Liam Headd’s tips for Joe Joyce’s clash with Derek Chisora include an early finish at the O2 Arena with the underdog coming out on top.
There is a huge night of boxing to look forward to this weekend as London heavyweights Derek Chisora and Joe Joyce go head-to-head at the O2 Arena.
There are no titles on the line in this all-British showdown but the winner would potentially move into contention for a shot at a belt in the not-too-distant future, while the loser would be left short on options.
With both men in the twilight of their careers – Chisora is 40 and Joyce 38 – this is a make-or-break bout for these two imposing heavyweights.
Selections
Under 8.5 rounds
83/100
Derek Chisora to win
7/2
Derek Chisora to win by KO, TKO or Disqualification
11/2
Expect an early finish in the capital
Both of these boxers like to fight on the front foot and put pressure on their opponents, and that could result in a stoppage win for the victor on Saturday.
Joyce’s fights rarely require the judges as both of his defeats have come inside the distance – losing in the sixth round to Zhilei Zhang and then the third in a rematch – and only one of his 16 wins has come on points.
Chisora has 47 fights on his record, 34 wins and 13 defears, and 23 of those have finished early.
With both men at crucial stages of their careers they will be desperate to grab the win, and both may see the opening rounds as their best chance to record an early finish. Only four of Joyce’s 18 fights have reached the ninth round so under 8.5 rounds looks a good starting point for the headline event at the O2.
Experienced Chisorsa has style to succeed
Joyce is the huge favourite here but this could be a closer contest than the odds suggest and as a big-price underdog Chisora looks worth the risk.
Juggernaut had worked his way into a mandatory position with a 15-0 record before he met Zhang, but those defeats have set his career back. Zhang also exposed Joyce’s weaknesses and in his comeback fight against Kash Ali he failed to impress, suggesting those losses may have had a lasting effect.
Joyce will need to be far better than he was against Ali to overcome experienced pro Chisora, and War’s style could prove problematic for the former Olympian.
Chisora was unable to make any inroads against Tyson Fury not too long ago but Joyce can’t move like the former WBC king and is a far easier target to hit. If Chisora gets his tactics right and is able to put pressure on Joyce from the off he could pull off an upset.
Chisora can leave no room for doubt
Following on from the above predictions, it could be worth covering both options and taking Chisora to win by KO, TKO or Disqualification.
The two-time world title challenger hasn’t managed a stoppage since 2019 but he has been in some incredibly tough fights since then – losing to Oleksandr Usyk, Joseph Parker twice and Tyson Fury, as well as claiming wins over Kubrat Pulev and Gerald Washington.
Joyce’s defensive weaknesses were exposed by Zhang, who was able to land almost unopposed with his jab. Chisora’s jab isn’t his main weapon but his power shots are a serious threat and if he can engineer an opening or two he could claim an emphatic victory.
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