JOE JOYCE halted Carlos Takam in the sixth round of their heavyweight clash at Wembley Arena on Saturday (July 24).
Early on Takam scooped rights over the top to catch out Joyce. The Briton found the timing for his right hand better in the second round, although Takam continued to unload hooks and chop away at Joe’s trunk. But Joyce started to knock him back in the final seconds of the fourth round, a big left hook set up a hard right that Takam felt just before the bell called Joe off.
Joyce continued to set a fierce pace. At the start of the sixth round, Joyce wobbled Takam with a cracking left hook. Joyce rumbled after him, smashing Takam with well swung hooks. Determined to end it, Joyce hammered away. With nothing coming back from Takam, Joyce’s right cross shook him up again. Referee Steve Gray had been watching the barrage closely and stepped in to end it. Takam protested the finish but he hadn’t been able to repel Joyce as the Londoner steamed forward.
“I had to take my opportunity when I saw it,” he said afterwards. “What I want [now] is AJ or Usyk.”
He may have to bide his time to get a crack at the winner of Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk. They fight in September but even after that fight, if he wins, Joshua’s career is more likely to be taking him in a different direction, possibly towards Tyson Fury. Equally if Joshua were to lose, a rematch with Usyk would be near inevitable.
On the undercard Ekow Essuman secured his breakthrough win when he powered into Chris Jenkins, forcing a stoppage in the eighth round after a slow start. He wins the British and Commonwealth welterweight titles.