Joe Joyce goes back into the squared circle with Zhilei Zhang this weekend as he challenges for his old WBO ‘interim’ heavyweight title. ‘Juggernaut’ suffered the first defeat of his professional career back in April. Zhang stopped the Brit in the sixth round, with Joyce’s eye in a grotesque state of injury. This was no fluke, but rather the result of the Chinese star finding the orbital area relentlessly with thudding shots.
As we prepare to watch these two behemoths clash again at Wembley Arena on Saturday night, The Sportsman ponders what each man can do to emerge victorious. The winner of this weekend’s heavyweight scrap will be at the front of the queue for a shot at WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, who also holds the WBA, IBF and The Ring straps. But how can each man get there?
READ MORE:
JOYCE
Stop relying on your chin
It is no secret that Joe Joyce has one of the best chins in boxing today. ‘Juggernaut’ has looked completely unaffected when the likes of Joseph Parker, Daniel Dubois and Carlos Takam have whaled away on his jawline. Even Zhang beat him because his face disintegrated rather than through actually knocking Joyce out or even down.
But a steel beard will only get you so far. Joyce has become complacent, allowing his durability to do the work for him. Even in fights that he has won, the 38-year-old has taken more punishment than is necessary. Joyce needs to exercise more caution in the Zhang rematch rather than relying on his chin to get him out of trouble.
Lateral movement
Zhang fights in straight lines. He does so very effectively but at 6’6, an inch taller than Joyce, and having scaled 22-pounds more than the Brit last time he is not the most nimble. Zhang will hit what is in front of him and hit it hard.
Joyce has been criticised in the past for not moving at the waist enough. But there is more than one type of evasive action one can take in a boxing ring. Nobody is expecting the Olympic silver medalist to become Floyd Mayweather. But giving Zhang a moving target negates much of his straight-ahead gameplan.
Play the long game
Zhang looked absolutely knackered in his 2022 unanimous decision defeat to Filip Hrgovic. At 40 years of age, ‘Big Bang’ just isn’t capable of doing the hard yards. Joyce is 38 himself but fresher, having had 16 fights to Zhang’s 27.
Joyce must aim to hang in there and take Zhang into the deep waters of the championship rounds. Once there, he can drown a fighter who looks ill-equipped for long bouts. This strategy pairs well with the defensive adjustments highlighted above, serving to give Zhang the polar opposite of what he wants in a fight.
ZHANG
Keep Joyce at distance
Joyce actually has a half-inch advantage in reach, but the styles of the two boxers does not reflect this. ‘Juggernaut’ likes to work his way inside and unleash killer hooks. Zhang is a better distance fighter and it is this technique he must use on Saturday.
Establishing a firm early jab will be key to disrupting Joyce’s rhythm. Zhang’s better moments against Hrgovic came when he used his range-finder and kept out of the Croatian fighter’s way. Using his southpaw jab to keep Joyce at a safe distance would be prudent for Zhang.
Use the Jab-left cross
Once that right-hand jab is established, Zhang should bring his penetrating left cross to the party. Zhang’s struck Joyce with this very combination in the first bout to great effect. The frequent broadsides with the left played a huge role in the eye damage that saw the Brit withdraw.
Of course if he has reviewed the first fight in-depth, Joyce could be wise to this combination by now. But it is worth testing the waters and seeing if what worked once could work again.
Let Joyce make mistakes
Zhang found a way through Joyce’s defence frequently in the first fight. Joyce got more desperate as the fight went on, leaving himself open to Zhang’s counters. ‘Juggernaut’ tried to force the fight, playing right into the hands of ‘Big Bang’.
Zhang must be patient and wait for Joyce to make similar missteps this time. Never the most diligent defensively, Joyce will make mistakes again. If Zhang can respond to them with the same ruthlessness again, he could go 2-0 in their series.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
