Joe Joyce wants to jump straight back in with Zhilei Zhang – that’s according to Joyce’s former manager, Sam Jones.
Zhang inflicted a crushing defeat upon ‘The Juggernaut’ this past weekend, and it appeared he was unsure whether or not he would activate a contractual rematch clause for another shot at the Chinese southpaw.
However, in a recent interview with Boxing King Media, Jones claimed Joyce has already told him he wants the fight with Zhang again.
“Joe’s not amazing in front of a camera at the best of times, so he’s not going to be giving you unbelievable answers after he’s just been hit by 60,000 southpaw backhands across six rounds from Zhang!
Let him digest it. I spoke to Joe and he said “I want to fight him.” That’s the only fight.
For me personally, if I’m advising Joe – which I’m not – he has to take that fight. Otherwise, what’s the point – he’s 37, not 27.
But I know he can beat him.”
Joyce went into the fight at the Copper Box as the overwhelming bookmakers’ favourite, with most punters of the belief that his gas tank and thudding power would be too much for the 39 year-old Zhang, who recently lost to Filip Hrgovic, to take.
However, ‘Big Bang’ had evidently not read the script, and quickly proved he had enough to deal with Joyce and then some, causing the Brit all sorts of problems right off the bat.
His pinpoint southpaw left couldn’t miss the plodding Joyce, who was visibly rocked on numerous occasions throughout the fight.
After just a couple of rounds, Joyce’s right eye started to close, and eventually the damage became so severe that the doctor and referee had no other option but to wave off the contest half way through the sixth round.