By: Sean Crose
“Honestly, from a fan standpoint, and I’m a heavyweight champion myself, it was a very, very entertaining fight.” So said WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury after Joe Joyce knocked out Joseph Parker in the 11th round in Manchester, England on Saturday. “Both men did extremely well,” Fury continued, “and played fair to Joe Joyce. He took out a very good, strong, fit and willing Joseph Parker. In my opinion, he cracked the top five with that win. I was impressed. But how did Fury feel Joyce’s 15-0 would compare to the current crop of top heavyweights?
“I think he beats Anthony Joshua,” Fury said. “I think if he beats middleweight (which is actually multi-time heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk), he might have a problem with Deontay Wilder’s speed and power.” And what about Fury himself? How does the imposing Brit think Joyce would take on the man who calls himself the Gypsy King? “He wouldn’t give me a single punch in 12 rounds,” Fury said. “I don’t think he could hit me even if he had a fucking handful of rice.” Fury made it clear that he finds everything pretty simple when it comes to Joyce. “He’s a good fighter,” Fury said, “but he is what he is. I’m the best in the world for a reason.”
Fury may not have to worry about Joyce for a while, if at all. “I’ll fight Tyson Fury, no problem,” Joyce said, “but I hope Usyk is next.” Meanwhile, Fury is waiting to find out if he and Anthony Joshua are going to fight in December. Team Fury has sent a contract to Team Joshua. Also, Fury says that Joshua has until Monday to make up his mind. It remains to be seen if Joshua will actually sign the contract, or if Fury is serious about the deadline.
As for Joyce, the unbeaten slugger may be thirty-seven now, but there’s no denying he’s turning heads. After all, all but one of the man’s fights ended by knockout. Furthermore, Parker, being a former champion himself, was seen as a real step forward for the London native. Perhaps most importantly, Joyce is considered to be entertaining. “I always take shots, but I guess it’s exciting to watch,” she said this weekend. Fury is certainly keeping an eye on him, as Usyk most likely is.
