Joe Joyce Exclusive Interview with OLBG

Joe Joyce MBE, born on 19 September 1985, is a prominent figure in British professional boxing. Known for his remarkable power and a high knockout-to-win ratio, Joyce has made a significant impact in the heavyweight division, both at the regional and international levels. This concise biography delves into his early life, amateur successes, and professional career highlights, encapsulating the journey of a unique athlete who transitioned from fine arts graduate to boxing champion.

Early Life and Education

Joe Joyce's multicultural background combines Scottish, Irish, and Nigerian heritage. He started his boxing career relatively late, at 22, after injuries cut short his interest in track and field athletics. Despite not being an avid boxing fan initially, Joyce grew to love the sport, attributing his late start to his gradual interest in boxing legends. Before stepping into the ring, he pursued and completed a BSc degree in Fine Arts at Middlesex University, showcasing his multifaceted talents both within and outside the sports arena.

Amateur Career

Joyce excelled as an amateur, bagging several prestigious medals including bronze at the 2013 European Championships, gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2015 European Games, and silver at the 2016 Olympics. His amateur career set a solid foundation for his professional journey, highlighting his tenacity and skill in the ring.

Professional Career

Turning professional in 2017 at the age of 31, Joyce quickly climbed the ranks. He held the WBO interim heavyweight title from 2022 to 2023 and has been a regional champion multiple times, securing the Commonwealth, British, and European heavyweight titles. Joyce's career has been marked by significant fights, including victories over seasoned boxers like Daniel Dubois, Carlos Takam, and Joseph Parker. However, in a twist of fate, his undefeated record was tarnished by Zhilei Zhang in 2023, first through a TKO loss in their initial bout and then a knockout in the rematch, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of boxing.

Interview - March 2024

Anthony Joshua is a ‘glass-cannon’ - he’s explosive but fragile, Francis Ngannou’s ‘freakish power’ can expose AJ’s chin, Anthony Joshua ‘giggling and gloating’ at his amateur win over me left a bad taste in my mouth

• Francis Ngannou’s ‘freakish power’ can expose ‘glass-cannon’ Anthony Joshua, Anthony Joshua ‘giggling and gloating’ at his amateur win over me left a bad taste in my mouth,
•  I want Deontay Wilder in the boxing ring or the cage…my martial arts background will give me the edge in MMA,
• Eddie Hearn is wrong, it’s too soon for Wayne Rooney to face Jake Paul…Rooney v Cristiano Ronaldo is the fight to make,
•  Zhilei Zhang beats Joseph Parker

Francis Ngannou’s ‘freakish power’ can expose ‘glass-cannon’ Anthony Joshua

“I'm doubtful they'll meet in the center of the ring, I imagine Joshua will play it safe. Joshua can hit hard but if he fights fire with fire and he could get caught in the flames it could be over. He needs to be careful and get his shots off too. Francis can test AJ’s chin. AJ’s shown he hasn't got the best chin, he's shown he's a bit of a glass cannon. He has explosive power but also he’s quite fragile. But how can I talk? I've just been knocked out, so I can't talk. But look at what Ngannou did against Fury, he knocked him down and arguably won the fight, and he could do the same to Joshua. He needs to because Ngannou is not going to get the decision.”

“If Francis lands a big bomb on Joshua’s chin, Joshua’s going down. Equally, Joshua's got power and if he can put them punches together and use his experience, probably keep it a lot more long range, I can see why some are making him the favorite. If the odds are good for a Francis knockout, I’m putting my money on that. It’s a 50-50 fight. I'll say Joshua on points or Ngannou for the upset by KO.” 

“Joshua and Ngannou are quite similar fighters, there's not too much difference between their height and reach. Joshua's way more experienced in boxing. But Ngannou actually started out in boxing before moving into MMA. He’s had great coaching and he's shown how good he is in his last performance against Fury where he knocked him down as well. It's a very close fight and styles make fights.”

“I was working with two sparring partners and Francis jumped in for four rounds. He had good technique, you could see he had power, but he was a bit open because he was used to sparring UFC, so his stance was quite wide open like a UFC fighter, so I could see the power shots coming and I'd step out the way of them. You can tell he hit hard and I was just keeping him on the end of the jab and moving, trying to stay away from the power shots. He has freakish power, he’s dropped most of these UFC fighters, he dropped Fury, so he has got some serious power. 

“I always used to talk to him in the gym at the UFC facility between training and he told me he started with boxing before dedicating himself to UFC. He always seemed to be training hard. He's in great shape but he lives and lives a life.”

Anthony Joshua ‘giggling and gloating’ at his amateur win over me left a bad taste in my mouth

“Personally I like Ngannou.  I've spent more time with him recently than I have Joshua. There's been a bit of needle with Joshua, a bit of back and forth in the press. I didn't enjoy him gloating when he was watching a video of the fight we had in the amateurs. I saw a clip of him watching our fight back with his friends and giggling and laughing at it. It was some footage I saw. I've not spoken to him for a long time but it left a bitter taste in my mouth. He was my team mate and he supported me through the bad decision I had in Rio and I supported him leading up to the London Olympics because I got in the squad and it was always very competitive with him. I'd love to fight AJ one day. 

I want Deontay Wilder in the boxing ring or the cage…my martial arts background will give me the edge in MMA

“I like the Deontay Wilder fight considering the story, with me beating Parker and Parker beating him, it's got a good story. All the top names have been discussed as fighting likely for me, I'm a big name and people know about me.  My team has talked about Wilder and different fighters too. Wilder’s on the shortlist.” 

“I'm from a martial arts background, over the years I've done karate, kickboxing, kung fu capoeira, the only thing is the grappling side and I'm not too fond of that. I could do the striking and kicking, like in K-1. You’d have to train in three different disciplines to fight in MMA, but I'd consider it for the right money. If Deontay Wilder’s game, I'm game. He’d have to watch my kicks, watch out The Juggernaut’s about.”

Eddie Hearn is wrong, it’s too soon for Wayne Rooney to face Jake Paul…Rooney v Cristiano Ronaldo is the fight to make

“And it’s Rooney with a right hand! He can get stuck in and he can have it, so I think he’d be a good fighter off the pitch. He had a few street fights. I’d like to see it. Freddy Flintoff did it so Rooney should be able to do it. It’s entertainment, people will get excited about it.”

“Jake Paul is a hard fight for Rooney to go straight into. Jake has a lot more experience and he's improving with each fight. He’s been at it for four years. He’s caught the boxing bug, so Rooney needs to think about an easier fight for his debut. But someone who's equal to him in experience. It’s too soon for Jake Paul. What about Cristiano Ronaldo? I’d like to see that. Rooney versus Ronaldo. That's the biggest fight you can make in boxing. It would fill Wembley at least.” 

Zhilei Zhang beats Joseph Parker

“Zhang is a dangerous fighter. He's very good and experienced and fast and tough. He's got a good chin. I think Zhang might have too much power, speed and toughness for Parker. Parker’s best chance is to take him to the later rounds and get him tired.”