Joe Joyce aims to prove there is more than one Mr Nice Guy in boxing after making pro debut aged 32
JOE JOYCE is about to prove there are TWO nice-guy heavyweight world champs in British boxing.
This Saturday at the Indigo, O2, the man dubbed as the “next big thing” by David Haye will go to war against heavy-handed bruiser Ian Lewison.
But while people's champion Anthony Joshua has “already made it” courtesy of his stunning 11th-round KO of boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko, Joyce is on a very different path.
And it is one that could well see him meet the new golden boy of British boxing.
Joyce is all set to make his professional debut at the age of 32.
After a stellar amateur boxing career that culminated in an Olympic silver at the Rio 2016 Olympics, albeit many believing he was "robbed" of gold, Joyce only has eyes on making it big – and quickly.
And what is appearing to be a golden age of British heavyweight boxing, the softly-spoken Putney puglist knows he has to announce himself – and quickly.
Joyce, who jumped at the chance to sign up to Haye's Hayemaker Promotions team is about to explode onto the boxing circuit.
Speaking exclusively to SunSport, Joyce said: "I covered all my options, I had offers from Eddie Hearn, from Floyd Mayweather, everyone has been interested.
"But I thought with David Haye, two weight world champion and also Richard Schaefer who has been runing Golden boy, this is the best move for me.
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"It's now a good way to start with a bang in my debut with a 10 rounder."
While fine-art graduate Joyce is ready to don the war paint and do battle against "lay 'em out" Lewison, he is missing he biggest fan – his mum.
Marvel, who is blind, will be out scaling 5,895-metre Mount Kilamanjaro, proving like her down-to-earth son, no hurdle is impossible.
And just as she reaches the summit in Tanzania, Joyce is confident he will be climbing his own mountain in London.
Joyce added: "My mother might be climbing Kilamanjaro, but I can always hear her, she's very vocal.
"When I was younger I used to test her boundaries, be a bit cheeky, but obviously I've had to have a lot of responsibility looking after my mum.
"But mum gets about, she is very active, I've cycled around Thailand on a tandem with her, she's done cross country skiing, she's done 100m, athletics, she has supported me."
Clearly Joyce, who mentions how he used to perform to the highest level pre-boxing in rugby, swimming and athletics, knows exactly the challenges that await him in the noble art.
So what of his big firework debut?
He added: "The biggest danger with him (Lewison) is the first three, he's going to be swinging some bombs, when he is full of energy.
"The later the fight gets, he will be more tired, I'll be landing more frequently and he wont like it."
Boxing is looking good for British heavyweights.
And after Joyce, straight out of amateurs into a 10-rounder announces himself, we might ask the "Joshua question."
