Round-by-Round: Zhilei Zhang vs. Joe Joyce II | TNT Sports - 23 September 2023

[polecateddy]

Reminded me of Price getting straight back with Thompson and getting another beating, no point in Joyce fighting again as he's shown his level and at 38 won't be getting any better or changing anything now.

The rest of the card was pretty poor, Yarde's 'fight' was embarrassing and Itauma's opponent was looking for a way out before the first bell rung.

I think he’ll go the Robin Reid route after he lost his durability. Fight as a dangerman for a few years and quit.

[golden_labrador]

Lauditing Zhang as some sort of ring monster is indicative of how shit an era we're in for heavyweight boxing. Both would be worthy bum of the month candidates in previous eras.

I don't know. a fearless 6ft7 20st beast who can punch as 'quickly' as that is not something I've really seen in previous eras. like an overblown southpaw Andy Ruiz. fairly accurate and the weight of a house behind him.

[jwfg]

JJ vs DDD 2 should be next. Winner stops on.

[golden_labrador]

Reminded me of Price getting straight back with Thompson and getting another beating, no point in Joyce fighting again as he's shown his level and at 38 won't be getting any better or changing anything now.

The rest of the card was pretty poor, Yarde's 'fight' was embarrassing and Itauma's opponent was looking for a way out before the first bell rung.

I think he’ll go the Robin Reid route after he lost his durability. Fight as a dangerman for a few years and quit.

just read Joyce saying he'll carry on and i agree with you, he'll fight on as a golem journeyman for fighters needing an impressive scalp. a not-sh#t Chisora, but easier to hit

[polecateddy]

Reminded me of Price getting straight back with Thompson and getting another beating, no point in Joyce fighting again as he's shown his level and at 38 won't be getting any better or changing anything now.

The rest of the card was pretty poor, Yarde's 'fight' was embarrassing and Itauma's opponent was looking for a way out before the first bell rung.

I think he’ll go the Robin Reid route after he lost his durability. Fight as a dangerman for a few years and quit.

just read Joyce saying he'll carry on and i agree with you, he'll fight on as a golem journeyman for fighters needing an impressive scalp. a not-sh#t Chisora, but easier to hit

He looked in poor shape for this one, and probably isn’t far off being just a punchbag.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Joyce is a fool. He's got other options, he must have made some decent coin.

With his face first style he will be eating dinner through a straw.

He's a very likable guy, I hope he has a change of heart.

[tonyevs]

But with this era of heavyweights so bad, who else out there is likely to be able to do what Zhang did to him?

If a guy like Dubois is still seen as being a player in the division, then Joyce has to have another chance left to do something.

[Teddy's Toupee]

racist. And illiterate to boot.

Sorry I should have said pikey.

so immature.

I agree, you are when it comes to your attitude towards homosexuality. I also agree the terms used by Monzon83 are racist. Maybe moderators should start handing out temporary bans for such language?

[jamesmcdonnell]

But with this era of heavyweights so bad, who else out there is likely to be able to do what Zhang did to him?

If a guy like Dubois is still seen as being a player in the division, then Joyce has to have another chance left to do something.

Joyce's chin definitely doesn't look as sturdy as it once was. He looked stunned by the first left hand he landed. Unlike punch power, durability is often one of the first things to go with old fighters, and let's face it, Joyce is old.

He also looked unable to pull the trigger, I didn't see him land a single shot of any significance, just lots of pawing and pushing out shots.

He's done. He's going to get badly hurt if he carries on from here.

[tonyevs]

We speculated what Joyce's game plan for the rematch would be ..

It turned out the plan was; bulk up in the hope of absorbing the punches better; keep the right glove high to protect against Zhang's back hand. And get his lead foot outside of Zhang's and move to his left ..
Proper basic fight plan!

Zhang just took a look in the first round, but towards the end of the round, ominously for Joyce, began to show he could easily step outside of Joyce's lead foot.

The second round he stood on Joyce's lead foot numerous times as he easily gained the advantage in footwork.

Joyce knew at the end of the 2nd he was in big trouble because his plan had already failed - he knew the big punches would be coming next.

I don't think Joyce's chin has gone - Zhang is a monster hitter in the early rounds. Joyce won't beat Zhang, but I'd be confident Joyce would have a better than average chance of beating Wilder or Ruiz.

[gilgamesh]

zhang is a bad man. if you reveres that hrgovic decision like many do he is on a tear.

Shame he is so old, i wanna see him with everyone. AJ vs zhang, Wilder vs zhang, usyk vs zhang, fury vs zhang.

If he gets a shot at the World Title, I know he'd be the first Chinese man ever to fight for the Heavyweight Championship. I can't think of any Chinese Boxing Champions in any weight class to be honest.

[Ruthless-RKO]

zhang is a bad man. if you reveres that hrgovic decision like many do he is on a tear.

Shame he is so old, i wanna see him with everyone. AJ vs zhang, Wilder vs zhang, usyk vs zhang, fury vs zhang.

If he gets a shot at the World Title, I know he'd be the first Chinese man ever to fight for the Heavyweight Championship. I can't think of any Chinese Boxing Champions in any weight class to be honest.

There was that flyweight. Olympian that Top rank signed. Won a world title and then lost it. Can’t remember his name. Wa about 5-6 years ago maybe longer.

[Ruthless-RKO]

It was Shiming Zou

Lost the belt to Sho Kimura.

Was a bit of a fraud I think.

[gilgamesh]

Career ended

I don't know if it's the end of Joyce's career full stop, but it's definitely the end of his aspirations of competing at the World Level. Best he could set his sights on now is British Champion I'd think.

I don't even see European Champion in him, but he could be British Champion. Nothing to scoff at in and of itself.

Joyce is just too easy to hit, and too technically limited for the upper echelon guys.

[tonyevs]

I think lots being too harsh on Joyce.

Zhang was/is just all wrong for him.

The division doesn't have many out there that will be able to do what Zhang's done .. there are still opportunities out there for Joyce.

[KiwiRider]

Joyce had to take that rematch.
All he had worked for in rising up the ranks had been taken by Zhang.

[SeanBrennan]

Hope he rebuilds and comes again, still think he's a step above Clarke, Wardley, Adeleye, and so on.

[Coco]

Plenty JJ can beat and plenty of money to be made to.

Folk were calling for Chisora to retire after Haye......

He has made millons since

[Ricky]

Plenty JJ can beat and plenty of money to be made to.

Folk were calling for Chisora to retire after Haye......

He has made millons since

Joyce is a cracking heavyweight, he'll come again.

[Teddy's Toupee]

Plenty JJ can beat and plenty of money to be made to.

Folk were calling for Chisora to retire after Haye......

He has made millons since

Joyce is a cracking heavyweight, he'll come again.

Was Chisora nearly 40 when he lost to Haye?

[watsupdoc87]

It was Shiming Zou

Lost the belt to Sho Kimura.

Was a bit of a fraud I think.

He beat paddy barns twice in the olympics and went on to win gold both times i think. never made it as a pro tho

[Grilling Machine]

Usyk and Fury would obviously be miles ahead of Joyce on points, but I'd still give him a chance of stopping both late. Usyk because of the size difference, and Fury because he might wilt against someone he can't push around with a much higher output.

From the available options I don't care for the Dubois rematch. A loss would be huge for either, while a win wouldn't do much. They'd get the same pros and cons against Joshua, but lots more money.