By Sam Volz: Promoter Frank Warren believes Joe Joyce will give IBF, WBA & WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk a lot of problems with his size, pressure, and nonstop punching style.
Warren feels that Joyce (15-0, 14 KOs) will wear Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) down if he attempts to outbox him. While Warren points out that Usyk and Joyce fought many years ago in the amateurs, the Juggernaut has gotten a lot bigger and stronger since then.
Joyce weighed 230 lbs when he lost a five round decision against Usyk in the World Series of Boxing. In contrast, Joyce weighed in at 271 lbs for his fight against Joseph Parker. Joyce has gotten a lot bigger since his fight with Usyk, and he’d be a nightmare for him now.
Last Saturday, Joyce stopped former WBO heavyweight champion Parker (30-3, 21 KOs) in the 11th round to win the interim WBO title at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.
Joyce will be fighting next in March, according to Warren. He didn’t say who Joyce would be battling at that time, but it’s not going to be for a world title against Usyk.
Fury and Usyk are expected to fight for the undisputed championship in February or March. It won’t be until well after that before Joyce finally gets a crack at a world title. It’s questionable whether the Usyk vs. Fury will hold onto the WBO belt to face Joyce.
“I knew it would be a good fight, and the stars would blend to make it a good fight, but it was better than I anticipated,” said Frank Warren to iFL TV about Joe Joyce’s knockout win over Joseph Parker.
“Joe started fast behind that jab, and he set a good pace. They both gave it their all. Joseph Parker showed tremendous courage and spirit. When you think he’s never been stopped and a former world champion.
“He’s on a roll of six fights undefeated, and Joe has only had 14 fights. That was a massive step up in class for him, and he handled it superbly well. That was a world class finish.
“I believe so, yeah,” said Warren when asked if Parker is okay after his knockout. “Joe caught as well with a couple of shots. If I was a fighter, it’s got to be so disheartening to hit him with a good shot, and then as you hit, he’s back on you.
“You better not hit him because it makes him more dangerous. He’s an amazing fighter. He’s a strong man, and he’s really arrived on the scene big time. I thought it was a magnificent performance.
“He should be proud of himself, and everyone is involved. It was a great fight. It takes two to make a great fight. You’ve got to give Parker credit for his bravery and his resilience in the end to a heavyweight that gives anyone big problems.
“You don’t want to fight him. If I was Usyk, would I want to fight him? Who would you back? I know they’ve got history from the amateurs, but that was amateurs.
“You look at the size of him and how big he is. If he tries to outbox him [Joyce], he’ll just wear him down. He’s such a big man, and he doesn’t back off you.
“I think he gives Usyk a lot of problems. Anyone can go if they get caught right, but up until now, they just bounce off him, don’t they? Anyone that’s catching him, he just walks through them.
“He has the most apt nickname in the sport, which is the Juggernaut. That’s exactly what he is. He’s relentless. BT and Queensbury is the home of heavyweight boxing. That’s where it’s all at. All roads lead to Queensbury.
“He’ll fight again in March. Hopefully, there will be s unification. I think that’s what everyone would like to see,” said Warren when asked about the next fight for Joyce.
“He’ll fight again in March, and he’s in the mix now. He’s the interim champion. When the WBO mandatory is due, they’ll have to fight him,” said Warren.
