Joe Joyce has confirmed he has activated his rematch clause to take on Zhilei Zhang.
'The Juggernaut' elected not to sit on his laurels and took on a significant challenge against Chinese contender Zhang as he looked to set up a title clash with Oleksandr Usyk. However Joyce was handed the first defeat of his career, being stopped in a significant upset on domestic shores to derail his title bid.
It was unclear what his initial plan was after sustaining an eye injury, but after a medical assessment saw him cleared of any significant damage, he now is set to bid for revenge later this year. Joyce's manager Shane Watson confirmed the news, telling Mirror Fighting : " Joe Joyce consistently shows he is the only elite heavyweight who will fight anyone.
"He’s going straight into an immediate rematch with another elite level heavyweight who should be undefeated. We know what went wrong in the last fight and know how to put it right, and we spoke about an interim fight but Joe made it clear he wanted to the rematch."
This news could now derail a potential fight between Zhang and Fury with the WBC champion's promoter Bob Arum initially indicating the pair were in advanced talks over a showdown at Wembley Stadium this summer. Joyce could well be offered a step-aside fee by Fury's team if there is any bid to salvage the fight, or Fury could instead touch gloves with Andy Ruiz Jr.
Joyce will look to revive his own ambitions this summer, and he could even go after the winner of Fury's potential clash with Usyk which has been touted to take place at the end of the year. It was a tough evening for the former Olympian who was gracious in defeat as he considered his options following the loss.
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And despite his night with Zhang threatening to halt his march towards heavyweight silverware, Joyce did vow to restore his momentum. “It was a good fight," he said following the defeat. "I think I could have done better. I haven’t fought a southpaw for so long and credit to him because he’s a good fighter. I gave it my all.
I think I could do better, but it’s just disappointing. I expected to win like I normally do. Thanks for all the support and congratulations. A little bit more practise [is needed]. Zhang is a fellow silver medallist, he’s a good fighter and hits hard. He’s an awkward style because he’s a southpaw and a powerful southpaw at that. I just couldn’t get away.
"I kept getting hit by his left hand. I’m disappointed. I’d like to apologise to all my fans and supporters. I’ll be back. My journey’s not over. This is just a hurdle I’ve tripped over. I’ll be back. Maybe it’s payback for Daniel Dubois ’ eye? I got my eye done as well. Never mind. I’ll be back.”
