The former interim heavyweight champion has emerged as the frontrunner to replace the injured Tony Yoka against Murat Gassiev on July 11
Joe Joyce could receive an unexpected route back into the heavyweight title picture after Tony Yoka pulled out of his scheduled fight with Murat Gassiev through injury. If Gassiev is elevated to full WBA champion before July 11, Joyce would be fighting for a world title less than three months after his defeat to Filip Hrgovic.
Yoka (15-3, 12 KOs) had been set to challenge Gassiev at Moscow’s VTB Arena before suffering the injury during training camp, leaving IBA Pro organizers searching for a replacement for the main event.
According to The Ring, Joyce is now the leading candidate to step in. The 40-year-old Briton (16-4, 15 KOs) was already scheduled to face unbeaten Artem Suslenkov (14-0, 9 KOs) on the undercard, but that bout could be scrapped if he is elevated into the headline fight. A replacement opponent would then be found for Suslenkov.
The opportunity comes despite Joyce’s recent struggles. The former interim heavyweight champion has lost four of his last five fights, most recently dropping a unanimous decision to Filip Hrgovic on April 5, 2025.
Gassiev (33-2, 26 KOs) is coming off a stoppage victory over Kubrat Pulev last December to capture the WBA’s secondary heavyweight title. With Oleksandr Usyk vacating the WBA heavyweight championship last week, Gassiev is expected to be elevated to full champion in the coming days.
If that happens before July 11, a showdown with Joyce would become the first defense of Gassiev’s full WBA heavyweight title. There remains a possibility the Moscow event could be postponed, but organizers are first attempting to keep the original date by securing a replacement opponent. An official announcement is expected once organizers finalize the revised main event plans.