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Joe Joyce got a big surprise and took a big step towards a shot at the world heavyweight title by stopping Daniel Dubois in a captivating contest in London.
2016 Olympic silver medalist Joyce expertly used her jab to deliver telltale damage to Dubois’s eye.
Dubois got his own good job, but his eye haunted him between rounds.
And with the fight on the line, a simple punch from Joyce caused Dubois to pause before kneeling in the 10th round when he failed to beat the count.
‘I could not see’
The surreal ending at Westminster’s Church House underscored the awkwardness Dubois had grappled with for about half the fight, and Joyce is undoubtedly to be commended for soaking up the blows in an exhibition where he was as disciplined as precise.
Dubois, who was rushed to the hospital to have his eye checked, told BT Sport: “He caught me with a good jab, I couldn’t see with my eye. It just happens.”
But former world champion Carl Frampton and former British champion Matt Macklin said 23-year-old Dubois “resigned.”
His body language between rounds was a stark contrast to what was seen when he went through his first 15 pro contests and while he was leading in two of three cards at stoppage, he never seemed able to find the kind of rhythm that would offer him. control of the contest.
Joyce, 35, remains undefeated and takes the British, Commonwealth and European titles. More significantly, he went through a high-stakes fight and will be on the horizon for world honors as Dubois goes through a short-term rebuild.
“I’m ready for Oleksandr Usyk,” said Joyce, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist.
“Daniel has some power, but I had felt it before. With my experience I have learned to ride them.”
‘You’re in the fighting game now’
Blessed with an engine that defies his 6-foot-6-inch frame and the kind of agility that saw him perform stunts in the ring after his victory, Joyce brings a dark mix to the division head table.
The speed of his shots seems limited, but his deep amateur experience offered him a key balance here and has shown, not for the first time, that his punches carry enough weight to wear down his opponents blow by blow.
He stepped back and relied on his jab, constantly moving it to defend against the heavy attacks Dubois is known for. When Dubois landed hard – three forehands in the second round and a left hook in the third – Joyce came to a halt when opponents from the past collapsed.
“This is the fighting game now, you’re in it,” Dubois warned from his corner as he began to look haunted between rounds.
He needed to show courage that we hadn’t seen him before and found a sweetly timed right hand on the seventh. He was ahead on two of the three scorecards going to tenth, but refused to continue when another hit from Joyce landed on the swollen eye.
Around 20,000 fans would have seen the pair throw away a defining moment in their careers if the pageant hadn’t been postponed three times during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It’s Joyce who can now search for raucous nights, better paydays, and potential world glory.
Dubois will need to heal and come back.
‘An underdog and a mountain to climb’ – analysis
BBC Sport boxing correspondent Mike Costello:
The year of the heavyweight loser. Tyson Fury, Alexander Povetkin and Joe Joyce started as second favorites in their big fights and left the ring as the winner.
Going into the fight, it was felt that Dubois’s punch would be key and Joyce’s lack of head movement a problem. In the event, the opposite happened. Dubois ate the left jab early on and seemed unable to avoid the problem that ultimately caused his left eye to close.
We’ve seen often in the past how a heavyweight’s power has less pop as he progresses through the class, and Dubois’s aura of fear has waned. And because of the way it ended, future opponents will be encouraged by its willingness to kneel. At 23, he has room for improvement, but now he has a psychological mountain to climb.
As for Joyce, his predictability is likely to be exploited by the likes of Fury and Joshua, but his work pace and stamina will make him competitive. However, at the highest level, you need more.
Did Joyce and Dubois chin quit? – reaction
Former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton to BT Sport: I think Dubois resigned, I have to be brutally honest. My eye was closed, but they would drag me out of the ring, I wouldn’t kneel.
Former British Middleweight Champion Matt Macklin: Kudos to Joe Joyce, I just walked through whatever Dubois hit him with. There is no nice way to say this, but Dubois resigned. I took a clean hit to a damaged eye and sat down. He is young, but if you are certain, there will always be doubts about him.
Former Light Middleweight World Champion Liam Smith: I didn’t enjoy half of that fight, Joyce’s chin looked ridiculous. He thought Dubois fought a great fight too. But I find it difficult to think that he did not give up. When you see a referee count to 10 while on one knee, you chose to stay down. I hope he returns, but questions will always be asked about it.
Former World Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis: Congratulations to Joe Joyce for a great victory. The amateur pedigree can make a difference in the world. Daniel Dubois raises his head and learns from this. It is definitely not the end.
