Thanks: 
Likes: 
Dislikes: 
Joe Joyce: The politely frightening threat to the heavyweight division
Despite what people say about his quiet demeanor, Joe Joyce can talk. A capable orator on a variety of subjects, Joyce communicates in a manner befitting a well-composed gentleman who believes actions speak louder than words. In a division, or sport for that matter, that reeks of boasts, threats, and patronizers, Joyce is prepared to go about his business on mute as the craziness grips everybody else around him. Following a detailed conversation charting his brief rise, Joe hands the phone to Sam Jones, his manager, who is prepared to map out his charge’s future.
“Let me tell you something about Joe,” begins Jones, as I anticipate something of a rehearsed soliloquy. “He’s far too nice and polite to call anyone out or disrespect anyone in the sport, but I believe he’s the most frightening heavyweight out there and that 2019 is going to be a massive year for him. He’s going to do a great job in Los Angeles on December 1st [against Joe Hanks ] and then we want Luis Ortiz in America. Too many are getting ahead because of what they say, but that’s not Joe at all, he’s going to prove how good he is in the ring and next year will be when everyone stands up and appreciates just how good a fighter Joe is.”
The vocal driving force behind Team Joyce is much more than just a mouthpiece. This isn’t Paul Heyman perpetually plugging Brock Lesnar before the WWE superstar donates a beating to someone; Jones is the mastermind behind the scenes and insists that his man will soon be operating on the level enjoyed by Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, who occupy the main event spot this Saturday. The Olympic silver medallist’s ascent towards that prized echelon of the heavyweight division has been swift due to his extensive amateur experience, and the London monster is satisfied with his first year as a professional.
“It was good to finally get it all off the ground,” remembers Joyce in a west London accent that stands out in the Big Bear mountain camp where he currently trains – under Abel Sanchez – and resides.
“Between the [2016] Olympics and my first fight, there was a lot of stuff going on and a few big decisions to make so I didn’t just want to sign a contract with anyone unless I was certain I was getting the right deal. I spoke to all the people you’d expect me to speak to and finally signed with David Haye and Hayemaker/Ringstar and that, at the time, seemed like the right decision to make.”
Being courted by the former two-weight world champion and recent retiree for a sustained period impressed Joyce. Pursuing him was a man who had often stuck a middle finger up to tradition and familiarity when selecting a promoter, instead opting to build his own road and stick to the trail regardless of any obstacles that confronted him on the journey. With Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren also expressing an obvious interest, Joyce was faced with a dilemma, but eventually settled on the lure of his fellow heavyweight.
“It had to be the right move and that didn’t just mean money. If I was to go with Matchroom then I thought I might’ve been in the shadow of all the other Olympians that were turning professional along with the other heavyweights they’ve got. Warren made me a good deal that I took a lot of time over, but I just felt the move to Hayemaker was right. They were on a UK television platform with a lot of viewers, I was a big priority for them, and it gave me the chance to work with trainer Ismael Salas, who I’m a massive fan of. Getting the right deal came down to a lot of things and I just think that David and his team had the best ideas for me.
Joyce’s maiden year in the paid code started emphatically when he halted British title contender Ian Lewison in eight one-sided rounds. In May, on the undercard of Haye’s rematch with Liverpool’s Tony Bellew, Joyce collected the Commonwealth belt as he steamrolled over Jamaica’s Lenroy Thomas in just two sessions. With his ledger currently reading a perfect 6-0 with as many stoppages, Joyce isn’t eager to build his profile by dispatching local journeymen and feeble foreigners. The likes of the aforementioned Ortiz, and the ridiculously brash Jarrell Miller have made their way onto Joyce’s radar, and the Englishman is desperate to test himself against the division’s best names.
“People are aware of who’s ahead at of me at the moment and the only way I can get there is by beating them. When I was turning pro after the Olympics I knew deep down that I didn’t have long to get the big fights and prove how good I am. I’ve just turned 33 and the bulk of my fighting years have been in the amateurs at a high level so I really haven’t got the time to be getting in there and just knocking people over. I feel the heavyweight division is in a good place now and that good fights can be made and I’m confident I have the right team around me to get me to where I want to be.”
With Jones, plus Al Haymon’s PBC group now taking the majority stake in Joyce’s burst through the heavyweight rankings, alongside Ringstar following an amicable split with Haye, it appears that there’s passion and knowledge underpinning one of Britain’s leading prospects. Now performing his drills under the studious eyes of Sanchez, in California, Joyce’s immediate priority is performing alternately between his homeland and America as he chases similar lofty prizes to those he pursued admirably in the vested world. A routine medal collector at all the big tournaments, Joyce confirms that the disappointment of silver in Rio two years ago, when controversially defeated by France’s Tony Yoka, is firmly in the past.
“It’s out my system now because I’ve got other priorities and goals to aim for, but I won’t lie, the gold medal would’ve got me more money and maybe even an M.B.E. [a British honor], but I can’t be too down on things as life is good at the moment. I’m over here in California learning every day off one of the best trainers in the world and the change has done me so much good. I could’ve gone to any trainer, but the work I saw Abel do with [Gennady] Golovkin and [Murat] Gassiev, combined with the way I fight, made him stand out. Things have been perfect out here so far and I think you’ll see just how far I’ve come in such a short time when I fight on December 1st.”
https://uk.yahoo.com/sports/news/joe...001454790.html
 |
|
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Primo Carnera
Bookmarks