Joe Joyce is seemingly still undecided as to how to move forward following his first career defeat at the hands of Zhilei Zhang.
Zhang’s southpaw style caused huge problems for Joyce, who was a target for the left hand from the first bell. It caused his eye to swell to the point that he was unable to continue.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Joyce first addressed the sixth round doctor stoppage.
“It would be good to avenge that, a few more rounds and no black eye and I think I would have still been in the fight and I thought I would start to get to him in the later rounds.
But respect to him, he’s a great opponent and obviously did the business, it was a tough fight.”
Despite feeling that he was six rounds away from victory, Joyce is still ambivalent on the rematch, which is his contractual right.
“There are plenty of options, it’s not the be all and end all.
“I was in that great position and I didn’t really need to take that fight but it’s something I’d like to avenge and get back in the driving seat and move onto bigger and better fights.
“I don’t regret taking it, it’s just part of the story, I lost my 0 but I’ll still continue and be in some great nights.
The now 15-1 fighter floated the idea of an ‘easier fight’ whilst Oleksandr Usyk attempts to fight through his mandatories. Zhang’s victory gained him the WBO Interim title, but he’s behind both Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic in the queue for the unified Ukrainian.
“I’ve still got time, there are still different options and I will get there eventually I believe.
“Even if I took an easier fight I’d still have to wait for the order of the belts with mandatories and stuff, I’ve still got time to capture the titles so I’m going to try and do that.
I’ve tasted defeat in the amateurs and come back stronger from it.”
Meanwhile, Zhang is angling for a fight not with Usyk, but Tyson Fury. The WBC champion is readying an announcement for a summertime opponent, and ‘Big Bang’ is in the running alongside Andy Ruiz Jr.