Joyce should take the immediate rematch with Zhang. I think he wins.

[JakeTheBoxer]

Maybe Joyce/Whyte?

Makes sense.

[billeau2]

Joyce is an intelligent person, it comes out in interviews... His problem is his style is so individuated. usually he manages to keep his opponents reacting to pressure. He really is not a big puncher and needs accumulation by pursuing his opponent going back.

I agree with Dan that the fight was close... I saw rounds Joyce won, but Joyce cannot fight without making some adjustments. He needs to use angles, learn to do some more fighting off his back foot (he did occasionally) and become defensively responsible.

Most pressure fighters that are succesful are deceptively defensively skilled... NO one stands there and gets hit flush and survives. Does anyone see the irony of this "lesson" delivered to Joyce? Remember how he beat Dubois? Lol. He could beat Jaing.

[deathofaclown]

Maybe Joyce/Whyte?

If I was Whyte, id be angling to get a Zhang fight in Macau. It would be good money and he would become mandatory if he won. It puts him in a better position than he would get fighting Joyce.

Joyce might not take the rematch. Zhang won't be called as Usyk's mandatory until next year, so that's not happening anytime soon. Can't see Hearn putting AJ in with Zhang at the moment. Fury v Zhang is doable, Zhang just signed to Warren..

Aside from those and a couple of others, Whyte is as big a name as any. I'd be getting my team on it if I was him.

I don't think the reward Dillian is looking for is it that fight Joyce fight anymore, I think if Joyce had won, it might have been. Whyte has made some serious money in his career and his next fight was possibly going to be AJ in a stadium fight. Not sure its gonna be financially worth it for Dillian to fight Joyce next anymore when hes just lost. High risk and now lower reward.

[juggernaut666]

We’ll see if Joyce is for real now . According to Joyce , Joshua is basically done and fights timid so we’ll see once again who actually comes back for rematches here ? Don’t talk the talk if you can’t back it up yourself. If Joyce does do the rematch no way he wins with Salas in the corner did you guys hear that advice ? Lmao .

Better get back with Abel Sanchez because at least he’d tell you to stop walking in the wrong direction every round and he looked the best with him . Lol

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

I was saying that to my nephew who I was watching with.

From range he's in trouble, up close was where it was working.

If he can get close enough he can minimise the impact of the straight left hand.

I do think Zhang was definitely tiring a bit too.

It’s a tough matchup for Joyce but with the right tactics he can win. I expect he’ll come in a lot heavier for the rematch too. The plan was clearly to move early which explains why he came in so much lighter.

[Hooded Terror]

Joyce is at an age where one fight you had it, the next you don't. Holmes had it for Bey and Williams. A few month later something was missig for Spinks. And he was younger than Joyce. Joe looked painfully slow. One wonders just how much was taken out of him yesterday. My instinct tells me he's not long for his career after what just happened. He will be a quart low in his next start.

[dan_cov]

If his eye is okay and its not an orbital fracture or anything and just some bad swelling then I feel he should or has to really if he wants to get back into serious contention.

I think its winnable and for me not a lot has changed either Zhang early (early-mid) or Joyce takes it via late stoppage from accumulation/exhaustion or on points.

Even with one eye shut and I get he was behind and eating bigger, harder shots and while I don't expect many to agree I felt he'd have still ground Zhang down and was most likely on his way to doing so but I won't argue the stoppage.
Its a weird one for me as Zhang was ahead, Joyces face was caved in and he was landing bigger and cleaner shots and maybe speculation more than anything but I feel Joyce despite his face falling apart was being less bothered if you will and for me Joyces style is heavily reliant on a sort of snowball effect.
I think another round or two and the pressure and volume from Joyce would have really, really started to take its tole.
I don't want too call it a lucky escape or discredit Zhang he rightfully won.

For me Joyce never got exposed or anything we all know his limitations and what makes him good and vulnerable he just fought a dangerous opponent who I think we all felt was going to cause issues early and he did just that.

[KingTito]

Well, not getting the swole eye might be the only thing he actually needs lol

Zhang was breathing heavily in round 2 already. If it wasn't for the eye, ZZ would've eventually punched himself out and gassed. Joyce would've taken over from there and win a decision

That's a fair point.

[Brother Mouzone]

Do not think Joyce would fair better in a rematch ,IDGAF what the official cards said he won 1 round (3rd) .He was dominated.

[hugh grant]

I'm not sure Joyce wins, but it's a pity Joyce needs to beat Zhang to qualify for a big usyk or fury fight. We aren't sure if fury or usyk beats Zhang even, so that Joyce needs to beat Zhang seems unjust