REVEALED: Joe Joyce’s Return Timeline and Potential Opponent

Published 01/14/2021, 6:45 AM EST

Joe Joyce rose to the occasion in his last fight against Daniel Dubois. He used the big stage set for this fight and finished Dubois with a brutal KO in round 10. This win has not only cemented him as the new staunch boxer from the UK but has also aligned him for a fight with ranked contenders of the heavyweight division.

Sam Jones, Joyce’s manager, was in a chat with Sky Sports wherein he talked about Joyce’s next probable opponent.

As per Jones, ‘Juggernaut’s’ number one target is the Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk. He said, “Joe will fight in April. We won’t stall his career. If it’s a different opponent, then it’s a different opponent, unless the WBO order Joe and Uysk to have a final eliminator.”

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Jones cited that the Joshua vs Fury bout will be vital and a decider for this fight, as Usyk has been hinting at a fight with Anthony Joshua for the WBO heavyweight title. However, ‘AJ’ is keen on pursuing Tyson Fury to be the undisputed king of the heavyweights.

If ‘AJ’ does not face Usyk for the WBO mandatory defense, the governing body might strip him off that belt. Joyce wants to capitalize on the same and wishes to touch gloves with Usyk for an interim belt or the ultimate gold.

“It is all dependent on the Joshua-Fury situation. We have made it clear to Frank Warren, Joe’s promoter, that we want to fight Usyk even if it’s an interim title fight.” Jones added.

Will Joe Joyce confront Oleksandr Usyk in 2021?

Joe Joyce defied expectations and won his last fight, despite being the underdog. He is a supremely talented athlete who exhibits some serious prowess to petrify his opponents. As of now, he’s an unranked heavyweight and is desperate to get one.

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He feels Oleksandr Usyk is his ticket to stage himself in a big way in the heavyweight roster.

However, a fight with Usyk in 2021 doesn’t quite seem to be on the cards, as the Ukrainian boxer will like to wait for Joshua and Fury to finish their duel before going on to challenge the winner.

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Joyce has immense skill sets in the bag to march on to the top. If not Usyk, he will look forward to fighting any other boxer in contention so he can launch himself in the top-10.

If not Usyk, who should Joe Joyce take on next?

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Written by:

Prathamesh Singh Chauhan is a Boxing Author at EssentiallySports. He is a graduate from the International Institute of Sports Management who combines his love for sports, particularly combat sports, and his flair for writing and analysis to help him in his day-to-day work. He has prior professional experience with sporting organizations such as Star Sports, Khelo India, and NBA.

REVEALED: Joe Joyce’s Return Timeline and Potential Opponent

Will Joe Joyce confront Oleksandr Usyk in 2021?

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