Nearly a decade after their initial meeting at the Rio Olympics, Joe Joyce and Tony Yoka may be on a collision course for a rematch. Reports suggest a high-stakes heavyweight bout could take place on the undercard of the highly anticipated Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois II fight at Wembley Stadium.
The two first faced off in the super-heavyweight final of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Tony Yoka (14-3, 11 KOs) secured a split decision victory over Joe Joyce (16-4, 15 KOs), a result that was widely considered controversial, with many believing Joyce was unfairly denied the gold medal.
Turning professional the following year, Yoka carried significant expectations. He began his pro career strongly with 11 consecutive wins. However, a run of three straight defeats against Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam, and Ryad Merhy significantly impacted his aspirations of becoming France`s first world heavyweight champion.
Since those setbacks, the Parisian fighter has partnered with trainer Don Charles, who also coaches current IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois. Under Charles`s guidance, Yoka has secured three consecutive victories, including a recent unanimous decision win over Arslan Yallyev on Saturday night.
Despite losing the 2016 Olympic final, Joe Joyce came agonizingly close to a professional world title opportunity by claiming the WBO interim belt. However, back-to-back stoppage defeats to Zhilei Zhang severely stalled the progress of “The Juggernaut.”
After returning to the win column against Kash Ali, the famously durable Joyce has since suffered consecutive decision losses to Derek Chisora and Filip Hrgovic, leading many boxing fans to suggest he should consider retirement.
Nevertheless, the London-based fighter appears poised to continue his career. Tony Yoka confirmed to the French newspaper L’Equipe that discussions are currently underway for a crucial rematch against Joyce. This potential fight is being targeted for the Usyk-Dubois II undercard at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, July 19th.
While retirement has been proposed following his recent losses, a showdown with Yoka would undoubtedly represent a significant, perhaps final, opportunity for the 39-year-old Joyce. He would aim to avenge his amateur loss, avoid a fifth defeat in his last six outings, and prove that he still has competitive life left in the sport.
