing, Josh Taylor, headlining and rebooting his career at welterweight, where I believe he can again do big things."

Fighters from the three upcoming events will meet at a news conference at the Co-op Live Arena later on Monday, joined by Queensberry boss Warren.

Former WBO interim champion Joyce's world-title aspirations were derailed after back-to-back stoppage defeats by China's Zhilei Zhang in 2023. In July, the 39-year-old was dropped and outpointed by veteran Derek Chisora.

Whyte has won 31 fights with three defeats, but 'the Body Snatcher' has not really been in a meaningful fight since he narrowly beat Jermaine Franklin on points in 2022.

The 36-year-old returned a positive drugs test before a rematch with Anthony Joshua in August 2024 was cancelled.

He resumed his career after an investigation found the "adverse finding" in a pre-fight test was caused by a contaminated supplement.

While Joyce and Whyte are nearing the end of their careers, Orie - who represented Team GB at the 2024 Paris Olympics - will begin his pro journey.

The 27-year-old snubbed a career in the scripted world of wrestling entertainment to join the boxing paid ranks.

Meanwhile Cacace, 36, beat Joe Cordina to become world champion in Saudi Arabia in May 2024 before winning a non-title fight against Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium in September.

He was due to face his mandatory challenger for the IBF title, Eduardo 'Sugar' Nunez, in his next bout but vacated his belt in pursuit of more lucrative fights.

Nottingham's Wood held the WBA featherweight title in 2023, but has not fought since beating Warrington in October 2023.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/a...s/cq5g1py750po

[Primo Carnera]

Just watched the presser for this, and while Dillian had everyone in stitches ripping into Joyce’s lack of brain cells, I’m a bit worried about this. It’s really not a comfortable watch .
Really not a fan of this fight.
And while we’re at it, was Okolie told the best way to go to Heavyweight is just turn into a fat bastard?

[Spicoli]

Joyce v Whyte basically a race to the end match up really. Just feels like we're seeing a lot of recycling going on with guys who frankly should look for other routes career wise. Joyce has a fight 30 days prior too so rule nothing out. Weight will be an indicator. I have a feeling the much talked about chin of Joe cracked with Zhang and can't see it returning. You just hate to see guys who are clearly a few steps over the crest start tumbling down the hill and sponging up damage, they are both there. Winner gets Okolie off the undercard?

[Master]

I was a fan of Joyce and thought he was the next serious heavyweight overlooking the fact that he got hit far too much, slow as tortoise and has very little skill. Losing to Zhang and Chisora were bad performances.

Whyte has wasted away his career trying to handle his PED cases.

Okolie should not put weight on his belly. He needs to bulk up properly like Evander and Usyk did.

[Master]

Dillian Whyte has been forced to pull out of next month's fight against Joe Joyce.

According to The Sun, the 36-year-old has suffered a finger injury to leave Joyce scrambling for a late replacement for the April 5 fight.

[ykdadamaja]

Dillian Whyte has been forced to pull out of next month's fight against Joe Joyce.

According to The Sun, the 36-year-old has suffered a finger injury to leave Joyce scrambling for a late replacement for the April 5 fight.

Put him in there with Arslanbek Makmudov... should be a good way back for both of them.