By: Sean Crose
Rising heavyweight Joe Joyce improved his record to 15-0 on Saturday when he knocked out former champion Joseph Parker in the 11th round of their hard-fought battle in Manchester, England. Although he is 37 years old, Joyce is seen as a promise in the heavyweight division. And, while Parker certainly had his moments, Joyce ultimately proved that he is a force to be reckoned with. He is now the interim WBO heavyweight champion as well.
This was a tough battle. Not fast-paced, but hard-hitting. Parker’s strategy seemed to be to lure Joyce in close range and then throw powerful combinations, often to the body. It was an effective plan at times, but not effective enough to prevent Joyce from landing his own heavy shots. As for Joyce, his goal was clearly to seek and destroy. And while it took him a while to get to the destruction part, the extraordinary left hook he fired that sent Parker down and out in the 11th was standout material.
