Zhang vs. Joyce rematch set for Sept. 2 in London.

is 5 months enough time to learn how to fight a southpaw from scratch?

 

Sweet, I'm getting an awesome fight for my birthday

I'm backing Zhang to pull off the win again, though what was said about the first fight remains true. If it goes on too long it becomes Joe's fight, unless Zhang scores a few knockdowns or his stamina is better than we think it is.

What makes me still back Zhang though, is that I really don't think Joyce is going to be able to make the necessary adjustments in time. Five months just doesn't seem like enough time to learn how to fight a southpaw and get his defense to where he'll need it to be, because as last time out proved, he can't just eat everyone's shots. Joyce's best bet is gonna be to try and pressure him and tire him out early on so he can take over later, but because of his poor defensive capabilities that's also gonna be extremely risky for him.

I'm gonna be bold and predict Zhang gets a genuine KO this time, maybe around the same point or a little bit later.

 

Probably not, he was a sitting duck for the left hand of Zhang. Joyce is used to rolling away from right hands which is the punch he's been susceptible before, due to his busy jab but this time it was a left hand and he simply didn't know what to do to avoid it.

If he can negate the left hand of Zhang even a little it might be enough of a difference to see him take the fight late where he can take over. Will be interesting to see how he approaches the problem.

Will he try to counter Zhang's left hand to make him hesitate to throw it? Will he try and smother the left hand like he seemed to be trying late in the first fight by stepping in so Zhang doesn't get full power in the shot? Maybe he simply tries to step off the line more which was a clear issue in the first fight? Does he try to parry or block the left hand? He has to try something different, will be a real test of his ring IQ.

 

Thompson - Price 2, Helenius - Kownacki 2, Zhang - Joyce 2

 

Joyce learnt to move to his left yet? Otherwise same result.

 

I though Zhang will have more power in the rematch, and would have force China as a location.

He was going to get robbed in the UK, as the judges have Joyce on a huge lead in the first fight, yet Joyce was picked apart, and barely won a round.

The fight is going to be repeat or another UK robbery. And by saying robbery, it could be on the cards, it could be a British stoppage or similar stuff from the books.

And while i slammed Hearn and Whyte hard for having a rematch against Povetkin, yet claiming how brave Whyte was, where is the same energy for Fish Eyes and Joyce ? He had a rematch against Parker too ....
Absolutely pathetic.

 

Agreed, even if he wins the rematch ,he split with an equally old Chinaman.

 

I'm actually surprised that it's not in China. Either there was a stipulation in the contract which meant he had no choice or perhaps simply the money wasn't there in China to make it viable. Yes China is a big market with huge potential but boxing is still a small sport over there and there's no guarantee it would sell and generate the kind of money required to make it viable. If the fight was to happen in China it would probably be in Macau in one of the Casino's and maybe Zhang simply isn't a proven enough draw in China for a casino to risk it.

I think if Zhang wins this and gets a title shot at a title then maybe a fight in China is viable as a title on the line might be enough to make it drawn in enough interest from Chinese sports fans who don't normally watch boxing.

 

Also, as much as I'll enjoy this matchup again, I'm gonna take the opportunity to say I still really, really hate the concept of immediate rematches. In a day and age when guys are fighting once or twice a year at most, you almost dread upsets cause you know it means an entire year is prolly gonna be eaten up. It's also just plain unfair that some guys gotta win twice to make their win "real."

But I'm more okay with this one cause the Heavyweight scene has been so dead, I'll take whatever I can get.

 

Joyce doesn't strike me as someone who can make adjustments. I can't envision a different result.

 

Easy win for Joyce on points , he was wining the first match , until that eye swelled.

 

More like Zhang has no power. Joyce and a big draw, and he doesn't pull some big numbers or so.
The fight in China would have been million times bigger.
Zhang was on the news in China, and everyone knows him.
They just wanted the fight in UK, so the judges can work their magic as usual.

 

Zhang is winning this again but more violently this time.