“I’m excited to be back in the ring and show the British fans and fans around the world what I’m made of,” said a seemingly resolute Joe Joyce.
The heavyweight contender and former 2016 Olympic silver medallist is well travelled and has seen plenty in his 16-4 (15 KOs) career.
But his four losses have come in his last five fights and, even in the one win, against Kash Ali, he looked more like an old Joe Joyce than the Joe Joyce of old.
But his path has led him to a new trainer, and he is now working with SugarHill Steward ahead of Saturday’s fight in Russia against Artem Suslenkov in the VTB Arena in Moscow.
“I went and did a kind of trial with him to see how we gelled,” said Joyce. “I really like him and he’s got new things to add to my game, which you’ll see on fight night. I went over to America to train in the gym there. It’s great, you get a real taste for the area and the surroundings, the gym, the different boxers in there, and the style and the methods because every gym is different. So it’s a great experience. And Sugar’s got more to add to my game. So I’ve been learning again and incorporating the new things I’ve learned, and you’ll see that on fight night.”
Steward is the latest of several big-name trainers Joyce has worked with since turning professional, following Abel Sanchez, Adam Booth and Ismael Salas.
“I’ve had some great coaches, right?” Joyce added. “They’re all great coaches, and each has different methods.”
Then, looking back on his own spell in boxing, he said: “Yeah, I’ve had a great career, and in the amateurs as well, from Earlsfield to the GB team, around the world, with different coaches, and Cuba and stuff. I’ve had a wealth of experience that I’d like to pass on one day.
“I’ve done something that I’ve enjoyed and still enjoy. It’s year in, year out, and you’ve got to keep plugging away and, obviously, take criticism and all the other bits and pieces. But, you know, on the whole, it’s been a great career and I’ve enjoyed seeing different places, travelling the world and learning new things and putting on a show. It’s been great.”
Joyce said he has reviewed footage of Suslenkov while working on a strategy with Steward. The Russian is rated No. 10 by the WBA, and Joyce, 40, still has world title aspirations.
Many say he is not the fighter he was when defeating the likes of Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker, and that he has not fully recovered from consecutive stoppage defeats to Zhilei Zhang. Decision losses to veteran Derek Chisora and Filip Hrgovic have followed.
Asked whether he felt he would have underachieved if he didn’t win a world title, Joyce replied: “It’s been a good life. Obviously, my amateur record… as a professional, I’ve been around, I’ve been to the top. But yeah, there’s still more to come. This is like my legacy chapter and I’m excited to get back in and show everyone what I’ve learned and show the British boxing fans what I’m about.
“Obviously, that [a world title]’s the icing on the cake. But I’ve got to deal with one fight at a time. And of course, Suslenkov’s in my way, and I’m going to get him out of my way.”
Joyce lost a controversial decision in the Rio Olympic gold medal bout to Frenchman Tony Yoka, and it has long seemed apparent that he and Yoka would fight as professionals.
That never appeared more likely than when Yoka was paired with WBA champion Murat Gassiev on the same Russian bill.
But Yoka withdrew injured little more than a week ago and, while Joyce was rumoured to be a replacement, the Englishman remains set to face Suslenkov.
“It’s like 10 years ago now,” Joyce said of Yoka and their fight in South America. “I’m just going to have my fight [on Saturday] and then, after that, we can decide what happens next. My focus is just Suslenkov right now.”
And he has seen the success of his old foe Dubois, who currently owns the WBO version of the heavyweight title. Joyce defeated Dubois back in 2020. It was then that many wrote off Dubois as a consequence, and now they are writing off Joyce.
“Yeah, I suppose that’s the game,” he sighed. “I suppose you get kind of built up, and as soon as you have a loss or whatever, then people write you off. But in any sport, there are wins and losses, and it’s about coming back and winning.”
