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Boxing

Joe Joyce reveals reason for 'bad blood' with Anthony Joshua

Joe Joyce reveals reason for 'bad blood' with Anthony JoshuaGettyImages

Joe Joyce has a chance to continue making noise in a crowded heavyweight division when he takes on Zhilei Zhang on Saturday night. 

Joyce is the current WBO mandatory challenger for the organisation's world heavyweight title belt which is currently held by Oleksandr Usyk, and a win over Zhang would surely put 'The Juggernaut' in line for a world title shot next. 

However, with the current chaos surrounding Usyk and whether he will face Tyson Fury in the near future in an undisputed fight, a world title shot does not seem to be on the horizon for Joyce, but there is a possible clash with Anthony Joshua which excites the 37-year-old. 

The two have shared similar career paths en-route to become two of Britain's best heavyweights. Both trained together during their days as amateurs in Team GB and enjoyed success at the Olympics, and the two have fought in 2011, a fight which Joshua won via stoppage. 

Now the recent emergence of the fight tape and sparring footage, along with frequent call-outs have resulted in a falling out between Joyce and Joshua.

In a recent interview with Boxing King Media, Joyce revealed the reason for the recent feud and how he always felt that he was having to perform in Joshua's shadow. 

"I’ve always been playing catch-up, because if I had beaten Joshua in the London finals then it could’ve been me perhaps in 2012. So I’ve always been trying to catch up, and now I’m ahead of them in the rankings, I’ve got the interim title," Joyce said.

“Certain things we’ve kind of fallen out about. There was some footage leaked of the sparring of all his best bits, maybe it was from one of his team, and I saw him laughing and gloating about beating me in the amateurs when the ref was quick to jump in.

"I had to fight twice that night against a southpaw, so I kept on walking into his right hand cause I was like a novice at the time. To see him laughing and gloating about that, and the different comments… Anyway – it’s a big fight in the making.”

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