Joe Joyce Looking Forward to Stiverne Test

Joe Joyce Looking Forward to Stiverne Test

By Dean Wigzell 

Joe Joyce is a difficult heavyweight to classify, with just 7 professional fights to his name he is something of a novice but at the age of 33 he hasn’t got much room for error if he is to reach the top of the game.

However, not many fighters can boast a former world champion on their resume after just 8 professional fights, but come the final bell on 23rd February Joyce will be able to do just that.

‘The Juggernaut’ takes on former WBC heavyweight cChampion Bermane Stiverne on the undercard of James DeGale v Chris Eubank Jr, and whilst Stiverne’ s credentials as a former champion are questionable his name can certainly add some much-needed gravitas to Joyce’s CV.

When we spoke recently Joyce was adamant that despite Stiverne’s shaky record of late, he would be foolish to not acknowledge that he provides a real step up in comparison to his previous opponents.

‘He’s a (former) world champion and he fought hard to get there. I’m not underestimating him at all and neither are my team. I’m sure he wasn’t happy with his last performance against Wilder but he took that fight on very short notice. He has experience, guile and is very durable.’

Stiverne and his promoter Don King have been very vocal in the lead up to this fight about their future plans, with King in particular stating he fears for Joyce stepping in with his fighter. However, the talk from the Haitian’s camp hasn’t irked Joyce in the way they may have hoped.

‘I would love to be a great trash talker but it’s just not me. Don King is a total legend and an incredible promoter. Bermane Stiverne knows what he will be facing. I would rather show him than make claims.’

Joyce has despatched all of his seven previous opponents within the distance and whilst the move to fight Stiverne represents a desire to put the foot down and begin accelerating up the ranks, Joyce himself is all too aware that it still has to be regarded as a learning fight.

‘I think I’m a tough night for anyone right now, but I’m well aware that I’m still learning. To get better at anything you have to test yourself and put yourself in pressurised environments, and my promoter and management have made sure that standard is moving up and up to get me better and better.’

A fight with Luis Ortiz has been spoken about for a while now and whilst Joyce believes that will happen eventually, it is clear that he has no intention of fighting anyone below world level from here on in.

‘I am where I want to be – learning my craft and my trade against the best on the world. I don’t want to take a backward step and want to keep progressing. I’m not the finished article but bit by bit the pieces are falling into place. By 2020 I will be that much better and getting nearer my peak.’