Joe Joyce (boxer)

Early career

Joyce turned professional in July 2017 at the age of 32, signing with Hayemaker Ringstar.^[11] On 6 September 2017, an official announcement was made for the first boxing event which would take place at Indigo, The O2 arena in London on 20 October 2017. Haye confirmed that Joyce would headline the card, making his debut against experienced former WBO Inter-Continental champion Ian Lewison (12-3, 8 KOs).^[12] Joyce put on an impressive display in a hard earned victory.^[13][14][15] Promoter David Haye spoke to Metro after the bout stating he offered British heavyweight champion Sam Sexton a career-high payday to fight Joyce next, but hadn't heard anything back. He also offered David Allen a fight, who turned it down to rematch Lenroy Thomas. Haye hoped to get Joyce back in action on the undercard of his rematch with Tony Bellew in December 2017.^[16] On 2 November, Joyce confirmed that he would fight on the Bellew-Haye II undercard on 17 December.^[17] Two days later, British boxer Tom Little (10-4, 3 KOs) was announced as his opponent.^[18] The event was rescheduled to 5 May 2018. On 30 January 2018, Hayemaker Ringstar announced that Joyce would make his next appearance at the York Hall in London on 16 February against 25 year old Croatian boxer Rudolf Jozic (4-1, 3 KOs).^[19] On 3 February, whilst backstage at the O2 Arena in London for Lawrence Okolie vs. Isaac Chamberlain, Dereck Chisora met with Haye and Joyce, where Chisora revealed Haye had contacted his manager Steve Goodwin and offered £60,000 for him to fight Joyce. Chisora later stated if the money was right, he would fight Joyce on the Tony Bellew vs. David Haye II card on 5 May 2018.^[20] Joyce knocked out Jozic in the first round after landing a right hand to the head towards the end of the round. When the result was announced, the timekeeper included the 10-count, announcing the time of stoppage as 3 minutes and 6 seconds. After the fight, Haye stated a new six-figure offer would be presented to Chisora, which would see him earn around the same purse he received in his loss to Agit Kabayel.^[21][22] On 1 March, speaking ahead of his next fight at the York Hall on 17 March against Donnie Palmer, Joyce stated that Chisora had rejected the offer to fight him.^[23] Joyce knocked Palmer out inside the first minute of round one at the O2 Arena.^[24] On 24 March, after Chisora knocked out his French opponent Zakaria Azzouzi and then called Joyce and Haye over during his post fight interview with Sky Sports. Prior to calling them over, Chisora referred to Joyce as a Chihuahua. Chisora first asked Haye if he had confidence in Jocye and then stated, “In front of the British public on live television, I’ll make a deal with you right now: if he (Joyce) beats me you write me a cheque of £1, if I beat him you give me your purse against Tony (Bellew) and your TV rights.” Haye rejected the offer. Chisora then told Haye to not mention his name again. Haye told Sky Sports, “We offered him the same money he got for (Kubrat) Pulev, more money than he got for the European title, but you said no. Okay, we understand.”^[25][26][27]

Domestic success

On 16 April 2018, it was announced a deal was in place for Joyce to challenge for the Commonwealth heavyweight title against Jamaican boxer Lenroy Thomas (22-4-1, 10 KOs).^[28] Two days later, Sky Sports officially announced the fight for 5 May.^[29] Joyce entered the ring wearing a sombrero. He knocked Thomas down three times before the fight came to an end in round 2. Two knockdowns came from body shots and the final knockdown came from a left hook to the head.. After the fight, Joyce stated he would like to challenge for the British heavyweight title. By winning the belt in just his fourth professional bout, Joyce broke a 106-year record.^[30][31]

On 21 May, it was announced that Joyce would make a first defence of his Commonwealth title on 15 June at the York Hall in London, live and exclusive on Dave.^[32] On 8 June, Ghanaian boxer Richard Lartey (12-1, 9 KOs) was confirmed as Joyce's opponent.^[33] A day before the fight, Lartey was replaced by Croatian journeyman Ivica Bacurin (29-13-1, 18 KOs).^[34] In a non-title fight, Joyce knocked Bacurin out in less than two minutes. After the fight, there was talks around a potential fight with British champion Hughie Fury.^[35][36] On 18 June, Joyce said he was open to fighting American heavyweight Bryant Jennings (23-2, 13 KOs) on 18 August 2018 in New Jersey. Jennings was initially in talks to fight former WBO champion Joseph Parker on the same date, however Parker opted to fight Dillian Whyte on 28 July.^[37]

After Kell Brook suffered an ankle injury and ruled himself out of the Whyte-Parker PPV card, there was rumours that Joyce would fight domestic rival Nick Webb on the undercard.^[38] Joyce quickly denied the reports and stated he had no intention in fighting in July. He also stated he had parted ways with trainer Ismail Salas after Salas had announced himself semi-retired and moved to Doha, Qatar.^[39]

Signing with Al Haymon

On 24 July 2018, Joyce started a one month trial with world-renowned trainer Abel Sanchez.^[40] Seven days later Joyce and Sanchez reached a deal to team up full time.^[41][42] On 15 August, Joyce signed a deal with powerful American advisor Al Haymon. It was said that Joyce would make his US debut before the end of 2018.^[43] On 4 September, it was announced that Joyce would fight Iago Kiladze (26-3, 18 KOs) in an 8-round bout at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California on 30 September.^[44] Joyce kept his unbeaten run alive with a round 5 knockout win over Kiladze. Joyce knocked Kiladze down three times in dropping him in rounds 2, 3 and 5. The fight was stopped after the third knockdown with Kiladze appearing hurt. The official time of the stoppage was at 41 seconds of the round. Kiladze didn't appear to cause any damage with the shots he landed and Joyce appeared to use his jab more.^[45][46]