By Craig Daly: Tyson Fury prefers to face Joe ‘The Juggernaut’ Joyce next rather than IBF, WBA & WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) will need elbow surgery before he faces Usyk or Joyce next. Last Saturday night, Fury successfully defended his WBCC title, stopping Derek Chisora in the tenth round at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium in London.
After the fight, Usyk was invited by Fury into the ring for them to begin hyping their undisputed match in the first quarter of 2023. However, Usyk looked like a deer in headlights while being scolded by Fury.
Joyce then stepped forward and began talking up his own chances for a fight with Fury, leaving Usyk standing there, ignored and forgotten. Joyce took over and the trash-talking with Fury. The British fans got excited at seeing those two hype up a fight.
At the post-fight press conference, Fury claimed he’s still interested in fighting Usyk, but if the match can’t get made, he wants Joyce next because he rates him as a better fighter.
“People have been asking me all night, ‘who is a tougher fight, Usyk or Joyce?’ In my opinion, Usyk is the slicker boxer, but Joe Joyce is ‘The Juggernaut,’ and I think Joe give me a tougher fight than Usyk, 100%,” said Tyson Fury at the post-fight press conference last Saturday night after his tenth round knockout win over Derek Chisora.
“Big Joe, 6’7”, and 19 1/2 stone like a juggernaut coming forward at me, trying to smash me to pieces, or Usyk trying to steal a jab, running around the ring, trying to nick a point here and there.
“So, I think Usyk is a very good fighter. I’m not going to take anything away from him. He’s the undisputed cruiserweight champion, and he’s the unified heavyweight champion. So he’s had a fantastic career, but I think I’ll do a job on him.
“I can’t just think. I don’t just want to talk. I want to prove it, so let’s get that one on. But like I say, I do think the biggest challenge out there for me is Joe Joyce, the ‘Juggernaut.’
“I mention him a lot because I’m very impressed with where he’s been and where he’s come from. He should be an Olympic gold medalist. He got ripped off in the final [against France’s Tony Yoka], in my opinion.
“He’s done everything asked of him. He’s beaten Bryant Jennings, a world class fighter, Daniel Dubois, a world class fighter, and my good friend, Joseph Parker. He’s mandatory ready. Like I say, if Usyk can’t be made, then we’ll do the Juggernaut and give them a clash of titans for sure,” said Fury.
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