In what will be Queensberry Promotions’ first show with DAZN, Dillian Whyte is set to face Joe Joyce in a heavyweight double-header.
Whyte, now 31-3, is coming off a questionable performance against 23-1 Ebeneezer Tetteh in Gibraltar. Whyte stopped Tetteh in seven rounds, something fellow British heavyweight, Daniel Dubois, managed to do in just one.
Though Whyte has said he wants a rematch with Anthony Joshua, his showing against Tetteh offered up more questions than answers on Whyte’s current form. Whyte has also called for a trilogy with Derek Chisora, which is far more feasible, if he gets past Joyce.
Joyce on the other hand is on a mission to rebuild his career following a series of losses, his most recent loss coming at the hands of Chisora.
It seems the version of Joyce that will face Whyte is a far cry from the ‘Juggernaut’ who not only defeated, but stopped both Dubois and Joseph Parker.
Dillian Whyte knew how to beat Joe Joyce in 2018
In an article published by Sky, Whyte commented on Joyce’s performance against Lenroy Thomas, in which he won the Commonwealth title. Whyte said: “He was terrible, he’s got no defence and power”.
While Whyte’s comments on Joyce’s power may not have turned out to be accurate, with Joyce winning 15 of his 16 fights by knockout, he did say something that rang very true.
“He leads with his head. Anyone who’s a clever fighter will clip him because his head, and his chin, are up. Throw a big overhand right or a left hook, and you’ll do him.”
In 2023, when Joyce rematched Zhilei Zhang in a bid to reclaim his interim title, almost two thousand days after Whyte’s comments, that’s exactly what happened. Zhang stopped Joyce with a big right hook to the head in round three.
Zhang is now eyeing a big fight with Anthony Joshua, but must first face Agit Kabayel later this month.
Why Whyte wanted Joyce to beat Zhang
After Joyce’s first loss to ‘Big Bang’ Zhang, in which the contest was halted due to damage to the eye of Joyce, Whyte told iFL TV: “I’m p—– because I wanted a Joe fight man”.
Whyte did, however, give support to Joyce, stating “You win some, you lose some, so let’s get behind Joe and hope he comes out bigger and better”.
Whyte is set to face Joyce on April 5th in a heavyweight double-header. Also on the bill will be Lawrence Okolie’s second fight at heavyweight, and first real test, against Richard Riakporhe. It was previously reported that Okolie would be facing Luis Ortiz, though this never came to fruition.
Riakporhe is moving up from cruiserweight and has lost only to Chris Billam-Smith, who has also beaten Okolie.
Joyce vs Whyte is make-or-break for both men, with both in the closing chapters of their careers.