On The Watch “It’s All About Zhilei Zhang vs Joe Joyce 2″

WBO Interim Heavyweight Challenge

Tonight’s Queensberry Promotions/ESPN+ Main Event between WBO Interim Heavyweight Champion Zhilei Zhang (26-1-1 21 Kos) and challenger Joe Joyce (15-2, 14 Kos) at the Wembley Arena, Wembley, London, UK, exceeded all expectation in my eyes.

This rematch between these two Heavyweight mammoths had a lot on it riding tonight. The winner gets to move one step closer to a chance at a full-fledged Championship opportunity while the loser would have to fall back deep at the end of the line in the hopes of working their way back into the Heavyweight rankings, a destination that would look quite bleak considering their age at this point in their career.

That being said, the elder and WBO Interim Heavyweight Champion Zhilei wasted no time in executing the proper “game plan” and proceeded to continue his assault and sheer domination from their previous encounter by completely destroying the “Juggernaut” Joe Joyce in a quicker fashion this time around. Real Talk!

Joe, who weighed in this time about 25 pounds heavier at 281 pounds, had the right idea but not the right “game plan” to even bother the even heavier Zhang at 287 pounds. Zhang’s last win over Joe was a beautiful display of boxing at its best for a Heavyweight but this time around, Zhang wasted very little time inside that squared circle and made quick work of Joe by stopping him once again but in a much more dramatic fashion. Only three rounds were needed and a perfectly placed right hook to the chin closed the show for good. Unbelievable!

Joe, who had never been dropped in his career to date could not answer the count in time enough to prove to the Judge at hand that he was fit and ready to go. Joe’s unsteady legs were clear enough for the referee to wave the bout off.

As a strong 40-year-old, Zhang has once again proven to the boxing world and the Heavyweight Division, that as long as he’s got them hands and that power behind that punch, he will be a problem for anyone who steps foot inside that squared circle against him.

With this devastating win now secured under his belt for the second time, Zhang now retains his
WBO Interim Heavyweight Championship and hopes one day to be able to challenge Unified IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk or WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury inside that squared circle.

Until then, enjoy this victory Zhilei, your time is now!

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On The Watch “It’s All About Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang”

WBO Interim-Heavyweight Challenge

Tonight’s Queensberry Promotions/ESPN + Main Event between WBO Interim-Heavyweight Champion Joe Joyce (15-1, 14 Kos) and challenger Zhilei Zhang (25-1-1, 20 kos) at the Copper Box Arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Hackney Wick, London, Uk, was a case of a cherry pick by Joe’s team gone wrong. Real Talk!

Joyce walked inside that squared circle with absolutely no respect for his opponent but quickly found out within minutes of the first round that he was in there with a “Big Bang” of an opponent who was gamed and willing to bang toe-to-toe with the “Juggernaut”.

Zhang stood his ground early and asserted himself quite well-hitting Joyce flush with some serious heavy shots straight to the dome and drawing first blood from his nose. It was clear to me from the first two rounds that Joyce’s team definitely drew up the wrong “game plan” cause Joyce was there boxing but looking shaky every time he got hit hard.

It was certainly unfamiliar ground for Joyce who was caught off guard at the receiving end of a game warrior. Zhang showed absolutely no fear inside that squared circle. Zhang welcomed the opportunity presented to him and broke Joyce down round by round.

Although Joyce looked more active with his hands, it was Zhang who was doing the most damage with his. Zhang’s power punches completely closed Joyce’s right eye out prompting the ring physician to check his eye in between rounds to eventually having the referee stop the bout in the sixth round.

Nobody in attendance expected this bout to unravel like this but tonight the “Juggernaut” had met his match and succumbed to the hands of the “Big Bang” Zhang.

Congratulations Zhilei Zhang on becoming the New WBO Interim-Heavyweight Champion of the World. Well done!

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On The Watch “It’s All About Joe Joyce vs Carlos Takam”

Heavyweight Showdown

Joe Joyce (13-0, 12 Kos) walked it like he talked it tonight when he stopped Carlos Takam (39-6-1, 28 Kos) as he predicted, in the sixth round at the SSE Arena in Wembley, England.

Watching Joe fight tonight wasn’t pretty but he did the job. Takam came in willing and able to trouble Joe who made it hard for Takam with his size and length but props still need to be given to Takam for pressuring Joe enough to actually winning rounds in my eyes.

As big as Joe was inside that squared circle, Takam’s movement and quicker hands did find a home landing on Joe quite frequently. Takam had the right “game plan” going for him but the pace he had to maintain to keep Joe from landing was visibly taxing him as the rounds were going.

It was only a matter of time before the “Juggernaut” caught him and seconds into the sixth round Joe did just that when he connected with a heavy left hook to Takam’s dome that rocked him so hard that he started Crip walking on shaky legs leaving himself open to a series of unanswered punches that hastily prompted the referee to stop the bout.

Takam did not agree with the stoppage and rightfully so since he was still standing but judging by the way Joe was picking up steam in the sixth round, the inevitable ending was bound to happen.

As slow and predictable as Joe looked inside that squared circle tonight, one thing for sure is he carries some serious power in those hands and when he connects you definitely feel it.

With this win, Joe continues his winning streak and maintains his WBO mandatory position to challenge the winner of the Anthony Joshua IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO Heavyweight Champion and Oleksandr Usyk future bout.

Until then, congratulations Joe on another great win.

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On The Watch “It’s All About Anthony Yard vs Lyndon Arthur”

Light Heavyweight British Throwdown

Another intriguing outcome presented itself tonight at Church House, Westminister in London when Anthony Yard (20-2, 19 Kos) and Lyndon Arthur (18-0, 12 Kos) entered that squared circle.

The underdog Lyndon came in with a very good “game plan” and executed it to a “T”. Lyndon’s stiff and steady jab was a key factor tonight. Lyndon boxed well and kept a cool head throughout the rounds.

Anthony, on the other hand, came out the gate with no real sense of urgency which may have cost him a few early rounds. That said, Yard did pick up the pace as the rounds wore on and did manage to land the more telling power punches but the jab, he was eating all night from Lyndon clearly dictated what the Judges were taking into account.

The bout seemed to get a lot closer to call in the later rounds but truth be told, I personally think that Anthony rallied a little too late and did not press the action in his usual dominating ways.

After 12 rounds of action the Judges called it a split decision. One Judge had it 117-111 for Yard and the other two Judges had it 115-114 for Lyndon.

Yard, who was clearly the stronger fighter, did not have the right “game plan” on the night. Yard may have landed the more power shots but it was Lyndon who controlled most of the rounds with good ring generalship and a steady and accurate jab.

Lyndon kept it simple but effective and never wavered from the original “game plan” and for that Lyndon handed Anthony his second defeat.

Congratulations Lyndon. With this win you now retain your Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Title and picked up the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Title and move up one step closer to a World Championship opportunity.

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On The Watch “It’s All About Daniel Dubois vs Joe Joyce”

Heavyweight British Throwdown

Tonight’s highly anticipated British showdown between “Dynamite” Daniel Dubois (15-1, 14 Kos) and Joe Joyce “The Juggernaut” (12-0, 11 Kos) at Church House, Westminister in London was an exciting bout from start to finish. Real talk!

Tonight, Joe silenced all the naysayers by forcing Dubois to gracefully bow down by taking a knee in the tenth round. Joe had his jab working Dubois all night and definitely made a dent in Dubois’ armour when he severely damaged and closed Dubois’ left eye shut.

Dubois came out the gate and tried to physically assert himself with his heavy punches. Normally his presence alone would have deterred his opponents but tonight Dubois was met with a formidable and durable adversary and couldn’t get by Joe’s steady and accurate jab successfully.

That said, it was a competitive and interesting bout with both warriors going at it hard but tonight the young lion met his match when fatigue and a worrisome bummed eye prevented him to continue in the 10th round and got counted out. I personally never anticipated Dubois quitting in any of his fights but only a fighter can truly know when enough is enough.

This is a major win for Joyce who was confident from the time this bout got announced. Experience, patience and a very good chin is what carried Joe over for this victory. Joe is steadily creeping up the Heavyweight ladder and now holds the British, Commonwealth and European Titles but best of all, is he now moves one step closer to a world title opportunity in 2021.

Congratulations Joe on a very convincing win. Job well done.

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