Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Fight result after devastating knockout tonight
Re-live updates from the heavyweight rematch at London’s Wembley Arena
Joe Joyce suffered a second straight loss to Zhilei Zhang on Saturday, as the Chinese heavyweight stopped the Briton once again.
Zhang, 40, dominated Joyce in April, damaging the 38-year-old’s eye to the point of closure and sealing a sixth-round stoppage. And when the pair returned to London on Saturday, it took Zhang just three rounds to repeat the trick at Wembley Arena.
Joyce looked tentative throughout the first three rounds, hesitant to engage and troubled by Zhang’s output. Then, in the final seconds of Round 3, Zhang threw a clean left cross and landed a devastating right hook, dropping Joyce heavily. It was the first time in the Briton’s career that he had hit the canvas, and he narrowly failed to beat the referee’s count after the bell sounded.
With the result, Zhang retained the WBO interim title that he took from Joyce in April, meaning a clash with official champion Oleksandr Usyk may be next for “Big Bang”.
Re-live updates from Joyce vs Zhang and the undercard fights, below.
Steve Bunce: Joe Joyce now faces a harsh truth — he needs protecting from himself
Joe Joyce walked to the ring looking like a condemned man at Wembley late on Saturday night.
A few minutes later in round three, Joyce was dropped face first for the full count of ten by Zhilei Zhang. The grim observation, the way he walked with his eyes as blank as rock on the way to the ring, was right.
Back in April, Zhang closed Joyce’s right eye and stopped him in round six; the immediate rematch was risky, possibly unnecessary and finished with the shocking end. Joyce was a big, big favourite in the first fight. Joyce at 38, and after just 17 fights, might be facing a genuine crisis in his short career. In the Wembley ring he looked hesitant, reluctant and seemed to wobble from every punch Zhang landed. Joyce was renowned for his ability to absorb punishment and not flinch - that dubious boxing superpower is gone.
In April, Joyce’s mistake was to rely on his fabled iron chin, and this allowed Zhang to take control and get the stoppage; in the rematch, Joyce had no faith in his chin and Zhang was dismissive and then concussive. It was a bad finish, a single punch and down went Joyce in a heap. He regained his feet, but the count was over. His career is now in chaos.
Joe Joyce now faces a harsh truth — he needs protecting from himself
Zhilei Zhang’s stunning knockout at Wembley left Joyce’s career in tatters — continuing it may prove unwise
Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again
Joe Joyce suffered a second straight loss to Zhilei Zhang on Saturday, as the Chinese heavyweight stopped the Briton once again.
Zhang, 40, dominated Joyce in April, damaging the 38-year-old’s eye to the point of closure and sealing a sixth-round stoppage. And when the pair returned to London on Saturday, it took Zhang just three rounds to repeat the trick.
Joyce looked tentative throughout the first three rounds, hesitant to engage and troubled by Zhang’s output. Then, in the final seconds of Round 3, Zhang landed a clean left cross and devastating right hook, dropping Joyce heavily.
It was the first time in the Briton’s career that he had hit the canvas, and he narrowly failed to beat the referee’s count after the bell sounded.
With the result, Zhang retained the WBO interim title that he took from Joyce in April, meaning a clash with official champion Oleksandr Usyk may be next for “Big Bang”.
Meanwhile, there will be questions over Joyce’s place at the top level after back-to-back stoppage losses. At the very least, the 38-year-old faces a tough route back towards a world-title fight, without much time to secure one.
Joe Joyce suffers second straight loss to Zhilei Zhang in devastating fashion
Zhang, who stopped Joyce in Round 6 in April, knocked out the Briton with a right hook in the third frame
Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again
Joe Joyce has spoken about his loss to Zhilei Zhang, insisting that this is not the end for him:
Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again
And what next for Joyce? Is that the end for him at the top level?
Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again
Who’s next for Zhang? He’s WBO interim champion; will he take on official champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2024?
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments