Heavyweight Boxing

Joyce has always been a bit slow in interviews he’s a socially awkward character and spends most of his time either painting or playing computer games

This kind of elevates Hrgovic’s performance but at the same stage I can’t forget Zhang’s performance against Jerry Forrest.

well done to those who called it. i never thought we would see a worse joyce - you'd wonder what he was doing the last few months. shocking stuff. should have accepted fury's offer to spar but i think it's time for him to retire. he gets away with walking face first into lesser fighters but when he's against decent sized hitters and does that then he risks serious long term harm and nobody wants that.

looking forward to seeing Big John Fury cruising around china in his caravan!

Neither of them will give him a fight. We'll have to wait and see but I'm confident I'm right.

Anything can happen, especially at heavyweight. Fury could have been waved off in two fights against wilder and i don't think anyone would have complained. Could have easily been waved off against Otto Wallin with one of the worst cuts you'll see - nobody would have complained(his own dad said as much). And you can go back to one of those mcdermott fights where it was very close to call. Huge fury fan and he's one of the best. But nobody is unbeatable - and there's already a blemish on his record. Hopefully he gives Zhang his payday, but with the money he's making fighting non boxers/celebs - it could be years before we see him in a competitive fight again.

AJ is crap, he's nowhere near the fighter he was. As soon as somebody starts connecting with a few decent jabs he cowers away from it.

I don't know if Joyce would beat him but he could maybe beat him easily enough. He'll never get the chance though unless Eddie thinks it's a big enough payday to risk the end of AJ.

Joyce has nothing to offer anyone now it’s all high risk no reward, he’s too boring to even drum up good domestic numbers on a ppv unless the opposition carried him

his victory against dubois was a shocker for Frank who expected to have the next heavyweight champion in young Daniel, his fight against Parker was half decent but Parker goes to sleep mid rounds quite often it’s like he can’t concentrate for the full 3 minutes

To Dave Allen :)

by the term high risk low reward i mean there are easier fights out there for people with higher pay days

Suspect you're right. Zhang presents very little upside to either of them. Neither's legacy will be enhanced if they beat him. I think that's mostly what motivates Usyk. Fury is a different kettle of fish as he seems willing to fight who and however brings most notoriety and money, and Zhang probably brings not enough of either.

Fair enough. I hope it's more reliable than the many Fury Joshua deals that were done. Fury v AJ has its own Wikipedia entry, which is some going for a fight that hasn't happened and probably never will.

Fury stops Zhang rds 7-8

It used to vary from fight to fight but I think it’s the norm in boxing lately

Zhang lost a very controversial decision to Hrgovic, a fight I think Zhang won. If not for that he'd still be unbeaten.

He has massive power, 21 of 26 by knockout.

Joy Joyce looked really good before Zhang. He battered Dubois, handed Parker his only loss in the last five years and his only stoppage loss.

Calling Joyce one of the slowest fighters in the division is a ridiculous comment. Parker is fast and Joe matched him. Joe's big issue was clearly evident in both fights against Zhang and that's head movement and it didn't matter before Zhang because nobody else could hurt him.

Yes. Zhang and Wilder would be very interesting. Not sure how solid Zhang's chin really is, but he does appear very sturdy and solid. I have no doubt Wilder can land clean, but Zhang could land clean as well.

V Fury I think Fury's height and range and ability to ride shots sees Zhang fall sort too much, as well as him having to reach upwards more to shoot. Plus, Fury I reckon manages to land a fair amount a decent leather

zhang was not well from a bladder or kidney infection i think