Zhilei Zhang beats Joe Joyce: British heavyweight suffers back-to-back knockout defeats

British heavyweight Joe Joyce was sensationally stopped within the third spherical by Zhilei Zhang in London, leaving his dream of securing a world-title shot – and maybe his profession – in tatters.

The 38-year-old admirably rose to his toes on the rely of 10 because the referee waved off the competition. Joyce seemed shocked. Moments later, he sat on his stool receiving oxygen.

The end result comes 5 months after 40-year-old Zhang’s shock sixth-round stoppage win over the beforehand undefeated Joyce.

The Chinese boxer retains the WBO ‘interim’ title and necessary challenger standing to unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk.

“Like I mentioned earlier than the combat, it’ll finish earlier than the primary one,” Zhang mentioned on TNT Sports.

“Joe, I like him, I respect him and I’ll let everybody witness Chinese energy once more.”

A distraught Joyce left the ring with out conducting a post-fight interview, as a jubilant Zhang embraced along with his group.

Joyce has now misplaced twice in 17 skilled outings, whereas Zhang extends his report to 25 wins, with one defeat and one draw.

Zhang makes shorter work of Joyce in rematch

A must-win combat to maintain his world-title hopes alive resulted in heartbreak for Joyce, as soon as once more in brutal vogue.

As challenger, Joyce walked to the ring first. His music started with Jeff Buckley’s ‘Hallelujah’ and shortly became a vastly totally different vibe – a rap track with the refrain “You do not need to battle with large Juggernaut”.

With pockets of travelling followers waving China flags scattered across the enviornment, Zhang made his entrance. The 2008 Olympic silver medallist grew to become a good larger star in his house nation after beating Joyce first time round.

April’s bout at London’s Copper Box Arena was a beatdown from Zhang, with Joyce’s proper eye swollen shut when the referee halted the competition.

But after all of the build-up to Saturday’s rematch, it was a quiet opener with neither man throwing something of observe.

The combat got here alive within the second. Zhang landed a one-two mixture earlier than unleashing a ferocious straight left which pierced via Joyce’s guard.

It was very a lot a case of repeat, fairly than revenge. Just like the primary combat, every time ‘Big Bang’ landed, Joyce seemed staggered, harm and uncomfortable.

Having weighed 22lbs lighter than Zhang within the first combat, Joyce got here in at a career-heaviest 20st 1lb for rematch, however the added weight made no distinction.

Joyce had began the third spherical effectively, with good footwork and motion. But a terrific counter proper hook from Zhang, sweetly arrange by a jab, ended proceedings.

The house fighter was shocked, trying helplessly at his group. He as soon as once more got here unstuck in opposition to the hard-hitting southpaw, and seemed a shadow of the fighter who knocked out 14 of his first 15 opponents.

‘Do you need me to close Tyson Fury up?’

After profitable silver at Tokyo 2020, Olympian Joyce was fast-tracked within the paid ranks on a mission to win a world-title in tremendous fast time.

But with age not on his facet nor a transparent path again to necessary challenger standing, hopes of changing into world champion at the moment are fading.

“It’s very disappointing,” Queensberry promoter Frank Warren mentioned. “First couple of rounds he bought it proper and he was shifting left.

“Then he went toe-to-toe and bought caught. If he continued to do what he was doing previous 5 – 6 rounds then it might have been attention-grabbing. He bought caught with a extremely good shot.”

Zhang is now in prime place to combat Usyk, or whoever the champion is when the WBO necessary known as.

But along with his shot unlikely to occur till center of subsequent 12 months on the earliest, he has now set his sights on the WBC champion.

“I need to ask the viewers a query. Do you need to see me shut Tyson Fury up?”, Zhang mentioned.