Via Mark Eisner: High-ranked heavyweight Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce (13-0, 12 KOs) will return to the ring after a year of layoffs tonight against capable Christian Hammer (27-9, 17 KOs) ) in the main event of 12 rounds. at Wembley Arena in London.
Boxing News 24 will update live and the results of the action below for the Joyce vs. Hammer.
- Former two-time world champion Zolani Tete (30-4, 23 KO) destroyed a heavy opponent Jason Cunningham (31-7.7 KOs) by fourth round knockout. The 34-year-old Tete knocked out Cunningham with a backhand header in the fourth inning. When he returned, Tete knocked Cunningham out a second time with a series of blows. Then referee Howard Foster intervened and halted the contest. Injury time was at 0:34 of the fourth round. Tete’s win tonight was his second in a row since he was cleared three rounds by John Riel Casimero in November 2019. Given his age, he can still punch like there’s no tomorrow and is too good to fight against a domestic level opponent. Although Tete isn’t on the level of any current super bantamweight champion, he’s still a top contender with massive power, and far ahead of fighters like Cunningham.
- Light potential customer Mark Chamberlain (11-0.7 KO) beat Spain Marc Vidal (13-3-5, 5 KOs) by unanimous decision of 10 incorrect rounds. The scores are 100-90, 100-90 and 100-90. There wasn’t much defense from either boxer, but Chamberlain was clearly the better of the two.
- Heavyweight Outlook Tommy Fletcher (1-0, 1 KO) kicked off his career impressively with a knockout win in the first round Aron Vrnoga (1-1). Fletcher dropped 22-year-old Vrnoga twice before referee Marcus McDonnell intervened and halted the carnage. Downtime is at 0:58.
- Potential customers in the middle weight class Micky Burke (7-0.3 KO) beat a six-point decision for the 36-year-old athlete Serge Ombomo (7-32-3, 3 KOs). The score is 60-54.
- Potential customers for outstanding light weight Henry Turner (8-0, 1 KOs) beat laner Jakub Laskowski (4-17-1, 2 KOs) by a 60-54 point decision.
2016 Olympic silver medalist Joyce had planned to take on Joseph Parker, but that match couldn’t be made. As a result, the 34-year-old veteran Hammer was brought in to give ‘Juggernaut’ some rounds.
“You can expect good things. He’s playing the game and it looks like he’s hungry, and I think it’s going to be an uphill fight,” Joe Joyce told The back of the glove about his busy 12-round match tonight against 34-year-old journeyman Christian Hammer.
Underlined:
Jason Cunningham vs. Zolani Tete
Nathan Heaney vs. Nizar Trimech
Mark Chamberlain and Marc Vidal
Micky Burke vs Serge Ambormor
Henry Turner vs Jakub Laskowski
“He’s durable, and he’s bombing,” Joyce continued about Hammer. “Let’s see if he can live with me through the rounds. Well, trying to get him out there sooner than the others will be a bonus.
“But like he said, he had a training camp, so it was going to be tough, and that was heavyweight boxing. I need to be careful. I’ve got a good position and I want to keep it.
“I am disappointed and I think so are the fans, and everyone who will be watching to see it. It was a big event to happen, but unfortunately. It happens in boxing,” Joyce said when asked for his thoughts on his previously planned fight against former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker that failed.
“I had a good position. I’m #1 with WBO and #2 WBC, so there are a lot of good matches for me. I was about to have an injury, and I recovered from all of that.
“I went out in Vegas and did three camps in Vegas with [Ismael] Salas, so I’m improving and adding more weapons to my arsenal. I’m in a good place and have a warm-up fight with Hammer.
“I don’t look down on him because he’s going to be a tough night, I think. Quack-quack, him and his team,” Joyce said when asked if Parker was dodging him.
“He needs to fight me; I don’t have to fight him,” ‘The Juggernaut’ said of Parker. “I’m at a level where I can fight these guys,” Joyce said of his comments to Anthony Joshua during the match that were leaked years ago.
“With AJ, footage was leaked of the fight, and he said he was going to beat me in a round and things like that. So I had to fight back and give my opinion,” Joyce said.
