Hammer time now for Joyce
By TOM HOPKINSON
JOE JOYCE hopes to plunder his way into the ‘inner-circle’ of heavyweight boxing’s elite by dealing with Christian Hammer and Joseph Parker in the next three months.
The 36-year-old returns to the ring for the first time in a year after recovering from a wrist injury when he takes on Hammer at Wembley Arena on Saturday.
And his team is already in talks with Kiwi Parker, the former WBO world champion, for a clash later this year.
If he can successfully come through both fights, as he predicts he will, then he will be chomping at the bit to take on WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury or the winner in the battle for the division’s other belts between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua.
Joyce, who won superheavyweight silver at the Rio Olympics in 2016, said: “I’m in a good place, ranked No.1 with the WBO and No.2 with the WBC.
“I feel like I’m almost in the inner circle now.
“I was hoping to fight Parker in July, but that may be postponed until September if we can work out a deal.
“Although I don’t have to fight him, I can just wait for a title shot or a title to come available, which means that in 13 professional fights I’m doing pretty well.
“We’ll see what belts become available and what opportunities become available.
“Like Olympic cycles, after one wave of fighters, there’s another wave and if things are changing at the top — Fury is talking about retiring and we’ll have to see what the others do — I’m around to collect the belts that become available.
“Hammer is a tough guy, he’s pretty durable and, after my wrist injury, this will be a good warm-up for a Parker or even a Fury.
“Whoever it is, I’ll be ready.”