Joyce explains why he’s using skateboarding in preparation for Zhang fight

Joe Joyce is not your average heavyweight – so he didn’t deal with defeat like any other boxer would.

The Putney puncher suffered his first professional loss at the hands of China’s Zhilei Zhang in April. It was the first time he had lost since the controversial defeat by France’s Tony Yoka in the 2016 Olympic final.

Joyce, 38, is back in the ring with Zhang on Saturday night at Wembley Arena as he looks to get his world title dream back on track. But it was solace on a one-wheel skateboard which helped the British fighter put the loss behind him.

“I got out in nature on my one wheel skateboard thing, that helped me,” he said. “Going to see family and friends. Reviewing the footage as well and seeing where I went wrong. t wasn’t that I was thinking, it was a distraction and something to feel good about and enjoy.

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“I have hobbies away from boxing, I swim, dive, cycle and the one wheel is my new thing. It helps me take my mind off it and enjoy life. It means it’s not boxing, boxing, boxing.”

Joyce was stopped in the sixth round after his eye swelled up grotesquely and he was not fit to continue in his 16th outing. It meant he surrendered the WBO ‘interim’ belt but more importantly the No 1 position with the sanctioning body whose title is in the hands of unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.

“I’ve made a lot of minor adjustments in the build up some of the things with the team, and tactics and weight,” Joyce said. "I’m coming in more practised and prepared. I was a little bit light, Zhang was heavier and stronger.

“I had to make sure I was eating right and eating enough. When I started previous camp I was already on fight weight so it was hard for me to keep the weight on. It was just something in my protein shake that wasn’t agreeing with me.

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“Maybe I overlooked him a bit and got tactics wrong, there were some minor last minute changes and weren’t practised. This time they have been practised and hopefully it will be a better outcome.”

Joyce mulled over the rematch clause which he could trigger as he recovered from a nose fracture while Zhang tried to push for a fight with WBC champion Tyson Fury.

“I wasn’t going to wait,” he said. “Especially with how the mandatories go. Daniel Dubois has had his chance with Usyk, now it’s Filip Hrgovic with the IBF so then it should be the WBO interim champion. I will be back in time and nothing will have changed so I had to take the rematch.

“It’s hard enough when you’re No 1, mandatory and interim champion and still waiting for the undisputed fight, so these fights take so long so you don’t have time to waste going around the long way. I was in the fight and I can beat him.”

Joyce admitted he struggled with the silence in the dressing room in the aftermath of defeat while the invincibility around him disappeared even if it wasn’t his granite chin which cracked but he will show he’s more than just a tough guy.

“I know my strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “It’s the boxing media building me up as ‘look at his chin’ but that’s not what I’m all about. I’m going to be a world champion. That’s what I got in it for – to be successful. I enjoy the lifestyle, the excitement and the challenge that comes with boxing.”

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