Joe Joyce’s jab was a key factor throughout his heavyweight showdown against Daniel Dubois on Saturday in Westminster, England. Ultimately, it was the deciding factor.
Joyce, the 35-year-old 2016 Olympic silver medalist, closed the left eye of his 23-year-old opponent by mid-fight and stopped him by landing a stiff jab on the eye 36 seconds into the 10th round of a scheduled 12-rounder.
Joyce (12-0, 11 KOs) won the European, Commonwealth and British heavyweight titles and set himself up for big fights next year.
The fight was give-and-take most of the way. Joyce fought behind his jab, which Dubois (15-1, 14 KOs) had difficulty avoiding. Still, Dubois, known for his power, held his own. He landed a number of big shots, which Joyce was able to take.
With his eye damaged and closing, Dubois began to slow down and seemed more vulnerable in the second half of the fight. Finally, early in Round 10, Joyce landed a jab directly to the damaged eye and Dubois took a knee.
He remained in that position as referee Ian John Lewis reached the count of 10.
“He caught me with a good jab, and the jab was pretty accurate,” Dubois said. “I couldn’t see out of the eye. It just happens, man. I can’t explain it, he just pinged it. I couldn’t see out of it. I was trying my best and it happened.
“I’ve been hit hard but it was the positioning, on the eye. I’m a tough guy. I will come again.”
Joyce attributed his success to his experience.
“I have felt power like that before and with my experience I have learned to ride it and come back,” Joyce said. “And I am blessed with a good chin, so I can keep going and keep moving forward. I felt his power and I was happy to take it, but preferably not take it.
“I started looking at the eye and it was starting to swell up. I was quite comfortable landing [the jab as I] was moving away from his right and trying not to get too close, because that was when he was going to let them go and try not to get backed up on the ropes.”
Joyce is now a legitimate title contender. The good news for Dubois is that he’s young. He’ll probably be back.