Ahead of the rematch between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk, Joe Joyce has said that he would be confident in the event of facing either fighter as the mandatory challenger for the WBO belt, which Usyk currently holds. The Ukrainian won the WBO, IBF, IBO, WBA titles against Joshua last September and they will have their rematch in Saudi Arabia in August.
Joyce won the Olympic silver medal as an amateur in 2016 and has enjoyed an unbeaten start to his professional career, working his way to the top of the heavyweight division. He won the British, Commonwealth, WBC Silver, WBO International, and European heavyweight titles against Daniel Dubois in 2020 and will defend those titles against Christian Hammer on July 2nd.
Hammer is a late call-up to the fight after Joseph Parker pulled out of the fight and will be a tricky obstacle to navigate albeit not the calibre of former WBO heavyweight champion Parker. Hammer has a record of 26 wins and 9 losses and is expected to struggle in the fight at SSE Wembley Arena next weekend.
ALSO READ: Joe Joyce makes Anthony Joshua claim as he chases Tyson Fury fight
Should Joyce move past Hammer, then a world title fight will be close with his mandatory challenger status and the 36-year-old is confident of a good performance against either Joshua or Usyk.
Joyce told Sky Sports : "If by some miracle Joshua beats Usyk, he will have to face me or vacate the belt. His chin has gone and I don't think his heart is fully in the game any more he's a businessman more interested in lecturing students,"
"I'm No1 with the WBO and when Usyk beats Joshua again I'll show you how a proper heavyweight in 10oz gloves deals with a man who lost to a welterweight in the amateurs."
However, there is also talk of a fight against Tyson Fury in the autumn, Fury is the reigning WBC champion and his representative Bob Arum has cited Joyce as a potential opponent later this year.
"He's going to fight, he's a fighting man, and I expect Tyson Fury back in the ring before the end of the year." He added. "I think if Joe Joyce wins his fight in early July, Tyson Fury and Joyce at Wembley in early at the beginning of October will do as well if not better - I don't know how you can do better - but as well as the Dillian Whyte fight with Tyson Fury."
"That will lead to a Fury fight against the winner of Joshua and Usyk. I'll do the best I can to make sure that fight takes place in the UK because I don't think it's good for boxing to have a fight like that and putting it in Saudi Arabia."
