Heavyweight Joe Joyce is yet to consider walking away from the sport.
Joyce will face Filip Hirgovic this Saturday at Manchester’s Co-op Live in a contest that could potentially put him back in the mix with the top dogs of the heavyweight division.
Joyce, now 39 years old, came under fire after his last contest against Derek Chisora in July. Joyce was expected by many to handily defeat the aging Chisora but found himself outworked and flat on his back in Round 9.
Joyce got up but lost a unanimous decision to “Del Boy”, his third defeat in four fights, after two successive stoppage defeats to Zhilei Zhang were followed by a hardfought knockout win over domestic-level fighter Kash Ali.
Joyce, 16-3 (15 KOs), had been downed heavily against Zhang, and when dropped again by Chisora, leading many to believe that the once seemingly iron-chinned Joyce was spent. Joyce has never been a defensive master during his amateur and professional career, electing to block punches with his face rather than move his head, and with his chin now somewhat questionable, there have been calls for him to walk away.
This, however, is something Joyce has not considered.
“That's all what other people have said, I've never thought about leaving the sport,” Joyce told BoxingScene.
Joyce was asked what is keeping him around at the age of 39 with a title shot seemingly out of reach.
“Well, it's a job and it pays well,” he said. “I enjoy it, especially winning. I'm a good boxer and I'm in exciting fights for a reason.”
