Joe Joyce explains why he needs Oleksandr Usyk to win Anthony Joshua rematch

Joe Joyce has admitted that he needs Oleksandr Usyk to defeat Anthony Joshua when the pair face off for a second time, to help his own personal route to becoming world champion.

Usyk BEAT Joshua last week in London at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in front of 65,000 spectators in Joshua's home city.

Following the loss on home soil, Joshua will now face off with Usyk for a second time, however former sparring partner Joyce will be reluctantly hoping his former Team GB teammate is defeated for a second time.

Joyce will be called to take on the winner from the rematch as he stands as WBO mandatory challenger, and having fought both Joshua and Usyk as well as Tyson Fury, the Englishman feels a bout with the Ukrainian will give him his best chance of prevailing.

Joyce’s previous meeting with Usyk came back in 2013, after the 34-year-old defeated him across five rounds at the World Boxing Series Tournament which is a crossover event of both professional and amateur boxing.

Additionally he has also sparred alongside former teammate Joshua, and two-time world heavyweight champion Fury, and therefore feels he would be best suited to a title fight with Usyk.

Speaking in an interview with SunSport on which of the three potential opponents would suit his style, Joyce said: “I say maybe Usyk. Because AJ is more likely to knock me out and with Fury you’re in danger of being outboxed.

"He’s at the top, with Joshua, Usyk, they’re all at the top level but they all pose a different skillset and attributes which put them apart.

“Same with Usyk as well, he’s a smaller guy and southpaw, but they each pose a problem.”

The 36-year-old also threw Deontay Wilder ’s name into the conversation, who is set to take on Tyson Fury for the third time next weekend.

He added: “Even Deontay Wilder, he has that phenomenal punch power. There’s some really exciting fights with the big-level names.”

Joyce was expected to take on Usyk in a bout for the WBO interim title as Joshua and Fury prolonged their talks for a potential fight.

However the all-English battle between the pair soon collapsed, after a court order forced Fury into a third battle with Fury following a clause in their initial rematch contract which also led to the fall in Joyce’s chances of taking on Usyk.

The Ukrainian then of course went on to fight Joshua, and Joyce believes Usyk purposely went after a bout with his former teammate in a bid to avoid a face off with him.

Joyce commented: “I think AJ suits Usyk more than my style. I’m a hard style for Usyk to fight. That’s why I think he was patient in waiting to fight Joshua.

“I’d throw more shots and I’d have to have a nice training camp with Ismael Salas again and work out the game plan to beat this guy. It’s a fight that I can win, especially if it’s for the belts.”

The 36-year-old also addressed his previous fight with Usyk nine years ago, and feels that if the fight may have lasted a couple more rounds he would have eventually come out on top.

Joyce added: “I thought I was doing well in the first fight we had, it was a very tough but enjoyable fight.

“There were plenty of exchanges and I reckon if it had gone a couple more rounds I would have started to come out on top.

“I’d have more rounds if I fought him this time around, plus I’m a lot more experienced so I know how to fight southpaws.”

Source: Read Full Article