Both of them did not follow the plan but wanted to prove themselves and knock out Zhang, which they failed to do. They should have boxed smarter in the early rounds to try to tire Zhang out in the later rounds, but we saw that Zhang not only has power but also knows how to box...
Joyce thought he would dismantle Zhang with continuous punches, just like he did to Dubois, Takam and Parker. Little did he know Zhang is a defensive fighter who doesn't forgive when he finds the opening. Joyce didn't even know what hit him. Finally he knows how a real heavyweight punch feels like.
I dont agree, Hrgovic unlike Joyce who was infighting, went on the outboxing stance, making Zhang come to him - that is the biggest reason he won - Zhang got tired by 6th, and Hrgovic was surviving by 6th, and after it was other way Hrgovic was infighting and Zhang was gassed out. Joyce just went in there and got pummeled. Funny thing is most of these forum Had Joyce wining, and trashed Zhang as a B class, and now that B class smashed number 1 heavyweight in the world, as some call them - and Hrgovic beat Zhang, great for both of them.
You can test it yourself. You can look for every single thread in this forum talking about "the next zhang's fight", and in every single thread you will see people saying exactly the same words once and again. "If zhang connects clean in the early rounds the fight is over, so XXXXX (his oponent) needs to survive those rounds and attack him back once zhang's tired and his power's gone". In every single thread. I dont know what the **** were joyce and his trainer thinking about when their fight plan included letting zhang punch joyce's face clean in the first 2 rounds. "Wrong" is not bad enough to define joyce's strategy.
My God you finally made a post today that wasn't complete BS. I agree Hrgovic did switch it up and went from trying to KO him to moving and boxing more it's what won him the fight in my opinion and really the only positive I could pick out from his performance. I always had questions about his movement, he's no Usyk but he's not a complete plodder like I expected. Joyce didn't adapt his game plan after his eye started swelling, he thought he could just keep doing what he was doing and wait for Zhang to gas, but his eye shut before Zhang even got close to red lining.
In the RBR, a lot of people were giving Joyce rounds simply because he outworked Zhang. Meanwhile Zhang was blocking pretty much everything Joyce threw. It was infuriating to read.
Hrgovic was game the whole fight, ghost of his father in his mind and stream of blood on his temple notwithstanding. Joyce-Zhang might make people realize how many better adjustments and methods Hrgovic employed in his fight with Zhang to get the result he did, as daunting a task as it was. Hand traps, angles, traffic, fundamental but effective defensive savvy. Also makes you realize how calculated and ruthless Zhang is. One wrong angle from Filip and he was eating explosions.
Joyce came to box giving full respect for Zhang's power...he slimmed down nearly 20 pounds compared to the hulk he was against Parker Problem was he couldn't box him the left hand was there all night. by the 6th round when Zhang slows Joyce's eye was finished from eating left hands from a 280 pound lump. There isn't much Joyce can do to improve against Zhang. It's ALWAYS a horrible style matchup. Joyce has met his Frazier. He has met his Marquez. He has met his John McDermott. He has met his Barrera. Reminded me of the first time I sparred in boxing as a southpaw, the left was there all night and it brutalized this young chap who walked right into it. Busted nose from the first punch he ran into. Felt sorry for the sod.
