September 2023 – BOXINGWRITER.CO.UK

^{Article first appeared on gambling.com}

This Saturday at London’s OVO Wembley Arena, lumbering Brit Joe Joyce, 16-1 (14ko), will seek to reclaim that which he lost in defeat to Zhilei Zhang, 25-1-1(20ko) earlier this year. The Chinese big man not only broke Joyce’s unbeaten record and claimed the WBO Interim title Joyce had held since beating Daniel Dubois, he also wrecked the promotional narrative of Joyce as the division’s boogeymen.

Repeat or revenge themes are common in boxing. Historically, the original victor triumphs again and often more definitively. Such was Zhang’s dominance in the first encounter that a clearer conclusion in Saturday’s rematch is hard to conjure but more troubling for Joyce’s advocates is; how does Joyce correct the conspicuous defensive deficiencies Zhang exposed?

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^{Article first published at gambling.com}

Liverpool’s Liam Smith is seeking to confirm his superiority over Chris Eubank Jnr. this weekend at the Manchester Arena in a clash between two veterans in the Middleweight division. It will be a rematch of their fiery contest earlier this year in which Smith upset the odds to break Eubank down and stop the 33-year-old in the 4th round.

Bookmakers view their prospects differently in light of the surprise outcome and Smith, the former WBO Light-Middleweight belt holder, is now a 4/6 favourite to win again and Eubank 7/5 to reverse the result.

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