By Jake Tiernan: WBO heavyweight interim champion Zhilei Zhang might end the as soon as promising profession of 2016 Olympics silver medalist Joe Joyce this Saturday evening on September 23, of their rematch on the Wembley Enviornment in London.
Joyce is stubbornly taking the rematch as a result of he needs to recapture the WBO interim title in order that he can problem IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk subsequent yr. Holding the WBO interim is the golden ticket for Joyce or Zhang to battle for that title.
The massive southpaw two-time Chinese language Olympian Zhang (25-1-1, 20 KOs) stopped Joyce within the sixth spherical of their earlier battle on April 1st on the Copper Field Enviornment in London.
The competition was halted because of the 6’6″ ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce’s proper eye closing shut within the sixth spherical from the laborious impacts by Zhang’s sniper-like left palms.
These have been lead left palms that Zhang was tagging the slow-as-molasses Joyce with, and he lacked the protection& response time to get out of the way in which of the pictures.
Zhang has already let the boxing public know that he’s going to focus on Joyce’s eye to shut it up as soon as once more to drive one other stoppage. If Joyce can’t block these pictures from Zhang, it could possibly be an early evening.
Clearly, Joyce’s lack of pace & reflexes aren’t going to enhance for the rematch on Saturday, so if he’s going to win, he’ll want to make use of a distinct strategy to the battle, maybe utilizing the Tyson Fury mauling techniques to lean & wrestle Zhang.
If Joyce can put on out Zhang by grappling with him, he would possibly have the ability to come within the second half to attain a stoppage or get fortunate with a controversial determination, as we noticed with the Eddie Hearn-promoted Filip Hrgoviclast yr in August 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. That regarded like a 100% theft within the eyes of many individuals.
Fairly than transfer on and admit that he’d come up in opposition to the higher man with a method that was all fallacious for him, the 37-year-old Joyce (15-1, 14 KOs) has chosen to position his profession in danger by taking the speedy rematch.
Saturday’s Zhang vs. Joyce II rematch occasion might be proven on ESPN+ beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET within the U.S. and on TNT Sports activities at 7:30 p.m. within the UK.
Zhang to focus on Joyce’s eye
“I believe from the opening bell, Joe was having issues making an attempt to determine what the battle was going to be trying like,” mentioned Zhilei Zhang to Frank Warren’s social platform about his rematch with Joe Joyce this Saturday evening.
Joyce was completely clueless about Zhang, and it was unhappy to observe how befuddled. There was actually nothing Joyce might do as a result of he was getting pummeled by Zhang from the primary spherical.
Joyce was badly harm by a left hand from Zhang within the second, staggered again in opposition to the ropes, and took some heavy blows.
If ‘Large Bang’ had gone all out for the knockout, he most likely would have gotten the job completed in that spherical as a result of Joyce regarded shocked and in unhealthy form.
“So, he activated the rematch and undoubtedly analyzed the battle,” mentioned Zhang. “I’m going to goal for his eye. I do know the place his weak point is at. After all, all people noticed the attention swelling up. I’m aiming for the attention, no query,” mentioned Zhang making his intentions clear for what he plans on doing this Saturday evening in his rematch with Joyce.
Will Joyce retire if he loses the battle? That’s the magic query as a result of if he will get crushed, he’ll be too outdated to try to claw his means again.
Clearly, Joyce will preserve preventing as a result of even with him preventing no-name opposition, he’ll earn more money than he’ll if he retires.
Nonetheless, Joyce’s possibilities of getting right into a place to problem for a world title as a compulsory can be slim & none.