China’s Zhang makes big bang in boxing targets Usyk title fight after ending Joyce’s unbeaten run
- Referee stops fight in sixth round with Britain’s Joy Joyce suffering eye injury
- 39-year-old Zhang hails ‘Chinese power’ after victory at London’s Copper Box Arena
China’s Zhang Zhilei set his sights on Ukraine’s heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk after dealing Britain’s Joe Joyce a first professional defeat on Saturday.
Referee Howard Foster stopped the fight in the sixth of 12 scheduled rounds at London’s Copper Box Arena after the ringside doctor had twice inspected Joyce’s puffed up right eye, which was almost closed.
“Today belongs to me … I’m 39 years old, but I’m disciplined, I train hard. Next step I’m going for the title,” Zhang said through a translator after punching the air and shouting “Chinese power”.
Two of the three judges had Zhang, who’s nickname is ‘Big Bang’, ahead at that point.
Joyce, 37, was the WBO ‘interim’ champion in the division – a title that effectively made him the WBO’s mandatory challenger for WBO, IBO, IBF and WBA champion Usyk. Britain’s Tyson Fury holds the WBC title.
Zhang and Joyce are both Olympic silver medallists, the Chinese as a super-heavyweight at home in Beijing in 2008 and the Briton in the same division in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.