Joe Joyce’s team has labelled certain analysis of their fighter ‘incredibly disrespectful’ following his second professional loss.
‘The Juggernaut’ is coming off the back of two bruising losses to Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang.
The first was back in April when the referee stopped the fight due to the heavy damage Joyce sustained to his eye. The Brit triggered his right to an immediate rematch and squared up with ‘Big Bang’ again in September, this time getting knocked out in round three.
Speaking to Boxing Social, the Chief Operating Officer of Joyce’s management team, Shane Watson, first said he understands some comments that have been made about his fighter in the wake of the losses.
“Some people are like [Anthony] Joshua destroys him, that’s a bad fight, Joe should retire. I don’t mind that, that’s an opinion, we come off two defeats, and that’s fine, some people are just backing their guy. I back Joe all the way still, so no issue with that whatsoever.”
Watson was less accommodating of comments from Tony Bellew, who said he doesn’t think Joyce would beat the British champion, Fabio Wardley, and that without his punch resistance ‘he is not above British level.’
“I just find it incredibly disrespectful. The respect should be there for a guy who should be an Olympic Gold medalist, a guy who knocked out Joseph Parker, knocked out Daniel Dubois, knocked out Carlos Takam, yet he’s getting comments like that.
Joe fought even on his debut at a level better than [British champion Fabio Wardley is currently at.] The comments made by Tony about Joe’s chin, it’s just disrespectful. There’s almost no evidence or education behind that comment.”