Joe Joyce has defended Derek Chisora’s right to remain active.
The rival heavyweights fight on Saturday at London’s O2 Arena, in an occasion that has increased concerns surrounding the 40-year-old Chisora’s health.
Across the course of 47 fights – 324 rounds and 13 defeats, including four stoppages – he has absorbed considerable punishment from the finest of both the present and the previous eras, and against Gerald Washington in his past fight, more than ever it showed.
Chisora unconvincingly won that night in August 2023 and insists that regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s contest he will fight twice more.
Joyce, 38, enters it having fought 18 times in similarly punishing occasions, but after – not unlike Chisora against Washington – in March struggling to convince before eventually stopping in 10 rounds the lightly regarded Kash Ali, he, too, knows how it feels to be told he needs to retire.
A cynical observer might suggest that Joyce, who is attempting to rebuild the reputation shattered by successive stoppages by Zhilei Zhang, has significant cause to defend his opponent. He regardless spoke with sincerity when he told BoxingScene: “He’s had a lot of fights, but it’s his choice if he wants to fight.
“He wants to have a last couple of fights. It’s an option on the table so that’s what I’m going for. This is a sport with tough men, and he is very tough, and he’s said himself he’s got a couple more fights left, so I think he knows as well that it’s getting to that time to end.
“The last fight, people were telling me I should retire, so it’s the same thing. We’re doing something that we like doing; it’s a career and a job that has its rewards, and this is what gives us the carrot on the end of the stick to fight on.
“It’s his decision at the end of the day. If he wants to – when he wants to – if he wants to retire or not, it’s up to him. He wants to fight; he’s fit enough and healthy enough to fight. You have to have a medical every year; you see the doctor before you get in the ring. If he’s pulled up on anything… there’s nothing prevented him from fighting, so it’s up to him at the end of the day.
“He’s a couple of years older than me. But he’s been in the sport since before I started boxing – he’s had a lot of wear and tear.”
Joyce committed to training in Las Vegas under the respected Ismael Salas for Saturday’s fight, having prepared for Ali under the less experienced Steve Broughton, who has previously also worked with Chisora.
“It’ll be two very entertaining styles crashing in the middle,” Joyce continued.
“He’s just Chisora, isn’t he? I’ve met him before – quite a few times – but he’s a funny character, isn’t he?”
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