ARRIVAL ANNOUNCED
Joyce rumbles through Lewison on pro debut
Joe Joyce powers his way past Ian Lewison on his pro bow in Greenwich
FOR a moment, early on, the risk looked foolhardly. Olympic medallists rarely make as ambitious a professional debut as Joe Joyce. For the most part their opponents for a first pro fight will be journeymen with losing records. But Joyce, who was unfortunate to come away from the Rio 2016 superheavyweight final with only a silver medal, went straight into a sceduled 10-rounder with Ian Lewison.
That was a statement. In only his last fight Lewison had boxed Dillian Whyte for the British heavyweight title. (Last year he became the WBO Asia Pacific champion in China as well.) However, indignant at being chosen to lose to a professional novice, Lewison fired punches at Joe with real venom, particularly in the second and third rounds. He found the mark with thumping hooks and waited for Joe to attack before unleashing a volley of blows. Those were hard hits and as they landed it was easy to think that Joyce could have risked too much after being out of competitive action for more than a year since the Olympics.
But the Wandsworth giant soon shrugged off any ringrust, thumping Lewison down with methodical jabs. His hands may not look snappy but they connect with draining force. Soon Ian’s right eye had swollen shut.
A right hook to the body smacked the wind out of Lewison. Joyce was pummelling the resistance out of him.
Joe didn’t rush, or go “full cyborg” as he says. He loosened out his arms and looked to shift his body, backing off at times before restarting assaults, just looking to temper the pace he worked at. “This could go 10 rounds because he’s not budging,” Joe thought. “He’s a very tough individual.”
As the rounds ticked by it was a determined effort from Lewison merely to keep himself in it, especially after twisting his ankle and later stumbling down as he lost his footing. Joe’s left hook hurt him, thudding round the Brixton man’s guard with creeping regularity.
Lewison’s reserves gave out in the eighth round. Joyce swung round him, a combination flying down with shuddering force. A heavy right struck through, knocking Lewison back into the ropes. As Joe laid into him there, Lewison’s corner threw in the towel. Referee Robert Williams didn’t notice it, so a few more towels sailed over the ropes. The stoppage came at 2-35.
“I was happy,” Joyce said. “Because it was getting a bit sickening punching him in the face.”
His method may not be pretty, but it gets the job done. He is one of the most successful amateurs Britain has ever produced – the former Earlsfield boxer medalled at every major tournament possible; Commonwealth Games, European championships, European Games, World championships and the Olympics, not to mention a host of domestic titles. He descends on his victims with constant pressure, a wall that keeps on coming and one that only the hardest punchers put a hole in.
At 32 years old and with 15 five-round World Series of Boxing bouts behind him,
Joyce can move quickly. His promoter, David Haye, wants him to go for the British title in his second bout, ideally on the December 17 O2 bill.
Michael Page isn’t the first charismatic mixed martial artist to try his hand at boxing. He made a far more modest professional debut than Conor Mcgregor. Taking on Spanish journeyman Jonathan Castano in a scheduled four-rounder, the Londoner scuttled from side to side, hands right down by his sides, showboating gleefully.
In the third round he launched a long right cross, barrelling through behind it. The power punch halted Castano at 0-45. Mr Williams refereed.
Willie Hutchinson, a World Youth champion for Scotland as an amateur, will be an exciting fighter to watch. With a left to the body he had Attila Nagy cowering, and opened the Hungarian up to force a stoppage from referee Lee Every at 1-29 of the first round.
South Norwood’s Duane Sinclair served up another first-round finish. A heavy right hook to the head turned
Mislav Milardovic away from him, loosening the Croatian’s legs beneath him. Milardovic slumped over the top rope and Mr Every called it off at 2-43.
Jordan Dennis outboxed Darren Snow, a wicked left hook to the body dropping the Yorkshireman to his knees in the third round. The Chatham boxer took a 40-34 win for referee Mark Bates.
Czech Jindrich Velecky let his left arm hang low but neglected to counter
Nick Parpa, leaving his head an open target for the Palmers Green man’s onetwos. Parpa won 40-36 for Mr Bates.
Hitchin’s Tom Ansell slugged away at Aleksandr Chukaleyski, he had him out on his feet in the second round and eventually referee Every spared the Bulgarian further suffering at 2-10. Aylesbury’s Adi Burden cuffed
Georgi Valevksi down in the third round, and in the fourth a slashing right wobbled the Bulgarian’s legs from under him, Mr Bates ending it at 2-02. Ruislip’s Lucas Robinson scraped past
Robert Studzinski 39-38. The Llanellibased Pole cantered forward catching Robinson, but Mr Every scored for Lucas.
Ingatestone’s Adrian Martin took a 40-36 victory over Czech Jan Korec (Mr Bates), while Enfield’s Tunji Ogunniya came through against Bulgaria’s Teddor
Nikolov, winning 40-36 (Mr Every).
THE VERDICT The battles will be brutal, but expect Joyce to move quickly.