Is Joe Joyce the man to beat in boxing’s heavyweight division?

Father Time waits for no man. Knowing this, British heavyweight star Joe Joyce is ready to perform whenever he is needed. Will other fighters follow suit? 

It is no secret that boxing’s glamour division has been stagnant. That is thanks, in part, to champions Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk not fighting one another. With Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder also in limbo, Joyce has stepped forward as the man who can’t be ignored. The “Juggernaut” faces Zhilei Zhang inside the Copper Box Arena in London on April 15.

The fight for the interim WBO heavyweight title will air on ESPN+ in the U.S. and BT Sport in the U.K.

Joyce turned pro in 2017. The undefeated power-puncher has made statement after statement, beating the likes of Daniel Dubois, who will reportedly receive a title shot against Usyk before him, and former champion Joseph Parker. What else does he have to do to be recognized? 

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He’s in a strong position as the WBO’s No. 1 contender, but Joyce now has to prove his value against Zhang. Can he get the job done in style? And if he got his hands on the champions of the division, how would he fare? 

All of the top fighters at heavyweight are veterans, with Wilder at 37, Usyk at 36, Fury at 34, and Joshua at 33. The 37-year-old Joyce can’t do this forever, and he knows it. Fresh prospects and emerging contenders are in hot pursuit. What about rising American phenom Jared Anderson? 

On this episode of Fightin’ Words, The Sporting News’ Andreas Hale and Tom Gray discuss these topics and give their predictions for Joyce vs. Zhang. 

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