Home Boxing News Joe Joyce destroys Michael Wallisch in three to keep Daniel Dubois showdown...

Joe Joyce destroys Michael Wallisch in three to keep Daniel Dubois showdown alive

Heavyweight prospect Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce 11-0 (10) knocked out Michael Wallisch 20-4 (13) in the third round at the BT Sport Studio in London on Saturday night to keep his October showdown with Daniel ‘Dynamite’ Dubois 14-0 (13) alive.

The 34-year-old Olympic silver medallist, who weighed in at a career-high 270-pounds, had Germany’s Wallisch on the canvas three times before the fight was waved off by referee Ian John Lewis at 0:57 of the third frames of the 10 round contest.

Joyce, fighting for the first time in a year, started a little slowly with Wallisch finding a home for his right hand early in the bout. But by the second round the Londoner had settled into the fight, working a stiff jab and mixing up his power shots to the body and head.

A right hand upstairs followed by a body shot saw Wallisch sink to the canvas but he managed to beat the count and see out the round.

Wallisch, who has now been stopped in four of his last five fights, when for broke in the third but was simply outgunned. A left hook to the top of the head dropped the 34-year-old for the second time and another right cross, left hook combination was enough to see him on his way.

“I was happy to get out of the ring with no injuries, get off the ring rust, see if I still had it and work on the stuff I’ve been doing in training,” Joyce told BT Sport.

“I didn’t get a long training camp but it was a good step to get ready for Dubois, such a big fight.

“It’s been tough being in quarantine, you can’t really do as much training as you’d like.

“I’ve been able to use private gyms and get back to boxing, it’s so good to get back on the bags, get back on the pads and get back in the ring.

“All respect to my opponent for coming down, he put in a great effort and took some heavy hits.”

Domestic rival Dubois, 22, now needs to live up to his end of the bargain. He faces undefeated German Erik Pfeifer 7-0 (5) in a 12-round bout at the BT Sport Studio on August 29.

Dubois was brought in via video link to give his assessment of the Joyce-Wallisch fight.

“It was a decent performance,” he said. “The guy looked like he was ready to quit after the first round, but you dismantled him pretty good.”

Joyce replied: “I’m coming for you from a full training camp. I’ll be ready. I’ll be watching your fight very closely and I’m coming.”

Dubois laughed off the comments: “Just be prepared man, I want a really good fight. I can’t wait.”

Joyce added: “I can’t wait either, so we agree on something, let’s get it on.”