Tony Bellew believes Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce 13-0 (12) is a genuine threat to anyone in the heavyweight division.
Londoner Joyce moved a step closer to a world title shot with a sixth-round knockout of French veteran Carlos Takam 39-6-1 (28) at The SSE Arena in London, England on Saturday night.
“He is a problem for anyone in the world,” former WBC cruiserweight champion Bellew said to talkSPORT.
“Purely based on the fact that he’s gonna be there at the final bell and he’s gonna make you work.
“But do you know what? It doesn’t even need to get to the final bell.
“He’s there after six rounds – 90 per cent of these heavyweights are gonna be feeling the pace after six and he doesn’t.
“He just keeps coming and coming.”
Cameroon-born Frenchman Takam, 40, made Joyce work in the early rounds before the pressure and pace of the hometown fighter eventually took its toll. Referee Steve Gray stepped in to stop the fight at the 0:49 second mark of the sixth.
The victory cemented Joyce’s position as the WBO number one contender to unified champion Anthony Joshua 24-1 (22) who is set to defend his titles against former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk 18-0 (13) at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium in Tottenham on September 25.
“What I want is AJ or Usyk,” Joyce said after the fight. “I don’t need any more tests. I’ve picked the levels up and strategically moved. I’ve started at the deep end and I’ve carried on at a steady trajectory. I’m ready now.”
Promoter Frank Warren added: “He’s the mandatory challenger, he’s number one now. Obviously AJ and Usyk are getting it on in September, then he becomes the mandatory challenger to the winner.
“I think what will happen, provided AJ wins and Tyson Fury wins [against Deontay Wilder], I think they’ll fight first, but the winner will have to fight him.
“We’ll see what happens, or if the title gets vacated then he’ll fight for that.
“He’s only had 13 fights as a pro and he’s in the position he’s in, which is brilliant. He’ll be out again some time in October if that’s what he wants, that’s what he’ll have.”
Bellew said that he thinks Joyce has the potential to spring the upset on anyone at the top of the division, including Joshua and WBC boss Tyson Fury 30-0-1 (21).
“I don’t care if you’re Anthony Joshua, if you’re Tyson Fury, if you’re Deontay Wilder – if you don’t get rid of Joe Joyce, after six you’ve got a problem,” he said.
“And that’s what you’ve gotta understand when you’re fighting someone like him, you’ve gotta be prepared to go to hell for 12 rounds.
“You’ve got to be in unbelievable shape.
“And don’t get me wrong, Anthony Joshua is probably the best conditioned heavyweight of the last 20 years, but this Joe Joyce is a different kind of animal.
“He doesn’t even need to do much work, he’s just walking you down.”
Bellew added: “He’s the modern-day Terminator, the human Terminator, he doesn’t stop.”
