Heavyweight contender Joe Joyce, 13-0(12) says he aims to be at ringside this Saturday night in London when Anthony Joshua defends his WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight titles against Oleksandr Usyk, and “The Juggernaut” says he plans to call out the winner. Joyce, though, understands that it will almost certainly take some time for his title shot to arrive, therefore he plans to keep himself busy.
36 year old Joyce, speaking with IFL TV, said he aims to be back before the new year and that he had hoped to fight one of two big names – these being Joseph Parker and Luis Ortiz. As we know, former WBO heavyweight champ Parker is fighting Dereck Chisora in a return meeting in December, but what about Ortiz? According to Joyce, an offer was made to the Cuban southpaw, yet Ortiz “doesn’t want the smoke.”
“That was an option,” Joyce said regarding a fight with Parker. “Now he’s obviously going to fight Dereck Chisora. I think [Luis] Ortiz was mentioned but I’m not sure he wants the smoke. He didn’t want a war with the big juggernaut. I’m just training and waiting on my fight date. I should be out before the end of the year.”
Ortiz against Joyce would have been (maybe still will be) a great fight. Two big punchers, both hungry (Ortiz, despite his age, is still a dangerous fighter), going at it. But is Joyce correct – does Ortiz not fancy it? Maybe Ortiz and his team will hear what Joyce has had to say and will issue a reply, maybe not. Ortiz, though, doesn’t have too much time left if he’s to make an assault on the heavyweight titles. In fact, Ortiz has not enjoyed the benefit of having plenty of time for a while now. Last seen wiping out Alexander Flores in suspiciously easy fashion ten months ago, 42 year old Ortiz should certainly have had another fight by now. Who knows what Ortiz, 32-2(27) is waiting for?
According to Joyce, there was a big fight, an important fight, right there on offer for Ortiz should he have wanted to take it. Again, maybe a Joyce-Ortiz rumble will actually happen still. We fans would sure tune in for that one.
Has a good right hand and a good left hook, good against southpaw. Any one think he is thinking usyk may win ,and ortiz might be practice? I think the oly men he’ll have problems with are those right at the top.
Is he kidding? Yes he has power but he’s slow and predictable. Hate to say it but Ortiz would totally out box him.
Think he,d stop ortiz. Straight right or left hook.