Joe Joyce insists that his bout with Oleksandr Usyk is almost complete!
With each passing day it grows increasingly probable that heavyweight Joe “Juggernaut” Joyce (12-0, 11 KO’s) will face Oleksandr Usyk (18-0, 13 KO’s). The two have been flirting with a prizefight for several weeks. Initially it was unknown if Usyk would force a fight with unified heavyweight champion Anthony “AJ” Joshua (24-1, 22 KO’s). As the WBO mandatory challenger, he was guaranteed a shot at AJ who holds the WBO, WBA and IBF Heavyweight world titles. Yet, that was before the WBO revealed their willingness to allow Joshua to face WBC World Heavyweight champion Tyson “Gypsy King” Fury (30-0-1, 21 KO’s).
Minus the threat of being stripped of his title, AJ turned his full attention to Fury. Obviously, fighting in a mega-fight to crown an undisputed champion was more appealing than an Usyk bout. So, with his match with Joshua temporarily postponed, Usyk was free to focus on a dust-up with Joyce. Even better, according to the Juggernaut, a formal fight contract is nearing completion.
ALMOST TIME TO SIGN!
The negotiations between Team Usyk and Team Joyce have always appeared productive from the outside looking in. Now, according to Joyce, its not merely speculation but soon to be a fact.
“Yes, it’s going as planned so it seems… the winner will get the WBO. It’s looking like April. The negotiations seem to be going well and it looks like the fight is going nicely and it’s almost confirmed. I can’t wait. Back in the gym, getting ready. I think I’m going to go for the knockout, the stoppage. I’m going to stop his feet. I’m going to have to be smart and switched on not to take too many shots back.”
“I want to stop his feet by any means necessary but also listen to my corner and all the things I’ve been doing inside the gym. Do all the hard work in the gym so it’s easy by the time I get to the fight.”
Joyce is coming off an extremely dominant win over the previously undefeated “Dynamite” Daniel DuBois (15-1, 14 KO’s). Not only was the Juggernaut able to topple the hard-hitting boxer, he forced him to quit! Securing the prizefight with Usyk after that meaningful victory will definitely maintain the upward trajectory of his career.
Usyk is now 2-0 in his heavyweight campaign and energetically looking forward to his third conquest. If he were to handily overcome the Juggernaut, that would be another major feather in his cap. The winner being guaranteed a shot at the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world afterwards is simply a tremendous bonus. So, let us see how this plays out, but ideally there should be a major fight announcement in the coming days.
By: Bakari Simpson
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