Joe Joyce hoping to position himself into a world title bout soon with a win over former WBC champion Bermane Stiverne
For boxing fans, this is the type of fight you like to see a prospect take. Joe Joyce is showing he’s ready to make the jump to contender against former WBC champion Bermane Stivern.
This bout should be an excellent showcase of heavyweight boxing as both fighters have excellent punching power and are technically sound.
Joe Joyce (7-0, 7KO)
As a late bloomer in the sport, Joyce is an excellent talent with height (6’6″) combined with an 82-inch reach. You add in his game-changing power and you have all of the basic tools to make an elite heavyweight.
With veteran trainer Abel Sanchez in his corner, he has developed a style similar to stablemate Gennady Golovkin. He does everything off his jab and it’s worked for him so far.
If the UK prospect wins this fight, he’ll have defeated three opponents with a combined record of 74-6. Sanchez has stated he’d like to have Joyce ready for a showdown with Luis Ortiz by the end of this year.
Bermane Stiverne (25-3-1, 21KO)
This fight could propel him into a title shot or relegate him into obscurity with a loss. The 40 year-old Haitian native, while not possessing elite athleticism, does have one-punch knockout power and his tactics in the ring reflect this.
Stiverne looks to walk his opponents into hard shots and is very judicious with his punch output. He has also been extremely inactive the past four years, with two of his defeats coming at the hands of current WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
The former champion is going to need to get himself into top shape to deal with his younger, UK opponent.
Tactics and Prediction
This fight is very simple to analyze. Joyce needs to utilize his jab and faster feet to his advantage to create openings. He also needs to push the pace whenever possible. This will force Stiverne to engage at a tempo he can’t maintain.
For the former WBC champion to win, he needs to use movement and feints to disrupt the timing of his UK opponent so he can setup his vaunted right-hand.
As far as predictions go, this fight is pretty simple. Joyce has several ways he can win due to his physical advantages, as well as having elite power. Stiverne’s best days are clearly behind him and has his work cutout for him.
Joyce should win handily by a mid-rounds stoppage.
By: Corey Cunningham
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