Boxing

BOXING fans reckon Joe Joyce jinxed himself with his Terminator-themed entrance for his clash with Zhilei Zhang.The former interim WBO heavyweight champion had a montage of himself as the Terminator play ahead of his Copper Box clash with Zhang on Saturday night.
Joe Joyce made a Terminator-themed entrance to the ring ahead of his clash with Zhilei ZangCredit: BT SPORT
Joyce ended up with a completely closed and red eye after the fightCredit: GETTY
Boxing fans reckon Joyce’s entrance foreshadowed his eye injuryCredit: RICHARD PELHAM
The iconic theme tune for the legendary Hollywood film bellowed throughout the arena as images of Joyce battering his previous opponents with the red eye of a T-800 played on the big screen.
Joyce’s red eye in the video proved to be the same one Zhang closed shut with his piston left hand.
And it didn’t go unnoticed by fight fans, with one tweeting: “Some mad foreshadowing in that ring walk.”
Another said: “I thought the Terminator part of the intro was really cringy and in hindsight is looking to be a bit of a jinx.”
READ MORE IN BOXING
And another said: “Really cool to see Joe Joyce walking out to the Terminator theme.
“At the end of the fight, he probably needed to cut his own eye out too.”
One remarked: “Joe Joyce ring walk was the terminator. But he left with his eye terminated.”
Another chimed in: “Joe Joyce came out to the Terminator.
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
“Zhang came out as John Connor and made the Terminator malfunction.”
After the fight, a dejected Joyce – who broke Daniel Dubois’ orbital socket in their 2020 showdown said: “It’s an eye for an eye again now, I got my eye done.
“It’s like what I did, I got a bit of payback from Dubois I guess. Maybe it’s karma.
“He just kept on getting my eye.
“I’m fine, I’m completely fine, but now it’s closed up and I can’t see out of it now.
“I haven’t fought a southpaw for a long time, so I need to look over the tape.
“I thought I could have carried on, I was taking his shots fine, but it’s just unfortunate that the eye closed up. But I’ll be back.” More

TYSON FURY is in line for a July 22 return fight at Wembley Stadium – with Andy Ruiz Jr a potential opponent. Fury’s team have been forced to go back to the drawing board after talks for a title unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk broke down.
Tyson Fury could make his return on June 22Credit: Getty

Talks are scheduled for next week and George Warren, son of promoter Frank, was probed on a July 22 date at Wembley.
Speaking to International Boxing News, Warren said: “It could be. It could be.”
Fury saw his four-belt undisputed decider – the first in heavyweight history – collapse at the 11th hour of talks.
The deal was KO’d amid a row over financials for a potential rematch, with Usyk, 36, set to face mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois, 25.
READ MORE IN BOXING
So it leaves Fury, 34, without an opponent and US promoter Bob Arum named ex-champion Ruiz, 33, as a likely alternative.
But Joe Joyce, 37, was another leading name in the running before his return against China’s Zhilei Zhang, 39.
And Joyce went on to suffer a shock defeat over six rounds, being pulled out due to severe swelling suffered to his eye.
He does have a rematch clause in his contract but Zhang has now upset his way into a potential WBC title fight with Fury.
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
Warren said: “Joe’s got that rematch clause, if he takes it, it’s obviously going to be a complication with anything to discuss alternative fights for him right now.
“And at the end of the day, Tyson’s the boss when it comes down to what he wants to do.
“If he wants to fight this summer, he’ll let us know, we’ll try to make it happen. We need to know pretty quickly to invoke something in the during the summer.
“Especially if we’re going to try and do something in a stadium in the UK, which is where he would need to fight to try and make it work here.
“But yeah, opponents, choices, that will all come down to a conversation with Tyson.”
Andy Ruiz Jr is a name linked with fighting Tyson FuryCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Joe Joyce lost to Zhilei Zhang in six roundsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

EDDIE HEARN seemingly took aim at Joe Joyce moments after the Brit’s first professional loss.The Putney pounder suffered a sixth-round TKO defeat to China’s Zhilei Zhang at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday night, a loss which came courtesy of a referee stoppage due to a completely closed right eye.
Joe Joyce suffered a sixth-round TKO defeat to Zhilei Zhang on Saturday nightCredit: PA
Joyce spent the fight week taking a number of shots after former training partner Anthony JoshuaCredit: RICHARD PELHAM
AJ promoter Eddie Hearn seemingly took aim at Joyce on Instagram shortly after his loss
Olympic silver medallist Joyce repeatedly hyped up a potential Battle of Britain with Anthony Joshua ahead of his ill-fated clash with Zhang.
And The Juggernaut’s defeat to the Chinese clubber seemingly prompted Hearn to take a thinly-veiled swipe – which was in the form of a post praising AJ.
Along with a picture of a muscular Joshua during training, Hearn wrote on his Instagram story: “Been there, done it. Seen it all.”
Boxing fans were quick to comment, with one saying: “Queensberry as a whole spent the full week having digs & jibes at Joshua, laughing away thinking Joyce would walk through Zhang.
READ MORE IN BOXING
“Eddie Hearn throws a wee bomb out there & they lose[s] their s**t.”
Another said: “Let’s hope Joyce isn’t written off as much as AJ has been after a bad loss- should get behind both.”
Along with a picture of Joshua dropping Zhang during their London 2012 Olympic clash, another said: “Levels.”
One remarked: “Should’ve been him to starch Joyce tonight, opportunity missed.”
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
Another chimed in: “Eddie lost has chance to cash in on Joyce fight.”
Joyce, 37, struggled to deal with slick southpaw Zhang’s piston-like straight left from the get-go and was rocked on several occasions.
His eye was nearly completely shut after the fifth, which prompted the ringside doctor to take another look at it.
And he seemingly informed referee Howard Foster that Joyce could no longer see out of the eye, which prompted the official to call a halt to proceedings.
A dejected Joyce – who broke Daniel Dubois’ orbital socket in their 2020 domestic dust-up said: “It’s an eye for an eye again now, I got my eye done.
Joe Joyce’s left eye was completely swollen shut after his clash with Zhilei ZhangCredit: GETTY
“It’s like what I did, I got a bit of payback from Dubois I guess. Maybe it’s karma.
“He just kept on getting my eye.
“I’m fine, I’m completely fine, but now it’s closed up and I can’t see out of it now.
Read More on The Sun
“I haven’t fought a southpaw for a long time, so I need to look over the tape.
“I thought I could have carried on, I was taking his shots fine, but it’s just unfortunate that the eye closed up. But I’ll be back.” More

ZHILEI ZHANG wants a homecoming in China after his stunning upset against Joe Joyce on away soil. The 6ft 6in heavyweight returned to London 11 years after losing to Anthony Joshua in the Olympics.
Zhilei Zhang after beating Joe JoyceCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Tyson Fury has been called out by Zhilei ZhangCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
But he made no mistakes of redemption in the capital as he brutally left Joyce unable to continue following six rounds due to eye swelling.
Zhang, 39, inherited the WBO interim title and mandatory challenger status for the full belt held by Oleksandr Usyk, 36.
But it is instead WBC champion Fury, 34, who East Asian star wants after bouncing back from defeat to Filip Hrgovic, 30, in August.
Asked what he wants next, Zhang told SecondsOut: “Tyson Fury in China.
READ MORE boxing
“I feel like people were questioning about my conditioning and stamina after the Hrgovic fight.
“But for me, I have such a successful training camp. My boxing and conditioning trainers stayed on top of it.
“I know that Joe Joyce wanted to take this to deep water and drown me, but I’m here.
“You can drown me if you want, but I’m ready for twelve rounds.”
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
Despite Zhang’s lofty ambitions, it could be out of his hands due to the rematch clause in Joyce’s contract.
But the 2016 Olympic silver medalist, 37, has not confirmed whether he will active the stipulation, although Zhang has welcomed it.
He said: “Yeah, I’ll do it if Joe Joyce wants to do it. I’ll do it in London, New York, or China.”
Joe Joyce was beaten by Zhilei Zhang in six roundsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

DILLIAN WHYTE has laid into Anthony Joshua and said his heavyweight rival “SUCKS” with their rematch facing the KO. Whyte beat Joshua in their 2009 amateur thriller but was stopped six years later when they rematched in the professional ranks.
Dillian Whyte lost to Anthony Joshua in 2015Credit: AFP
And after he beat Jermaine Franklin in November, the ex-world title challenger believed he would be next for AJ.
But it was instead beaten Franklin, 29, who welcomed Joshua, 33, back to the ring, losing a points decision at the start of April.
AJ then raised eyebrows when he made the revelation that he would not be returning until December.
Whyte, 34, was left fuming even more as he hit out at his British rival.
READ MORE IN BOXING
He said on talkSPORT: “Joshua sucks man, sucks, sucks. That’s the only way I can put it, he sucks.”
Rumours have emerged of a stunning four-man heavyweight tournament in Saudi Arabia in December.
It would see Joshua face Deontay Wilder, 37, with Tyson Fury, 34, against Oleksandr Usyk, 36.
The winners of the super-fights would then meet in a finale, but Whyte wants to get involved in the action.
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
He said: “Do an eight-man tournament and include me. An eight-man tournament and include me and Joe Joyce.
“An eight-man tournament would be amazing. That would force everyone to fight everyone.
“That’s what heavyweight boxing’s all about – drama and excitement. That’s what we need to do, try and big back that drama and excitement.”
Whyte was ringside to watch Joyce, 37, return against Zhilei Zhang, 39, in the hopes of challenging the 2016 Olympic silver medalist.
But those plans took a hit when Zhang pulled off a shock upset after Joyce was pulled out in round six due to horror eye swelling.
Dillian Whyte watched Joe Joyce v Zhilei Zhang from ringsideCredit: Reuters
Joe Joyce was beaten by Zhilei Zhang in six roundsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More