Joe Joyce has become the new WBO ‘interim’ champion after delivering a devastating knockout victory over Joseph Parker in Manchester.
The Briton floored the New Zealander with a huge shot in the 11th round to secure a victory that will earn him a mandatory title shot against full champion Oleksandr Usyk.
The 37-year-old Londoner extends his undefeated record to 15-0, becoming the first man to stop the former world champion who went the distance with both Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in his only other defeats.
Joyce demonstrated why he has one of the best chins in boxing by walking through the best Parker had to throw before picking him apart with a superb display of patience and power.
In an absorbing start to the contest, Parker immediately went searching to land his huge overhands rights but the granite-chinned Joyce remained unfazed, able to find his range early on with his left jab.
Parker continued to look for those big overhand rights and was made to pay as another missed its target in the third, with Joyce launching an onslaught with huge shots forcing his opponent into the ropes.
The New Zealander responded at the end of the round with a series of fierce uppercuts that landed flush on Joyce. Joyce barely blinked however and ate another enormous power shot from Parker in the fourth.
Switching his attack superbly at the start of the sixth, Joyce hurt Parker with some shuddering body shots, slowing down the quicker man. Joyce continued to bludgeon away, landing the harder shots with increasing accuracy, maintaining his patience and remaining on the outside.
Parker provided a telling reminder of his own power at the start of the seventh but a left hook from Joyce opened up a nasty cut above his right eye towards the end of the round.
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Relentless pressure from Joyce followed, targeting that cut and switching downstairs to sink heaving shots to the body as he sought the finish.
Parker kept Joyce honest with another tremendous uppercut at the start of the ninth. But once again, that cast-iron chin saw it deflect off the Londoner who responded with a vicious hook.
With the fight beaten out of his opponent, Joyce found the finishing shot he had patiently waited for, uncorking a sublime left hook to floor the former world champion and seal victory.
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