Joe Joyce says he has nothing to lose when he finally meets fellow unbeaten British heavyweight Daniel Dubois, with almost everybody labelling him the underdog against his much younger foe.
Joyce and Dubois have been trying to face off all year, with COVID-19 scuppering two certain fight nights plus a host of potential rearrangements since the end of the first lockdown.
Promoter Frank Warren has finally given up on the hope of getting ticket-buying fans into the intriguing domestic encounter, which could easily see the winner move on to a world title fight in 2021, and it takes place on Nov. 28 at BT Sports Studio, London, behind closed doors.
Joyce told The Sportsman that it won’t be a walk in the park for Dubois.
He said; “I think he’s 15 [wins] and 14 KOs, and I’m 11 [wins] and 10 KOs, but I guess the level of opponents differ so we’re more equal.
“Even though he’s had more fights, if they’re easy fights that don’t test anything then you’re going in the ring, you’re knocking the guy out in the first couple of rounds, and you’re not really learning anything.
“I guess with Dubois, he maybe needs his confidence built and that’s probably why Frank Warren and Queensbury have given him these easy fights to boost his confidence and build him up like that.”
Dubois is the clear favourite in this fight, but amateur veteran Joyce believes he has more in his repertoire than his opponent.
“It’s mad,” Joyce continued. “The bookies have him winning the fight, so I’m the underdog, and whatever happens is a bonus because apparently I’m going to get knocked out!
“I’ve got my engine, punch variety and punch output, I’ve got a good chin and can go into the later rounds, whereas he is a strong puncher, explosive, and he’s good for the fundamentals and the earlier rounds.
“I predict he will be trying to knock me out but he won’t manage to do that; it will get to the later rounds and then I’ll knock him out."