HEAVYWEIGHT GIANTS Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce are all set for a highly anticipated rematch at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday 23 September, live on TNT Sports.
Big Bang Zhang and Juggernaut Joyce first collided in mid-April at the Copper Box Arena, where it was Zhang who left the venue in possession of the WBO Interim Heavyweight World Championship strap.
Referee Howard Foster stopped the fight in the sixth round due to the heavy swelling around the right eye of defending champion, Joyce.
The Chinese hero Zhang lived up to his stage name in Stratford, ending the unbeaten professional record of the fellow Olympic silver medallist.
Big Bang Zhang and Juggernaut Joyce first collided in mid-April at the Copper Box Arena, where it was Zhang who left the venue in possession of the WBO Interim Heavyweight World Championship strap.
Referee Howard Foster stopped the fight in the sixth round due to the heavy swelling around the right eye of defending champion, Joyce.
New York-based Zhang, 25-1-1 (20 KOs), turned in a career-best performance in London to elevate himself into challenging the elite band of heavyweights, but first, he must once again repel the powerful advances of Joyce, 15-1 (14 KOs), who will be determined to regain his lost property and place himself back at the top of the WBO rankings.
“I created history last time,” said Zhang. “And I believe the best way to inherit history is to create new ones. I look at the rematch as if it was a new fight; I look at Joe Joyce as if I never fought him before. I started from zero and this is the new self.”
“I’m coming back to take back what’s mine,” declared Joyce. “September 2nd I am leaving everything in that ring. No compromises. No underestimating my opponent. Nothing, but a win.
