John Fury, father of WBC champion, Tyson, has given his prediction ahead of the heavyweight rematch between Joe Joyce and Zhilei Zhang.
Zhang upset the odds when the two met back in April after the fight was waived off by the referee in the sixth round when Joyce’s eye swelled completely shut after ‘Big Bang’ seemingly couldn’t miss with his straight left.
Joyce lost his WBO interim title and with it his place in line to face current champion, Oleksandr Usyk. ‘The Juggernaut’ activated his contractual rematch clause and the two will run it back later this month.
Speaking to Boxing Social via freebets.com, Fury is predicting the same outcome as the first fight and even believes Zhang can do it better this time.
“No. I think that Zhang is a problem, he is a twenty-stone southpaw, he can punch and I just think that Joe Joyce’s lack of upper body movement and the way that he boxes on the front foot, he is target practice for Zhang.
I see the same thing [outcome], he will probably do a bit better, the fight will last a lot more, but if his eye starts swelling again from them big straight left-hand’s and them big right-hook’s, what is going to happen? He’s going to have a face like John Merrick isn’t he?
No matter how brave you are and how much you want to win, if you can’t see, that is going to happen. What can you do?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m behind the British boy, I hope Joe does do it. I hope Joe proves me wrong, but if you can’t move your upper body for twelve rounds, you’re going to be in trouble.”
Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang 2 takes place on September 23 at OVO Arena Wembley in London and will be broadcast live on TNT Sports – the new name for BT Sport.