Carl Frampton believes that Joe Joyce’s career may have come to an end after a defeat to Zhilei Zhang.
The 38-year-old had talked up his chances ahead of the rematch between the two heavyweights after suffering his first professional defeat to the Chinese competitor in April.
He was hoping to win back the WBO Interim heavyweight championship and had tipped the scales at over 20 stone in an effort to bring more power.
Instead the veteran looked more sluggish and Zhang dispatched him in the third round with a brutal knockout.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the fight, former world champion Frampton suggested that perhaps Joyce could no longer absorb the punishment he once could.
He said: “There were no changes from the first performance which we all agree was very, very bad.
“It’s difficult to see where he goes from this point. Maybe he’s still feeling a bit of a hangover from the first fight.
“Maybe too nervous, maybe knowing deep down in himself he can’t do enough to change the result, the outcome. I feel for Joe but we can’t take that away from Zhang. That was an amazing shot to finish it.
“What does Joe have now? That was his main thing, his chin, his toughness. If his chin is not what it once was.”
Steve Bunce added: “Joe Joyce, I said: ‘Look at his face.’
“I’ve never seen him look so emotional, he didn’t look happy at any point. In the second round when he was getting clipped, he was turning away like he didn’t trust the right side of his face, like he didn’t trust himself.
“It was like he didn’t trust that once incredible chin he had. He was fighting like a man who just did not want to be there. And I felt so sorry for him. He’s been a great fighter, like Carl, I’m struggling to find a route out.”