Joe Joyce places his bet on Joseph Parker to topple Zhilei Zhang. The man’s not just shooting the breeze; he’s been in the ring with both, tasting victory and defeat in equal measure. Remember that knockout spectacle with Parker? Joyce, in a display of sheer power, sent Parker packing in the 11th round, turning the fight into a fireworks show. But when it came to Zhang, let’s just say Joyce’s luck ran out faster than a scam artist at a police convention.
Fast forward to now, at the ripe age of 38, Joyce is staring at his boxing life through a rearview mirror, contemplating his next move. He’s eyeing a comeback against Kash Ali come March 16, 2024. Ali might not be a headline-stealer, but for Joyce, it’s all about clawing his way back to glory, one punch at a time. And as for his thoughts on former foes?
Joyce, ever the boxing sage, sees Parker as the man to beat Zhang, hoping he’ll play his cards smarter than he did. “Zhang’s got a punch that could drop an elephant,” Joyce quipped, “but I’m rooting for Parker to dance around that and come out on top.”
Now, why would Joyce back a guy he’s already beaten? Simple. Parker’s a chameleon in the ring – just ask Deontay Wilder, who probably still sees Parker’s fists in his nightmares. In their clash, Parker was as composed as a monk in meditation, dodging Wilder’s haymakers and countering with the precision of a sniper. The result? Parker had Wilder’s number, winning almost every round and leaving the scorecards looking as one-sided as a political debate on social media.
And as for a rematch with Joyce? Parker’s itching for it, eager to rewrite their first encounter’s script. “Let’s see who’s really got the upper hand,” Parker declared, ready to test the waters against a potentially different Joyce.
Parker’s also got his sights set on a second tango with Anthony Joshua, looking to snatch back the WBO Heavyweight Title he once lost. Joshua, currently prepping for a showdown with Francis Ngannou, might find Parker knocking on his door, ready for a rematch, should he triumph over Ngannou.
Watch the full interview:
