Chisora Beats Joyce: What’s Next For Both?

Derek Chisora defeated Joe Joyce in a unanimous decision, raising question marks over where they go next.

Before the fight began, there were suggestions that either fighter could retire if they lost. After Chisora’s win, he confirmed that he had two more fights left. This is despite worries that he has taken too much punishment in the sport. Meanwhile, Joyce’s reaction showed he was a beaten fighter. But he had no plans on calling it a day.

Chisora’s Steps

Chisora was already facing calls for him to retire. He is 42 years old and has never won a world title. He has faced the biggest names in the sport, including fights with David Haye, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. [And] he has also worried fans with suggestions that he is showing early signs of CTE. Chisora’s speech is slower than usual, and with a family to look after, it may be time for him to walk away. The boxer has already earned enough to secure his financial future, with the potential to explore media work. 

If he decides to continue boxing, he could target more domestic clashes. There is the opportunity to fight Frazer Clarke, Dave Allen and Johnny Fisher. All three fighters have a big following and would give Chisora the chance to earn another big payday. Clarke is 8-0-1 and is coming off a split draw against Fabio Wardley in his last fight.

Meanwhile, Allen is 23-6-2 with two wins on the bounce. It was the perfect response to the Frazer Clarke loss. As for Fisher, the boxer continues to develop a following. He has not faced big-name opposition but has been working his way up the ranks. Fisher is 12-0 with 11 KOs. He got his biggest win by stopping Alen Babic in his last fight. 

Joyce’s Plan

As for Joyce, the heavyweight could pursue a rematch with Joseph Parker. Parker has indicated his desire to run things back after Joyce stopped him. Since that loss, Parker has reinvented himself. He has beaten Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang to become the WBO Interim Heavyweight Champion. That has made him mandatory for the winner of the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk rematch. Joyce will fancy his chances of having beaten Parker, knowing a win puts him in the mix for a world title. 

There is also the chance to rematch Daniel Dubois. Despite having stopped him, Dubois has come back stronger. He has stopped Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic in his last two fights. He will now box Anthony Joshua as the IBF Heavyweight Champion. Dubois became the full champion once Usyk vacated. A win over Joshua allows Dubois more pulling power, with a possible rematch with Joyce. 

Alternatively, there could be a fight with Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder. A Joshua win over Dubois gives Joyce a world title shot. Meanwhile, a Wilder fight is still a big name. Zhang may have stopped the Bronze Bomber, but since both have lost to the Chinese heavyweight, a match-up could make sense with the winner moving on to better things. But Joyce’s form has depleted his stock, with worries over where he goes next.

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