DU- GOODER
... but Joe may live to regret putting rival on the right path
But now the Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist is going to make his rival pay for listening to him.
Joyce takes on Dubois behind closed doors at Church House at Westminster this weekend for the British, Commonwealth and European heavyweight titles.
But the pair were once amateur team- mates at GB Boxing when the more experienced Joyce would give words of wisdom to the then- teenage Dubois.
Both turned pro around a similar time – a year after Joyce had won silver in the Olympics.
Many expected Dubois, now 23, to stay amateur and battle it out for a place at the Tokyo Olympics.
And the young heavyweight star sought advice from his now rival about what he should do when he was offered a deal by Frank Warren to ditch the amateur vest.
“I remember giving him advice because he was thinking of turning pro and he was basically asking what I thought,” said Joyce, 35, who is unbeaten in 11 pro fights. “I said you
FRIENDS NOW FOES: : Dubois and Joyce
and being separated at a press conference by Frank Warren in February can either stay on to potentially fight in Tokyo or you can do a Mike Tyson route and turn pro.
“He seems to have taken that advice and turned pro and it seems to be good that he didn’t stay because he’s 15- 0, he’s having a good career so far and things are looking up.
“But now I’m fighting him.” The pair sparred occasionally as amateurs which has been much discussed in the build- up to Saturday’s clash.
The winner of battle could end up getting a shot at the WBO title next year should holder Anthony Joshua be forced to relinquish the belt if he pushes ahead with plans to fight Tyson Fury.
Joyce faced Usyk in 2013 over five rounds in the World Series of Boxing – a hybrid of amateur and professional – but he came up short and would love a chance at revenge.
He added: “I don’t think I did any southpaw sparring before that fight and I think I was still quite a novice at that point.
“But I think it was one the best heavyweight fights Usyk had in the WSB.
“So it would be amazing to have the rematch in the pro ranks.”