Classic perspectives on Joyce Zhang

I prefer talking some current fights in Classic rather than having to wander out into the GENERAL psyche ward where the excrement flies freely. Lol.

 

I just watched the HLs. I feel sorry for Joyce. At least he fights the good fights and takes his licks. Unlike Fury who completely talks out of a**. I hope for the best for Joyce in the future, whichever way he chooses to go. Never liked the number of shots he has always taken - not just in terms of rating him as a fighter but also for the endangerment to his health (short and long term).

 

I’m upset, very upset. In fact almost in tears. No not because our British boy lost, though that is a wee bit disappointing for me. But because I lost a ton of money betting on both a points win for Joyce and a points win for Zhang. I thought I’d covered myself, because if either happened I was going to be in profit. I just couldn’t see a stoppage in that fight, nor could I see a draw.

But hey, that’s boxing and that’s betting. You win some, you lose some.

 

Before the fight, the BBC ran an article that called Joyce the third best heavyweight in the world. Talk about setting the guy up for a fall!

 

Well in General I did point out to the Joycers that Zhang was a lot faster than Joyce and that a guy with the power of Zhang will always have a chance particularly against a guy with poor defence. To be honest I did think that JJ would win on points, given that Zhang tends to gas fast but the damage he piled up was gruesome. Fair stoppage even though JJ could still see out the eye at the time. A few more big ones and there could have been real permanent damage.

 

Well that just won me a nice few quid. The number of people confidently picking Joyce surprised me a bit tbh. I'd thought that if he was still in there after 8 and throwing punches that Zhang might gas and get overhauled. But his sharp, quick and heavy punching and his fairly refined (if very workmanlike) style carried over from the ams was always going to trouble a limited slugspeed walking punch bag like Joyce.

It was a dangerous fight to take when on the verge of fighting for a title tbh. Fair play though, it doesn't happen often in today's game. Joyce is a class act in fairness, just seems like a good quiet lad who gets on with things without moaning. I liked his honesty post-fight and he isn't an irritating attention slag like Fury.

A shame he might have bought into his own juggernaut hype a bit much after the Dubois and Parker fights tbh. He was never much good at slipping or blocking punches but seemed to half think like he could just walk through anything Zhang threw and march him down without consequence.

 

Good observation on what fast southpaws can do! Some of Sanders' opponents complained that they simply didn't have time to react to fast, straight southpaw punches. To be fair I thought Zhang would probably gas out and lose after a good start. But I underestimated his basic boxing skills at parrying and deflecting Joyce's looping slow-as-molasses punches. He really took almost no damage while making Joyce look like a robbery victim.

 

Bad style match up for Joyce.

Joyce is a pressure fighter, big, strong, slow, has a complete lack of explosiveness, an excellent chin and incredible stamina/work rate.

Zhang a boxer/puncher, even bigger, faster and more explosive, solid chin, with poor stamina.

There are smaller, mobile HWs who could out maneuver Zhang for a points win, that Joyce would get to and wear down. Joyce would stop Forrest and I wouldn't completely rule out Parker beating Zhang on points.

But trying to walk down a faster, fairly skilled, 22lbs heavier and more explosive fighter, was never going to work for Joyce. Tbf, I don't think he has the tools to make any plan work vs Zhang. Bad style match up.

 

Tell me you wouldn't still love to see Joyce vs Wilder.....

Zhang is an option interesting HW, and he looked exciting last night...

I just have a feeling we won't still be talking about him a year from now

 

No, it would be like Wilder vs Arreola. Only the 1st round would be competitive before Wilder has target practice and brutally stops Joyce. Wilder is quite possibly the worst opponent on planet earth for the slow, stationary, zero head movement Joyce.

 

I think this is what happens when prospects start at such a late age. I know the boxing world has become accustomed to seeing people turning pro at 30 and fighting until they’re 45 but at the end of the day, old age is old age regardless of training and nutrition advancements.

 

Good fight. Joyce is limited and slow, but tough as they come. I was shocked that his corner waited so long before using the Inswell, not until his eye was almost completely shut.

Zhang is very technically sound for someone that size. His lack of gas tank is his big problem. I don't expect him to pose much problems to either Usyk or Fury. Maybe he could rattle Fury a bit early on, but I reckon both would outlast Zhang and cause him big problems down the stretch.

 

Getting punched in the face? It's boxing.

 

I'm a big Wilder fan, but I remember the days of him getting walked down by Gerald Washington for several rounds before getting any shots of significance off