Round-by-Round: Joe Joyce vs. Zhang Zhilei | BT Sport - 15 April 2023

[DrDuke]

ConpuBox Stats



Despite throwing 284 fewer punches than Joe Joyce, Zhilei Zhang landed 18 more power punches. Zhang’s accuracy, especially in the power punch category (56%), nullified Joyce’s work rate. Zhang couldn’t miss with his left hand, and eventually, Joyce’s right eye was too compromised for him to continue fighting.

Probably Joyce could turn it to the other side, if not the damaged eye, but that's a sh1tty excuse. The Chinese Powah worked well.

[Ezzard]

Joe should just avoid southpaws.

[margaret thatcher]

look at zhang's power punch connect percentage, as high as 62 percent, guy could hardly miss. obviously joe is tough but against a big puncher you gotta at least be a bit responsible

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

Well that reminded me of Wlad vs Sanders. Obviously not in the manner Wlad was put down 5-6 times. But the speed of the left, the southpaw angles and movement left both boxers clueless.

AJ should stay well away from Zang too. He didn't have a clue about the southpaw angles against Usyk either

[veriton]

Great show from Zhang and maybe puts Joyce v Whyte together.

Would look forward to Zhang v any of the top boys. Proper skills and just went in there to get the job done. Another one for Fury to avoid.

Silly observations:
George Warren looked like he had Frampton's suit on.

Moses has a touch of Terry Flanagan about him in interviews.

Criminal to bury Bentley on the undercard and elevate the women's bout to chief support. Only the see through shorts saved it from being totally unwatchable

[KiwiRider]

look at zhang's power punch connect percentage, as high as 62 percent, guy could hardly miss. obviously joe is tough but against a big puncher you gotta at least be a bit responsible

So economical, and yet he still ran out of steam very early...

[willardx]

What is Zhangs management /promotion situation? That will make a big impact on next fight. Man deserves a title shot.

[tonyevs]

Zhang did seem to be running out of steam as ealy as the 4th .. but is that just a case of his body language giving?

Zhang appeared to be catching almost all the punches on his gloves - and notably just easily blocking Joyce's jab with an open glove.

Zhang seemed to be fighting at his own pace and not getting broke down at all.
I don't see the rematch being anything other than another loss for Joyce .. maybe just a KO loss next time. Zhang was the one who looked most likely to get it in those 6rnds.

Such a shame for Joyce - a pity he didn't get to make good money against Usyk or Fury first.

[samwbr]

What is Zhangs management /promotion situation? That will make a big impact on next fight. Man deserves a title shot.

Mills Lane's sons manage him.

[ashall2]

Great show from Zhang and maybe puts Joyce v Whyte together.

Would look forward to Zhang v any of the top boys. Proper skills and just went in there to get the job done. Another one for Fury to avoid.

Silly observations:
George Warren looked like he had Frampton's suit on.

Moses has a touch of Terry Flanagan about him in interviews.

Criminal to bury Bentley on the undercard and elevate the women's bout to chief support. Only the see through shorts saved it from being totally unwatchable

Agree on Bentley, I really like him. Likeable kid and can punch.

I was bored to death during the co-main… nobody wants to watch an American woman vs a Swedish woman in the UK at 9.30pm.

[ashall2]

Hopefully the nuggets who think Joyce blocking punches with his head is funny will pipe down now. Needs to learn some defence.

You ain't learning defence at his stage of his career .

Isn’t beating anyone decent then.

[margaret thatcher]

Zhang did seem to be running out of steam as ealy as the 4th .. but is that just a case of his body language giving?

Zhang appeared to be catching almost all the punches on his gloves - and notably just easily blocking Joyce's jab with an open glove.

Zhang seemed to be fighting at his own pace and not getting broke down at all.
I don't see the rematch being anything other than another loss for Joyce .. maybe just a KO loss next time. Zhang was the one who looked most likely to get it in those 6rnds.

Such a shame for Joyce - a pity he didn't get to make good money against Usyk or Fury first.

zhang just doesnt have a gas tank. he was bouncing jerry forrest off the canvas, in cruise control and up 30-24 after 3, then ended up in the hospital he was so exhausted at the end, against an opponent who really shouldnt have been that threatning.

even winning here........180 punches in almost 6 rounds is pretty mediocre. that said, he was doing well in the 6th and looking a bit more lively again before joyce was stopped

joyce's problem is that to beat zhang he's always going to have to take a sh!tload of punches from a very hard puncher. zhang slows down, but joyce is gonna end up pretty busted to get to that point. maybe he should aim to box more like he did vs dubois, jabbing and being more mindful of the offensive threat

if i were zz though, id be looking for a bigger fight than joyce again. bang is a bit of a hot commodity now and the chinese hw thing gives him an angle for some hype

[THEBUTCH]

Career best performance from Zhang

I feel for Joyce because without the eye damage I'm pretty sure he would have got to Zhang or simply taken him over on the scorecards, although that's not suggest there was anything wrong with Zhang's win.

As rattled as Joyce was in the 2nd and 6th rounds, he still had the look of man prepared to walk though hell & high water. Joe has an incredible ability to endure punishment but on this occasion he badly need some defence too.

I really hope Zhang gets a straight shot at Fury next, or Usyk, although Hrgovic might have something to say about that (who IMO beat Zhang fair & square).

[DrDuke]

Career best performance from Zhang

I feel for Joyce because without the eye damage I'm pretty sure he would have got to Zhang or simply taken him over on the scorecards, although that's not suggest there was anything wrong with Zhang's win.

As rattled as Joyce was in the 2nd and 6th rounds, he still had the look of man prepared to walk though hell & high water. Joe has an incredible ability to endure punishment but on this occasion he badly need some defence too.

I really hope Zhang gets a straight shot at Fury next, or Usyk, although Hrgovic might have something to say about that (who IMO beat Zhang fair & square).

Yeah, Joyce was still outworking Zhang, while he was losing on points. He was hurt early, but he was able to continue, if not the eye damage. Although I don't see him winning on points, he could only pull out a KO win.

And I had Zhang winning Hrgovic, so now the Chinese is the best contender for me. After the win over Joyce it's easy to fancy him defeating Joshua or Wilder. Although Wilder can stop Zhang with a bigger opportunity than Joshua.

[tony1234]

If Joyce had worked on his defence beforehand he might not have suffered the eye damage, he was slow and ponderous from the start and maybe made Zhang look better than he is ?
Not sure where he goes from here, a rematch is pointless, maybe go with Dubois again ?
Apart from the Bentley fight the rest was rubbish last night especially the Mayer fight, that should have been on first if not at all

[Ruthless-RKO]

What is Zhangs management /promotion situation? That will make a big impact on next fight. Man deserves a title shot.

Queensberry have options on his next fight

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Boxerbeetle]

Del’s photoshopping skills are really coming along.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Zhang did seem to be running out of steam as ealy as the 4th .. but is that just a case of his body language giving?

Zhang appeared to be catching almost all the punches on his gloves - and notably just easily blocking Joyce's jab with an open glove.

Zhang seemed to be fighting at his own pace and not getting broke down at all.
I don't see the rematch being anything other than another loss for Joyce .. maybe just a KO loss next time. Zhang was the one who looked most likely to get it in those 6rnds.

Such a shame for Joyce - a pity he didn't get to make good money against Usyk or Fury first.

zhang just doesnt have a gas tank. he was bouncing jerry forrest off the canvas, in cruise control and up 30-24 after 3, then ended up in the hospital he was so exhausted at the end, against an opponent who really shouldnt have been that threatning.

even winning here........180 punches in almost 6 rounds is pretty mediocre. that said, he was doing well in the 6th and looking a bit more lively again before joyce was stopped

joyce's problem is that to beat zhang he's always going to have to take a sh!tload of punches from a very hard puncher. zhang slows down, but joyce is gonna end up pretty busted to get to that point. maybe he should aim to box more like he did vs dubois, jabbing and being more mindful of the offensive threat

if i were zz though, id be looking for a bigger fight than joyce again. bang is a bit of a hot commodity now and the chinese hw thing gives him an angle for some hype

He tried to jab with Zhang, but zhang just parried it with an open glove.

Joyce needed to create angles to land, but its not really his style.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Del’s photoshopping skills are really coming along.

Please god no.

Del needs to find a new career.....graphic design?

[Twinkle Toes]

Zhang couldn't miss with the left and busted Joyce up early on. Joyce threw a lot of leather, but it wasn't well schooled. A lot of it was hitting the arms. Zhang never once looked troubled where as Joyce was hurt to head and body. The reality is he lost to a nearly 40 yeard old and of course he will come back but to me it looks like his moment has passed.

I think these heavys are all at a point when anything can happen. They are fighting against age as much as anything else.

[handsofstone]

Would pay good money to see Zhang turn Chisora into a cabbage once and for all, good servant to the sport but a horrible human being and far too entitled, although I suppose when you've got a lot of belt holders ducking, dodging and pricing themselves out of serious tests and big fights then its really no surprise plonkers like Del Boy have a god complex despite losing nearly every big fight they've ever had

[damage]

If it ever happened I hope they have good hospitals in China.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Would pay good money to see Zhang turn Chisora into a cabbage once and for all, good servant to the sport but a horrible human being and far too entitled, although I suppose when you've got a lot of belt holders ducking, dodging and pricing themselves out of serious tests and big fights then its really no surprise plonkers like Del Boy have a god complex despite losing nearly every big fight they've ever had

Jesus, did Del bang your missus?

Why would you wish that on anyone?