Joe Joyce still has questions to answer at the highest level after his win over Kash Ali on Saturday night, and promoter Frank Warren believes he has the perfect fight to see if ‘The Juggernaut’ can still cut it.
A year ago Joyce was unbeaten and the mandatory contender for the WBO heavyweight title held by Oleksandr Usyk. But his hopes of a world title shot were scuppered when he finally met his Kryptonite in the shape of Chinese giant Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang.
Joyce vs Kash Ali analysis
Joyce lost twice to Zhang in 2023, both comprehensive reverses inside the distance. He made his return to action on Saturday night in Birmingham on Warren’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ show, and laboured to a 10th-round knockout of Kash Ali.
Joyce (now 16-2 with 15 wins inside distance) too his time to get going, but despite coming in big at 286lbs showed his engine and punch output is still very much there. He got stronger as the fight went on, and the gradual accumulation of punches gradually wore down Ali.
Ali (now 21-3) was wobbled by a lovely short hook in Round 9 but managed to survive to the bell. It looked as though he would make it to the scorecards as well, before a lovely right deep into the final round deposited him on the canvas for the KO.
Joyce also showed his punch resistance is still very much alive and well, with the occasional big overhand right from Ali detonating off his granite head with zero apparent impact.
Frank Warren verdict
Afterwards Warren gave a very frank appraisal about his man’s performance, saying there was clearly an element of ring rust in play.
Warren told IFL TV: “He’s coming off two losses, and I think it took him quite a while to get his rhythm, get his mojo going – he did what he had to do I at the end. I think if he’d have pressed him a bit more earlier he would have stopped him earlier. But look he got the stoppage, he’s got the cobwebs out of his system and it’s on to the next one now.”
Warren was asked whether he believes Joyce has it in him to come again at world level, and he believes there is one ideal fight to find out quickly.
He said: “I think there’s a great fight between him and Joe Parker, a great rematch to be made there, and you’ll find out then.”
Joyce vs Parker again?
Joyce of course blasted out Parker in 2022 with an 11th-round knockout to end a thrilling encounter. That fight looked as though it might signal the end of the Kiwi at the very highest level, but not a bit of it.
Since then Parker (now 35-3) has reeled off five terrific wins, including fantastic verdicts over Deontay Wilder in December and then that man Zhang last Friday night in Riyadh.
It is likely Joyce vs Parker 2 would have to wait though – with Zhang having a one-day rematch clause, giving him the chance to atone for that defeat last week.
