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Fight Talk: Joe Joyce compared to Erling Haaland after knocking out Joseph Parker
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Joe Joyce showed why he is nicknamed 'the Juggernaut' by winning a thrilling fight against Joseph Parker on Saturday.
It pitted a former world heavyweight champion in New Zealander Parker, 30, against a potential future world champion in Briton Joyce, 37.
But it was also a clash between two of boxing's good guys, and the lack of hype and needle in the build-up did little to whet the appetite.
Yet what the unbeaten Joyce said would be merely "a fun fight" ended up being arguably the best heavyweight fight of the year... so far...
And despite winning it by sending Parker tumbling into the ropes in the 11th round, most people weren't talking about that left hook. It was all about his chin.
Tyson Fury, the WBC heavyweight champion, was ringside in Manchester and threatened to steal the headliners' thunder - not least because he was wearing a typically flamboyant suit.
The Briton got into the ring to congratulate Mark Heffron after the British super-middleweight champion took just 76 seconds to stop Argentina's Martin Bulacio on the undercard.
Fury then gave an update on his offer to fight Anthony Joshua. After saying that he doesn't think the former champion wants to face him, Fury added "if it's not done by Monday, I'm moving on".
The 34-year-old also joined Parker in his dressing room. Fury let Parker train with him in Morecambe in the build-up and acted as the Kiwi's hype man.
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Yet once the spotlights were on Joyce and Parker, they delivered.
They went toe-to-toe, trading blows in a heavyweight throwback that had some feeling nostalgic.
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While Parker was landing the bigger blows, they seemed to have little impact on Joyce.
'The Juggernaut' just kept coming forward, frustrating Parker with his jab and winning most of the early rounds.
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Parker had blood pouring from a cut on his right eye and looked exhausted, yet somehow he hung in there. The Kiwi was showing exactly why he'd never been stopped.
He even started landing some heavy shots of his own. Yet again Joyce brushed them off before delivering the knockout blow.
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford was ringside but it was Manchester City's in-form new signing Erling Haaland that Joyce was being compared to, among other things.
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Sure, victory stretched Joyce's unbeaten record to 15, with 14 of them stoppages, but coming against his toughest opponent yet, it really was a statement win.
And the manner in which he achieved it had some wondering how he'd do against other top heavyweights, such as former champion Deontay Wilder, who has the best knockout record in the division.
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Joyce is now the mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk and called out the WBA (Super), WBO and IBF champion immediately after his win. Later, he mentioned Fury too.
Fury's promoter Frank Warren said there's a meeting with Joshua's team on Monday. Fury is adamant he will be fighting on 3 December so if he cannot agree a deal with Joshua, could Joyce step in?
The Olympic silver medallist, who only turned pro in 2017, has 'future heavyweight champion of the world' on his Twitter bio.
Aged 37 and yet to face an elite opponent, it seemed unlikely. He'll have plenty more believers now.
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