10-18-2022, 10:48 PM
Joe Joyce: I Think Usyk is Going To Vacate - He Doesn't Want That Smoke!
BY BOXINGSCENE STAFF
Published Mon Oct 17, 2022, 08:05 PM EDT
Olympic silver medal winner Joe Joyce believes Oleksandr Usyk will vacate the WBO heavyweight title in 2023.
Last month, Joyce scored a knockout win over former champion Joseph Parker to capture the WBO's interim-title.
Usyk is taking the rest of the year off, after tough back to back wins over Anthony Joshua.
The WBO mandatory will be due next year - but Usyk, who also holds the WBA, IBF and IBO titles, has his eyes set on opponents like WBC champion Tyson Fury and former beltholder Deontay Wilder.
Usyk's main goal is to land the undisputed fight with Fury.
If the Fury fight does not come off, Joyce does not expect Usyk to face him.
"Ideally, I would like to fight Usyk," Joyce told Metro.co.uk. "But it seems he is now looking elsewhere, considering moving back to cruiserweight or wanting to fight Fury but it doesn’t look like that is on the table at the moment. Usyk could vacate and then I would be elevated.
"I think he’s probably going to vacate. He doesn’t want that smoke. He has also been at it a long time. Hundreds of amateur bouts over the years and he will have earned very decent money for his last two bouts [against Anthony Joshua]. I don’t know, does he really want to take on The Juggernaut? If the Fury fight doesn’t happen for him, I’m not sure he wants to stay here and take loads of licks and have a hard fight when he doesn’t have to.
"But I don’t know what happens in boxing anymore. Fury changes his mind all the time, Usyk has a lot of options. But we will get there eventually. All I can do is keep calling people out and be patient."
BY BOXINGSCENE STAFF
Published Mon Oct 17, 2022, 08:05 PM EDT
Olympic silver medal winner Joe Joyce believes Oleksandr Usyk will vacate the WBO heavyweight title in 2023.
Last month, Joyce scored a knockout win over former champion Joseph Parker to capture the WBO's interim-title.
Usyk is taking the rest of the year off, after tough back to back wins over Anthony Joshua.
The WBO mandatory will be due next year - but Usyk, who also holds the WBA, IBF and IBO titles, has his eyes set on opponents like WBC champion Tyson Fury and former beltholder Deontay Wilder.
Usyk's main goal is to land the undisputed fight with Fury.
If the Fury fight does not come off, Joyce does not expect Usyk to face him.
"Ideally, I would like to fight Usyk," Joyce told Metro.co.uk. "But it seems he is now looking elsewhere, considering moving back to cruiserweight or wanting to fight Fury but it doesn’t look like that is on the table at the moment. Usyk could vacate and then I would be elevated.
"I think he’s probably going to vacate. He doesn’t want that smoke. He has also been at it a long time. Hundreds of amateur bouts over the years and he will have earned very decent money for his last two bouts [against Anthony Joshua]. I don’t know, does he really want to take on The Juggernaut? If the Fury fight doesn’t happen for him, I’m not sure he wants to stay here and take loads of licks and have a hard fight when he doesn’t have to.
"But I don’t know what happens in boxing anymore. Fury changes his mind all the time, Usyk has a lot of options. But we will get there eventually. All I can do is keep calling people out and be patient."