Oleksandr Usyk avoided a fight with Joe Joyce. That’s the opinion of Sam Jones, Joyce’s manager and the man who has guided the heavyweight star to within touching distance of a heavyweight title shot.
Joyce will be ringside at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 25th when Usyk challenges Anthony Joshua for the latter’s world titles.
If Joshua would've went in a different direction then facing Usyk, his WBO mandatory, then a showdown between Joyce and the Ukranian would've been called for. Jones believes that the former undisputed cruiserweight ruler wasn’t keen on that option.
"When it was spoken about that Joe could fight Usyk? Believe me, Usyk and his team did everything humanly possible to avoid the fight," said Jones to Sky Sports. "They know what Joe brings."
"Joe will fight for the WBO title before AJ and [Tyson] Fury's rematch. Their first fight will be for the undisputed title but, before the second, I believe the belts will become vacant. Joe will fight whoever he needs to fight for that belt, then the winner of AJ vs Fury.
“Joe respects Joshua, likes him as a person, they get on well. But Joe wants to fight the best. It's business. AJ and Fury are the best so that's who Joe wants to challenge."