Joe Joyce already knows he is in line to become the WBO’s mandatory challenger for the winner of the upcoming Anthony Joshua-Oleksandr Usyk fight. But Joyce must first deal with veteran Carlos Takam.
Joyce is fresh off the best victory of his career and is looking to build on that momentum. He entered his last boxing match in November as a heavy underdog to Daniel Dubois. But any thoughts of Joyce being content with the underdog role were dismissed when he took early control of the fight with his jab.
Dubois landed some big shots in the fight and was able to hurt Joyce. But Joe Joyce showed composure and stuck to his game plan en route to a tenth-round stoppage.
Joe Joyce is a little short on professional experience, with only 12 bouts on his undefeated resume. But the fundamentals he developed over a stellar amateur career are serving him well as a pro. Joyce has knocked out 11 of the 12 fighters he faced so far in his career.
Joe Joyce took part in negotiations with Usyk before a planned Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury fight fell through. This turn of events led to Usyk choosing to exercise his mandatory challenger option to gain a fight with Joshua. It also meant Joyce had to find another opponent.
Carlos Takam is a Cameroonian native with previous big-fight experience. Takam will sport a professional record of 39-5-1 when he steps into the ring with Joe Joyce. The 40-year-old has already shared the ring with Anthony Joshua, Dereck Chisora, and Alexander Povetkin.
Takam acknowledges that he is a little older and has been in a lot of fights. He also says, “I am the best Takam you have seen, the best ever.”
“Takam gives it his all, and he’s a hard fight,” Joyce explains. “But I will get the job done.”