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‘Not a chance would Joyce beat Anthony Joshua’: Boxing pros react to Zhilei Zhang’s upset win over Joe Joyce

Joe Joyce took lumps in the ring, and now is taking some in reaction to his loss to Zhilei Zhang.

Joe Joyce took lumps in the ring, and now is taking some in reaction from fellow pros
Joe Joyce took lumps in the ring, and now is taking some in reaction from fellow pros
Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images

Joe Joyce came in a big favorite against Zhilei Zhang, but his iron chin couldn’t make up for having normal flesh and poor defense, as Zhang pounded him with left hands until the fight was stopped in round six, giving Zhang a major upset win.

Zhang (25-1-1, 20 KO) beat the right eye of Joyce (15-1, 14 KO) shut over five-and-a-half rounds, and the 37-year-old Joyce is going to have to take some lumps outside the ring, too, with reaction to his performance.

“Not a chance in hell would Joyce beat AJ,” said retired fighter Darren Reay. “None, even an AJ (who’s) gun shy. (Joshua) wouldn’t miss with a right hand.”

“He’s literally stood in line for Zhang’s left hand constantly,” said trainer Dave Coldwell. “Zhang can literally close his eyes and pop it out to land.”

Trainer and analyst Teddy Atlas, though, took a somewhat more optimistic approach.

“Silver lining in every dark cloud, and for Joyce it might be that this poor performance will now entice Joshua to fight him,” he said. “And if it does, you never know, if Joyce lands a right hand on that at-times porcelain chin of Joshua’s, could be broken dishes.”

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