As fans know, former interim WBO heavyweight champ Joe Joyce returned to winning ways on Saturday night, the 38 year old stopping Kash Ali in the 10th and final round. “The Juggernaut” may not have looked too impressive, but he is back winning again, this after suffering two crushing losses to Zhilei Zhang.
Now, Joyce is looking to get back in the ring again soon, and he says he would “love” to land a spot on the under card of the May 18th heavyweight unification showdown between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. There is, too, the possibility of Joyce being one of the five Queensbury fighters matched against five Matchroom fighters, this card still to be confirmed, but likely for June 1, underneath the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol light-heavyweight clash (with Eddie Hearn telling us the Five Vs. Five will “blow your mind” when announced).
Joyce spoke with IFL TV after his win over Ali, and he revealed the three names he has in his sights for his next fight.
“I think the Parker rematch would be a good one,” Joyce said. “Also Dillian Whyte, maybe Wilder. I’d love to [box on the Fury-Usyk card]. It’s an exciting place, an exciting time. Turki Alalshikh is putting on some great fights. But equally, there’s fights here and in America. The Juggernaut is back. Stay tuned: I’m in for some big, powerful fights.”
Joyce against Wilder would for sure attract a lot of interest, and if Wilder does resume his career, and if he is willing to take what would be a risky return fight, maybe Alalshikh will see to it that this fight goes ahead on the big May 18 card. Money is no object, or this is how it seems, and Alalshikh might be able to make this one happen.
Or, as Joyce says, a fight between himself and Whyte or Parker, in the UK or the US, would also be attractive. Joyce may not have too many big fights left in him, and he may not have too much time left in his career. Therefore it makes sense for Joyce to be looking for “big, powerful fights” from here on in. Could it be that Zhang is the only heavyweight capable of knocking Joyce out, or will “The Juggernaut” get knocked over again in the future if he fights another elite big man?
It’s fun watching Joyce fight, most of the time anyway, and whether he features on the Five Vs. Five card, or on the Fury-Usyk card, he will be well worth tuning in for.
