Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang – Results & Post-Fight Report

Zhilei Zhang was seen as a dangerous final hurdle for Joe Joyce ahead of a proposed world title shot, and so it proved, as Zhang stopped the Londoner in the sixth round at the Copper Box Arena to take the interim WBO heavyweight title, with Joyce unable to continue with a damaged eye.

2016 Olympic Silver medallist Joyce had come into this one by claiming the interim title with an 11th round knockout of Joseph Parker last September, while 2008 Olympic Silver medallist Zhang had increased his stock in his last fight, despite being defeated for the first tome as a pro, hurting Filip Hrgovic on several occasions before losing a decision.

It was a tentative start in the first round before Zhang (25-1-1, KO20) came to life by landing several clean blows, and the second saw more success for the man from China as a straight left hand had Joyce (15-1, KO14) on wobbly legs. It was a slow start for Joyce, and he was struggling with a damaged eye, but he had a much better third, putting his punches together. The straight left was the difference maker for Zhang, as he landed more of them in the fourth, and although Joyce came out for the fifth with more purpose, his eye was a growing concern, closing with every passing round. The eye was checked by the doctor ahead of round six, and after Joyce took more piercing shots, the doctor was called in once more, and this time the contest was stopped with Joyce’s eye near enough completely shut.

Zhang now becomes WBO mandatory to Oleksandr Usyk, while Joyce will need to re-assess and return stronger.

Watch: Dillian Whyte immediate reaction below.

Mikaela Mayer (18-1, KO5) saw a proposed lightweight debut against Christina Linardatou cancelled at the weight in due to the Greek being refused a licence for an old eye issue, but Mayer appeared on the bill regardless, taking the vacant interim WBC title with a hard-fought unanimous decision win against eleventh-hour replacement Lucy Wildheart (10-2, KO4). The American came through by scores of 100-90, 98-92 and 98-91.

Moses Itauma (3-0, KO2) went past a round for the first time as a professional, and found Kostiantyn Dovbyschenko (9-13-1, KO6) an immovable object, settling for a 60-54 win over six at heavyweight.

Knockout artist Sam Noakes (11-0 successfully defended his Commonwealth and WBC International Silver lightweight titles, scoring another early win in a second round stoppage of Karthik Sathish Kumar (10-1, KO4). A big right hand snapped the head back of Kumar at the end of the opener, and he dropped to the canvas. He beat the count, but the end came just before halfway through the second, with Kumar unable to get out of the way of Noakes’ attacks, and when another short, sharp right hand dropped Kumar again, the referee had seen enough.

Denzel Bentley (18-2-1, KO15) returned to domestic level after suffering defeat in a world title challenge in his last outing, and he defended his British middleweight title with an emphatic 45 second TKO of Kieran Smith (18-2, KO7). Bentley hurt Smith with a left hand that drove the Scot to the ropes, and a lovely right hand landed and crumpled the challenger to the canvas, where the fight was immediately waved off. The contest also served as an eliminator for Hamzah Sheeraz’s Commonwealth title.

Ethan ‘Jammy’ James (11-0, KO0) went the distance once again, winning all six rounds against Georgi Velichkov (3-13, KO3) at super lightweight, while Sonny Ali (6-0, KO0) banked six rounds at welterweight, winning every session against Richard Helm (1-15-1, KO1).

Seth Gyimah (2-0, KO1) had four good learning rounds at light heavyweightt against the experienced Darryl Sharp (7-105-1, KO1), and Joel Kodua (2-0, KO0) remained unbeaten, but couldn’t budge Dale Arrowsmith (5-77-3, KO1), winning 40-36 after four rounds at middleweight.