Joe Joyce to Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk: ‘Can you guys just get the fight made, please!’ | Boxing News
Joe Joyce could stand to gain the most from the Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk fight talks collapsing.
Fury has previously said that if he doesn’t get the Usyk undisputed title fight, he’d box Joyce in an all-British blockbuster bout.
But even Joyce still wants to see Fury vs Usyk happen.
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Tyson Fury previously said he would fight Joe Joyce at Wembley if an undisputed world heavyweight fight with Oleksandr Usyk doesn’t materialise
“I’m hoping that it’s going to happen. It’s the undisputed [heavyweight title fight]. When was the last undisputed? They need to have that fight. It needs to happen. Then you can open up some more fights,” London’s Joyce told Sky Sports.
“Can you just get the fight made please guys? I thought it was on. What’s the reason this time?”
Fury nevertheless is still a fight Joyce craves, and it would be the biggest bout of the Londoner’s career.
But Joyce understands the magnitude of Fury-Usyk for the sport as a whole, and how much better it would be for him ultimately to challenge the winner.
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Oleksandr Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk insists the reason talks have broken down between with Tyson Fury is down to Fury’s demands over a rematch clause
“I’ve got the WBO Interim, I want the full title. Then people can challenge me for it, be in some great fights and then we can all live happily ever after,” Joyce said.
“Everyone wants to see undisputed. It’s been such a long time. Once that fight’s happened, then there’s another undisputed fight queued up.”
Joyce boxes next against fellow Olympic silver medallist Zhilei Zhang on April 15.
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A heavyweight title clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is off – relive the recent social media war of words between the two as a fight was seemingly on the cards
“First I’ve got to beat up Zhang, before I can go and beat up Fury,” he said.
“I aim to have a destructive performance and beat him in style and then push [for] the Fury fight. That’s the fight I want. Fury says he wants to fight me.
“In the meantime I’m hoping that [Fury-Usyk] fight gets across the line.
“A big fight with Zhang and hopefully things will get ironed out and I fight Fury after.”
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Joe Joyce reveals he’s ready to take on Oleksandr Usyk and win the WBO title after knocking out former world champion Joseph Parker
If the talks for Fury vs Usyk can’t be restarted, as the WBO’s interim belt-holder, Joyce could eventually become the mandatory challenger for old amateur rival Usyk.
But heavyweight boxing is anything but predictable.
“Things sometimes are a bit out of our control,” Joyce reflected. “It’s so frustrating when things don’t happen the way you want.
“I just need to keep winning and I’ll be undisputed sooner or later.”
Bakole calls out Usyk
Martin Bakole has previously suggested he stopped Oleksandr Usyk in sparring, a claim the Ukrainian’s team promptly denied.
Bakole has now offered to step in and fight Usyk, if he is looking for a new opponent.
Usyk is expected to be instructed to box his mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois for the WBA belt next.
Although with Dubois completing his recovery from an injury sustained in his last fight, Bakole might see an opportunity to himself forward. Behind Dubois, Bakole is the most highly rated contender in the WBA’s heavyweight rankings.
In a message to Usyk, Bakole declared: “I’m available any time, anywhere. If you’re ready, you can call Sky Sports and I can make a fight any time.
“You know what happened in Dubai. But forget about that. That’s just sparring. Now I want the real fight. I want to face you.
“I’m available. For you.”
