No fans, no glamour, heavyweight boxing match was back to basics
Picture: joejoyceboxing.com
Putney heavyweight 'Juggernaut' Joe Joyce has set up an all- British showdown after a three round victory over German boxer Michael Wallisch. The bout was held in an empty arena in Stratford on 25 July.
The 34-year-old Olympic silver medallist made it eleven straight wins as a professional, and although briefly troubled in the first, he dominated the next two rounds. A combination had his opponent down and hanging on at the end of round two and he was quickly finished off in the third.
Joe told BT Sport, "All respect to my opponent for coming down, he put in a great effort.
"He, like me, was in lockdown (due to the coronavirus pandemic), and he took some heavy hits. I got off the ring rust and got him out of there."
The win sets up a clash with another unbeaten British heavyweight, Daneil Dubois, later this year, although Frank Warren says the match will only be viable if the arena can be at full capacity.#ListenIn: You can hear every word the boxers say to each other and every big punch land ??
— Boxing on BT Sport ?? (@BTSportBoxing) July 26, 2020
"You'd get disqualified for that normally!" ??
This is what boxing sounds like without fans in the arena... pic.twitter.com/BeLsV9QbM9
After the fight, the former Putney schoolboy laid down the gauntlet to 'Dynamite' Daniel Dubois, “This has made @ DynamiteDubois realise he is up against it.”
The Dubois fight is scheduled for 24 October at the O2 and Joe says he has plenty of time to prepare and will be ready.
Trademark knockout ??
— Boxing on BT Sport ?? (@BTSportBoxing) July 26, 2020
Trademark flip ??@JoeJoyceBoxing returned to boxing for the first time in over a year last night and got the job done in no time ?? pic.twitter.com/CTfElby7zL
July 28, 2020