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Zhilei Zhang stunned the boxing world by stopping top heavyweight contender Joe Joyce in the sixth round Saturday night in London. Joyce, who ate left hand after left hand, couldn’t continue because of a badly swollen right eye. Here are images from …
Zhilei Zhang stunned the boxing world by stopping top heavyweight contender Joe Joyce in the sixth round Saturday night in London.
Joyce, who ate left hand after left hand, couldn’t continue because of a badly swollen right eye.
Here are images from the fight. All photos by James Chance of Getty Images.
Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang delivered a stunning upset by closing Joe Joyce’s eye and stopping him in six rounds Saturday.
A new player at heavyweight has arrived.
Zhilei Zhang, a southpaw from China, used a punishing left hand to close the right eye of Joe Joyce and force the ring doctor to stop the scheduled 12-round fight in Round 6 at Copper Box Arena in London, giving Zhang the biggest victory of his career.
The previously unbeaten Joyce was on the cusp of his first title shot. That’s gone for now. And Zhang, a fringe contender going into the fight, is now a legitimate opponent for anyone.
“Today belongs to me,” Zhang said through a translator in the ring. “It belongs to everyone who showed up, it belongs to every Chinese who showed up.”
The key to Zhang’s success wasn’t complicated: The 6-foot-6, 280-pounder couldn’t miss his straight left from beginning to end, which rattled Joyce several times and began to cause swelling on his eye after only a few rounds.
Zhang (25-1-1, 20 KOs) landed 78 of 140 power shots (56%), according to CompuBox. And almost all of them were left hands.
Joyce (15-1, 14 KOs) was never out of the fight. The Londoner, also 6-foot-6, began to outwork Zhang beginning the third round. He arguably won Rounds 3 through 5.
However, he admitted afterward that he couldn’t avoid Zhang’s left. As a result, the ring doctor was summoned to the apron to examine the eye between Rounds 5 and 6 then again midway through the final round because it appeared that it was almost completely closed.
The doctor whispered something into the ear of referee Howard Foster, who then stopped the fight. The official time of the stoppage was 1:23 of the sixth round.
Joyce seemed to be dumbfounded during his post-fight interview.
He was in a strong position to face either of the heavyweight titleholders, countryman Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, in his next fight. Now he must go back to the gym and begin the rebuilding process, which presumably will include work on his defense.
“He hits hard,” Joyce said. “And he has an awkward style because he’s a southpaw, and a powerful southpaw at that. I just kept getting hit with his left hand. I’m disappointed. I apologize to all my fans and supporters.
“… I’ll be back. My journey isn’t over. This might be a hurdle I tripped over but I’ll be back.”
Meanwhile, Zhang made history.
The 2008 Olympic silver medalist, who is based in New Jersey, gave a strong performance in a losing cause against contender Filip Hrgovic last August, which pumped life into his career and earned him a shot at Joyce.
Then, on Saturday, he turned in the performance of his life to take Joyce’s WBO “interim” belt. That made him the first Chinese heavyweight to hold a world title of any kind. And he did it at 39 years old.
Now he can target Fury and Usyk.
“I’m 39 years old but I’m disciplined,” he said. “I train hard. The next step, I’m going for the title.”
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Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang delivered a stunning upset by closing Joe Joyce’s eye and stopping him in six rounds Saturday.
A new player at heavyweight has arrived.
Zhilei Zhang, a southpaw from China, used a punishing left hand to close the right eye of Joe Joyce and force the ring doctor to stop the scheduled 12-round fight in Round 6 at Copper Box Arena in London, giving Zhang the biggest victory of his career.
The previously unbeaten Joyce was on the cusp of his first title shot. That’s gone for now. And Zhang, a fringe contender going into the fight, is now a legitimate opponent for anyone.
“Today belongs to me,” Zhang said through a translator in the ring. “It belongs to everyone who showed up, it belongs to every Chinese who showed up.”
The key to Zhang’s success wasn’t complicated: The 6-foot-6, 280-pounder couldn’t miss his straight left from beginning to end, which rattled Joyce several times and began to cause swelling on his eye after only a few rounds.
Zhang (25-1-1, 20 KOs) landed 78 of 140 power shots (56%), according to CompuBox. And almost all of them were left hands.
Joyce (15-1, 14 KOs) was never out of the fight. The Londoner, also 6-foot-6, began to outwork Zhang beginning the third round. He arguably won Rounds 3 through 5.
However, he admitted afterward that he couldn’t avoid Zhang’s left. As a result, the ring doctor was summoned to the apron to examine the eye between Rounds 5 and 6 then again midway through the final round because it appeared that it was almost completely closed.
The doctor whispered something into the ear of referee Howard Foster, who then stopped the fight. The official time of the stoppage was 1:23 of the sixth round.
Joyce seemed to be dumbfounded during his post-fight interview.
He was in a strong position to face either of the heavyweight titleholders, countryman Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine, in his next fight. Now he must go back to the gym and begin the rebuilding process, which presumably will include work on his defense.
“He hits hard,” Joyce said. “And he has an awkward style because he’s a southpaw, and a powerful southpaw at that. I just kept getting hit with his left hand. I’m disappointed. I apologize to all my fans and supporters.
“… I’ll be back. My journey isn’t over. This might be a hurdle I tripped over but I’ll be back.”
Meanwhile, Zhang made history.
The 2008 Olympic silver medalist, who is based in New Jersey, gave a strong performance in a losing cause against contender Filip Hrgovic last August, which pumped life into his career and earned him a shot at Joyce.
Then, on Saturday, he turned in the performance of his life to take Joyce’s WBO “interim” belt. That made him the first Chinese heavyweight to hold a world title of any kind. And he did it at 39 years old.
Now he can target Fury and Usyk.
“I’m 39 years old but I’m disciplined,” he said. “I train hard. The next step, I’m going for the title.”
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Mikaela Mayer easily outpointed Lucy Wildheart in her debut at 135 pounds Saturday in London.
Mikaela Mayer appears to belong in the 135-pound division.
The former 130-pound titleholder, making her debut at the heavier weight, outworked late replacement Lucy Wildheart to win a unanimous decision over 10 rounds on the Joe Joyce-Zhilei Zhang card Saturday in London.
The official scores were 100-90, 98-92 and 98-92. Boxing Junkie scored it 99-91, nine rounds to one.
Wildheart (10-2, 4 KOs) took the fight on 24 hours notice when Christina Linardatou was removed from the card after she failed an eye test.
The Swede was game and had her moments, landing eye-catching right hands with some consistency. However, she was outworked by Mayer, who pushed the action and landed many more punches than her opponent.
The 2016 U.S. Olympian jabbed well early, which set the tone and kept the shorter Wildheart away. And then, when they settled into a toe-to-toe battle, Mayer got the better of the exchanges. She connected on power shots to both the head and body almost at will.
Mayer landed 236 of 592 punches (40%), according to CompuBox. Wildheart was 131 of 462 (28%).
“She stepped in at the last minute,” Mayer said of Wildheart. “That was gutsy of her to take a big fight, to jump in on 24 hours notice. She’s strong and durable. I see why she has the confidence to do that.”
They fought for the vacant WBC “interim” title, which puts Mayer near the head of the line to face undisputed 135-pound champion Katie Taylor.
Taylor is scheduled to face Chantelle Cameron on May 20 and is expected to face Amanda Serrano in a rematch after that. However, that’s who Mayer is targeting.
“It’s definitely really exciting for me,” Mayer said. “This is where I belong. I belong in big fights, I belong in title fights. I’m in my prime. I feel great.
“I want the toughest challenge possible. And right now, at 135 pounds, that’s Katie Taylor.”
Mikaela Mayer easily outpointed Lucy Wildheart in her debut at 135 pounds Saturday in London.
Mikaela Mayer appears to belong in the 135-pound division.
The former 130-pound titleholder, making her debut at the heavier weight, outworked late replacement Lucy Wildheart to win a unanimous decision over 10 rounds on the Joe Joyce-Zhilei Zhang card Saturday in London.
The official scores were 100-90, 98-92 and 98-92. Boxing Junkie scored it 99-91, nine rounds to one.
Wildheart (10-2, 4 KOs) took the fight on 24 hours notice when Christina Linardatou was removed from the card after she failed an eye test.
The Swede was game and had her moments, landing eye-catching right hands with some consistency. However, she was outworked by Mayer, who pushed the action and landed many more punches than her opponent.
The 2016 U.S. Olympian jabbed well early, which set the tone and kept the shorter Wildheart away. And then, when they settled into a toe-to-toe battle, Mayer got the better of the exchanges. She connected on power shots to both the head and body almost at will.
Mayer landed 236 of 592 punches (40%), according to CompuBox. Wildheart was 131 of 462 (28%).
“She stepped in at the last minute,” Mayer said of Wildheart. “That was gutsy of her to take a big fight, to jump in on 24 hours notice. She’s strong and durable. I see why she has the confidence to do that.”
They fought for the vacant WBC “interim” title, which puts Mayer near the head of the line to face undisputed 135-pound champion Katie Taylor.
Taylor is scheduled to face Chantelle Cameron on May 20 and is expected to face Amanda Serrano in a rematch after that. However, that’s who Mayer is targeting.
“It’s definitely really exciting for me,” Mayer said. “This is where I belong. I belong in big fights, I belong in title fights. I’m in my prime. I feel great.
“I want the toughest challenge possible. And right now, at 135 pounds, that’s Katie Taylor.”
Video: Joe Joyce on Friday weighed in at a trim 256 pounds, Zhilei Zhang a hefty 278 for their fight Saturday in London.
Joe Joyce came in at a svelte 256 pounds on Friday for his fight with Zhilei Zhang on Saturday in London (ESPN+).
The heavyweight contender hasn’t been that light since he weighed 256 for his unanimous decision victory over Bryant Jennings in 2019. He weighed 271¼ for his last fight, an 11th-round KO of Joseph Parker in September.
Meanwhile, Zhang came in at 278, which equals the most he has weighed. He also was 278 for his decision over Andrii Rudenko in 2019.
The Chinese heavyweight weighed 277 for his most recent fight, a close unanimous decision against Filip Hrgovic in August.
Both fighters are 6-foot-6.
The Joyce-Zhang fight will take place at Copper Box Arena.
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Video: Joe Joyce on Friday weighed in at a trim 256 pounds, Zhilei Zhang a hefty 278 for their fight Saturday in London.
Joe Joyce came in at a svelte 256 pounds on Friday for his fight with Zhilei Zhang on Saturday in London (ESPN+).
The heavyweight contender hasn’t been that light since he weighed 256 for his unanimous decision victory over Bryant Jennings in 2019. He weighed 271¼ for his last fight, an 11th-round KO of Joseph Parker in September.
Meanwhile, Zhang came in at 278, which equals the most he has weighed. He also was 278 for his decision over Andrii Rudenko in 2019.
The Chinese heavyweight weighed 277 for his most recent fight, a close unanimous decision against Filip Hrgovic in August.
Both fighters are 6-foot-6.
The Joyce-Zhang fight will take place at Copper Box Arena.
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Joe Joyce vs. Zhilei Zhang: date, time, how to watch, background.
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Joe Joyce vs. Zhilei Zhang: date, time, how to watch, background.
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Ranking the heavyweights: Where does Joe Joyce fit in on Boxing Junkie’s list?
Joe Joyce is a heavyweight on the rise.
The hulking Londoner has knocked out 14 of his 15 professional opponents, including his last five. He delivered a breakthrough 10th-round stoppage of Daniel Dubois in 2020 and then topped himself in September, when he KO’d former champ Joseph Parker in 11 to climb the list of best big men.
Joyce is favored to remain perfect when he faces Zhilei Zhang of China on Saturday at Copper Box Arena in London (ESPN+). If he wins, he’ll edge closer to a showdown with one of the champions or another top-tier opponent.
So where does Joyce stand in comparison to the more accomplished heavyweights as things stand now? Here’s a look at Boxing Junkie’s Top 10.
No other active heavyweight can match Fury’s combination of size, ability, experience and resume. He’s the best of his generation.
Usyk proved in back-to-back victories over Anthony Joshua that he’s no blown up cruiserweight. He’s the most skillful boxer in the division.
Only Fury has gotten the better of Wilder. And the Briton had to get up from four knockdowns to do it. No one punches harder than Wilder.
This ranking is based more on ability and accomplishments than current form. Joshua has many positive traits. Mental toughness isn’t one of them.
Joyce reminds us of George Foreman, not graceful but more skillful than is apparent and immensely powerful. He could succeed Fury and Usyk as king.
Ruiz isn’t merely a guy who happened to upset Joshua. He has demonstrated over a long stretch that he’s a good all-around boxer-puncher.
Wallin is a clever, polished boxer whose only setback came in a competitive fight with Fury, although Fury had a bad cut. The Swede is capable.
The Cuban doesn’t have the track record of others here but he’s working on that. In the meantime, his well-honed skill set has been impressive.
Whyte is a distant fourth among British heavyweights but he has some notable victories and he can still punch. He just can’t win the big one.
The Cuban has plenty left at 44, as he proved in a strong losing effort against Ruiz in September. He can box and punch. Only his legs are failing him.
Note: Unbeaten Jared Anderson (14-0, 14 KOs) is an elite heavyweight waiting to happen. He checks all the boxes except resume.
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