Tyson Fury has been told who the easiest fight would be between his two most likely next opponents, Oleksandr Usyk and Joe Joyce. According to renowned trainer Billy Nelson, Joyce is tailor-made for Fury and would get stopped inside four rounds by The Gypsy King.
Usyk and Joyce both laid their claim to the Fury fight following his victory over Derek Chisora last weekend. The Ukrainian climbed up onto the side of the ring to stare down Fury after being beckoned over before Joyce got in on the action.
“I’ll jump in the mix Tyson,” said The Juggernaut as he joined Usyk on the apron. “Right, we’ll have it,” responded Fury. “Why don’t us three do a Royal Rumble? Big Joe Joyce is here, and no one calls you out but me, so if this rabbit doesn’t want it let’s do you and me at Wembley! Let’s go!”
But despite Joyce’s confidence, Nelson doesn’t fancy his chances. Speaking to Seconds Out, he said: “Joe Joyce is a fine fighter and he’s strong, but he is so tailor-made for Tyson Fury it’s unreal. He would get stopped within four rounds.
“If Tyson wanted to stop him in four rounds he could. It’s not a non-punching heavyweight that’s going to be hitting him. It’s a six-foot-nine guy hitting him now with speed, skill and a great boxing IQ. It’s not a guy that has lost three times out of their last five and is over 35. He’d get stopped very early I think.”
However, Fury disagrees with Nelson’s opinion and claims that Joyce is a tougher fight for him than Usyk. “People have been asking me all night, ‘Who is a tougher fight, Usyk or Joyce?’
“And in my opinion, Usyk is the slicker boxer, but Joe Joyce is The Juggernaut, and I think Joe gives me a tougher fight than Usyk, 100 per cent. Big Joe, 6’7′, and 19-and-a-half stone like a juggernaut coming forward at me, trying to smash me to pieces.
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“Or Usyk trying to steal a jab, running around the ring, trying to nick a point here and there. So, I think that Usyk is a very good fighter, I’m not going to take anything away from him.
“He’s the undisputed cruiserweight champion, and he’s the unified heavyweight champion. So, he’s had a fantastic career, but I think I’ll do a job on him.”
Fury is expected to face Usyk next in the first undisputed heavyweight unification clash of the four-belt era. According to the Ukrainian’s promoter, Alexander Krassyuk, the fight is being targeted for a date between February 18 and March 4 in the Middle East.
Joyce is understood to be the backup option if the four-belt shoot-out can’t be made for whatever reason.