Avoid Zhang and protect his eye for 6 rounds and pray he can jump on him for the final 6 rounds at 270 pounds and finish him
Foreman being slow is one of the most baffling myths of boxing. He was quick and nimble when he needed to, and his entire first career defense composed purely of proactive and reactive combination of parries, leverage guards, stops, and the likes, with ocassional head and upper body movement added to the mix. His defense being mainly the long guard and control game was caused by his relatively late start in boxing, as well as the quick introduction to Dick Sadler and therefore Sandy Saddler's style which was not exactly counter-orientated, focusing on creating big collisions and controlling an opponent instead. Experience in street fights (and hence probably instinctual use of physical strength and outstretched arms) probably contributed as well. I don't understand why is Foreman compared to Joyce. They are nothing alike bar George enjoying a good, old windmill punch, but even they had purpose of mixing shovel and standard hook and an uppercut--the whole spectrum really. As far as technique goes, Hrgovic with his active long guard lead hand and kidney smashing right hook is actually closer to Foreman.
1) avoid being hit by zhang the first 2 rounds AT ALL COST. 2) fighting a southpaw. Because, for whatever reason, in yesterday's fight he thought that zhang was orthodox. If the fight goes to deepwaters he can win the fight more or less easily. Definitely going face first from the first round is not the way to go.
On paper simply staying away and minimising damage until Zhang tires and then taking over the fight sounds like a good idea, but I just don’t see Joyce being able to improve that defence of his that allowed Zhang to hit him at will with the left hand. It would’ve been interesting to see what the outcome of the fight would’ve been if Joyce’s eye didn’t swell up like that.
A lot of people still searching for reason and reaching for straws as to why Joyce lost. It's because he has no idea how to fight a better than average southpaw. He might fight a monster next but orthodox stance and ruin him. If he fights a better than average southpaw again I expect to see him struggle/lose. **** some people just need to keep reaching for reasons.
I'm not sure either. Probably just his accent and the way he pronounces it but it's funny nonetheless and I think I'm going to refer to all southpaws as sexpaws from now on lol
Well he was definitely not as slow as Joyce and he was slower than the smaller faster heavies of the 70's. I do agree never really seen the comparisons to Foreman that so many compare him too, other than being big and a bit cumbersome from a technical perspective they really are nothing alike.
Circle away from the left hand and jab. It may suit him to get inside where it would take away the straight left. Possibly he can feint to draw the left and counter it. He landed a great looping right hand in the second round that caught Zhang's attention. I think he just has to be smarter with his punches and keep his right hand home for the left. Zhang did have a powerful right hook so its all possible that fighting in a way so cognizant of the left hand might put him in a position to eat that right hook. I think the strategy is just caution early because in round 5 and the beginning of round 6 he got inside and just worked a little and dug to the body and had some success as limited as it was. Get through 5 or 6 unscathed and it becomes a different fight
Terrible style match up for Joyce tbh. JJ is a big stationary target that was right there for Zhangs brutal left hands. Zhang is most likely going to fade in the late rounds but the problem is JJ will have taken too much punishment again.
Well for starters.....someone could kindly remind him that you are allowed to move your head when boxing.