Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Fight result after devastating knockout tonight

Joe Joyce suffered a second straight loss to Zhilei Zhang on Saturday, as the Chinese heavyweight stopped the Briton once again.

Zhang, 40, dominated Joyce in April, damaging the 38-year-old’s eye to the point of closure and sealing a sixth-round stoppage. And when the pair returned to London on Saturday, it took Zhang just three rounds to repeat the trick at Wembley Arena.

Joyce looked tentative throughout the first three rounds, hesitant to engage and troubled by Zhang’s output. Then, in the final seconds of Round 3, Zhang threw a clean left cross and landed a devastating right hook, dropping Joyce heavily. It was the first time in the Briton’s career that he had hit the canvas, and he narrowly failed to beat the referee’s count after the bell sounded.

With the result, Zhang retained the WBO interim title that he took from Joyce in April, meaning a clash with official champion Oleksandr Usyk may be next for “Big Bang”.

Re-live updates from Joyce vs Zhang and the undercard fights, below.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE

• Zhilei Zhang stops Joe Joyce in third round of heavyweight rematch

• Chinese heavyweight stopped Briton in Round 6 in April

• Pair returned to London on Saturday, where Zhang made light work of Joyce

• Zhang retains WBO interim title; clash with Oleksandr Usyk could be next

• Is Joyce’s career over at the top level after devastating loss?

Steve Bunce: Joe Joyce now faces a harsh truth — he needs protecting from himself

12:30 , Jamie Braidwood

Joe Joyce walked to the ring looking like a condemned man at Wembley late on Saturday night.

A few minutes later in round three, Joyce was dropped face first for the full count of ten by Zhilei Zhang. The grim observation, the way he walked with his eyes as blank as rock on the way to the ring, was right.

Back in April, Zhang closed Joyce’s right eye and stopped him in round six; the immediate rematch was risky, possibly unnecessary and finished with the shocking end. Joyce was a big, big favourite in the first fight. Joyce at 38, and after just 17 fights, might be facing a genuine crisis in his short career. In the Wembley ring he looked hesitant, reluctant and seemed to wobble from every punch Zhang landed. Joyce was renowned for his ability to absorb punishment and not flinch - that dubious boxing superpower is gone.

In April, Joyce’s mistake was to rely on his fabled iron chin, and this allowed Zhang to take control and get the stoppage; in the rematch, Joyce had no faith in his chin and Zhang was dismissive and then concussive. It was a bad finish, a single punch and down went Joyce in a heap. He regained his feet, but the count was over. His career is now in chaos.

Joe Joyce now faces a harsh truth — he needs protecting from himself

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:30 , Alex Pattle

Joe Joyce suffered a second straight loss to Zhilei Zhang on Saturday, as the Chinese heavyweight stopped the Briton once again.

Zhang, 40, dominated Joyce in April, damaging the 38-year-old’s eye to the point of closure and sealing a sixth-round stoppage. And when the pair returned to London on Saturday, it took Zhang just three rounds to repeat the trick.

Joyce looked tentative throughout the first three rounds, hesitant to engage and troubled by Zhang’s output. Then, in the final seconds of Round 3, Zhang landed a clean left cross and devastating right hook, dropping Joyce heavily.

It was the first time in the Briton’s career that he had hit the canvas, and he narrowly failed to beat the referee’s count after the bell sounded.

With the result, Zhang retained the WBO interim title that he took from Joyce in April, meaning a clash with official champion Oleksandr Usyk may be next for “Big Bang”.

Meanwhile, there will be questions over Joyce’s place at the top level after back-to-back stoppage losses. At the very least, the 38-year-old faces a tough route back towards a world-title fight, without much time to secure one.

Joe Joyce suffers second straight loss to Zhilei Zhang in devastating fashion

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

07:00 , Alex Pattle

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

05:30 , Alex Pattle

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

02:30 , Alex Pattle

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Sunday 24 September 2023 00:08 , Alex Pattle

Joe Joyce has spoken about his loss to Zhilei Zhang, insisting that this is not the end for him:

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:56 , Alex Pattle

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:22 , Alex Pattle

And what next for Joyce? Is that the end for him at the top level?

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:16 , Alex Pattle

Who’s next for Zhang? He’s WBO interim champion; will he take on official champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2024?

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:13 , Alex Pattle

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:11 , Alex Pattle

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:08 , Alex Pattle

Zhilei Zhang def. Joe Joyce via third-round KO (3:07).

Before tonight, Joyce had never been knocked down in his pro career.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:06 , Alex Pattle

What a shot from Zhang. A clean right hook, after a left cross down the pipe.

Joyce is now on his feet thankfully.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:05 , Alex Pattle

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Round 3

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:03 , Alex Pattle

Joyce closes range but fails to pull the trigger. Then he’s backed up by Zhang, who lands a double-jab, right hand!

Joyce with a light cross to the head. He’s not committing to his shots at all, and they’re not exactly carrying much pace...

Zhang unloads again, teeing off on Joyce to the head and body! Joyce is able to arrest the momentum somewhat, fighting behind his jab.

OH! AND JOYCE GOES DOWN FROM A LEFT CROSS AND RIGHT HOOK! THE BELL GOES, BUT HE CAN’T BEAT THE REFEREE’S COUNT ANYWAY!! IT’S ALL OVER!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:59 , Alex Pattle

When Joyce gets tagged hard, he freezes.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Round 2

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:58 , Alex Pattle

Joyce with a jab to the body, and Zhang fires back with a cross to the mid-section. Now Zhang with a jab to the body.

The crowd tries to get behind the Briton, who eats another jab – this time upstairs – and is still looking reluctant to engage...

Zhang backs up Joyce now and lands a clean cross!! It wobbles Joyce somewhat, and Zhang unloads a few more shots, in a dangerous moment for Joyce!!

Joyce fires back with a couple of combinations, though!

Zhang just misses with a big hook attempt, but he lands a series of hard shots up top!! Joyce makes it to the bell, but these are bad signs...

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Round 1

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:54 , Alex Pattle

Zhang is southpaw; Joyce is orthodox.

Lots of pawing jabs from Joyce early doors. Zhang responds in kind, then sees a cross blocked.

Zhang steps in with a straight to the body now. Joyce tentatively tries a couple of left hooks from range, then a right cross to the body.

Another body shot from Zhang. Joyce continues to wave around his lead hand, in a hooking motion.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Main event

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:51 , Alex Pattle

HERE WE GO!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Main-event ring walks

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:46 , Alex Pattle

Now here comes Zhang, to the sound of boos and “We Will Rock You” by Queen!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Main-event ring walks

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:45 , Alex Pattle

Joyce is out first, initially to Jeff Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah”, before it gives way to something a bit heavier...

Interesting choices!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Main-event ring walks

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:34 , Alex Pattle

The ring walks for Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang 2 are moments away...

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Anthony Yarde vs Jorge Silva

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:23 , Alex Pattle

Anthony Yarde def. Jorge Silva via second-round knockout (2:07).

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Anthony Yarde vs Jorge Silva

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:20 , Alex Pattle

Round 2

Good head movement from Yarde as he stalks Silva. He batters the Portuguese with hooks to the body then a massive uppercut upstairs!

Silva has eaten those shots well, but he’s then tagged with a mean right hook to the body.

Another barrage from Yarde, with Silva backed into his own corner, and the Portuguese goes down!

He waits and waits, and ultimately fails to beat the referee’s count! It’s all over!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Anthony Yarde vs Jorge Silva

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:17 , Alex Pattle

Round 1

Yarde is totally on top in the first frame, backing Silva up to the ropes and firing off sharp right hands.

He is warned, however, for landing a couple to the back of Silva’s head, as the 40-year-old stooped.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Anthony Yarde vs Jorge Silva

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:13 , Alex Pattle

Here we go! Yarde, 32, is looking to bounce back from his stoppage defeat by Artur Beterbiev here, as he takes on 40-year-old Silva.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Anthony Yarde vs Jorge Silva

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:05 , Alex Pattle

Next up is the co-main event: Anthony Yarde vs Jorge Silva at light-heavyweight.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Moses Itauma vs Amine Boucetta

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:02 , Alex Pattle

Itauma jokes that he’s only sweating due to his pre-fight workout, not the 100-odd seconds that he was in the ring.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Moses Itauma vs Amine Boucetta

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:01 , Alex Pattle

Such staggering hand speed from Itauma in that finishing flurry.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Moses Itauma vs Amine Boucetta

Saturday 23 September 2023 22:00 , Alex Pattle

Round 1

Itauma with some good right hooks early, but it’s a left hand that puts down Boucetta within 90 seconds! A perfect uppercut!

Boucetta beats the referee’s count, but he’s then backed up to the ropes, where Itauma unleashes a rapid flurry of punches, dropping Boucetta to his knees! The towel comes in at the same time, and the referee steps in anyway!

Itauma stays unbeaten, a marvellous prospect at just 18 years old!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Moses Itauma vs Amine Boucetta

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:55 , Alex Pattle

Heavyweight action now, as Moses Itauma faces Amine Boucetta.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:54 , Alex Pattle

Pierce O’Leary def. Kane Gardner via unanimous decision (100-90, 99-92, 99-92).

No debate there! And still!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:44 , Alex Pattle

Round 10

Final round! Gardner needs a finish. He backs up O’Leary, almost for the first time tonight, and throws out jabs.

Nothing lands to particularly good effect, however. Still, Gardner maintains the pressure, and now he’s on point with a right hook upstairs.

O’Leary circles off the ropes and into space. Gardner closes the gap, though, and the super-lightweights trade hard shots in close!

Better head movement from O’Leary now, as he jabs and moves. Gardner again closes him down, however, and lands bruising body shots.

Two hard right hooks to the head from Gardner!! But O’Leary mocks him with some pretend chicken legs as the bell goes...

The fighters embrace. Good to see.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:39 , Alex Pattle

Round 9

Another jab battle between O’Leary and Gardner, with O’Leary coming out on top again.

Gardner keeps at it, though, and he starts to get through!

O’Leary’s nose is leaking a bit of blood now.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:35 , Alex Pattle

Round 8

The super-lightweights trade jabs, before O’Leary digs a right hook into the ribcage of Gardner.

Clean right hand by Gardner, though! O’Leary responds at once with a stinging jab, snapping back his opponent’s head!

Slick head movement from O’Leary to lean back and evade a hook.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:32 , Alex Pattle

Round 7

O’Leary backs up Gardner, whose left eye is badly swollen now, and lands a good, hard cross! It shatters Gardner’s guard.

Gardner mounts a brief fightback, but it’s largely one-way traffic.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:27 , Alex Pattle

Round 6

O’Leary’s corner has done a good job of stemming the flow of blood.

Clean right hand from Gardner, who’s taken a lot of confidence from Round 5!

O’Leary tags him hard with a hook, though, and he senses a finish as Gardner’s legs buckle!!

O’Leary is chasing Gardner around the ring, landing intermittently but not putting together enough shots for a stoppage!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:23 , Alex Pattle

Round 5

Really nice head movement from O’Leary, but then he gets caught! Blood starts to trickle from the corner of his left eye!!

Gardner then stops the champion in his tracks, freezing him with a few hard shots! A dangerous moment for O’Leary!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:19 , Alex Pattle

Round 4

Better movement from Gardner, who lands a cross to the body.

O’Leary replies with another flurry, then a single left hand to the body. A right hand, whipped over the top now!

Gardner shrugs it off, but he’s received a few hard shots against the ropes.

Gardner with a tepid one-two to the chest, then a right cross upstairs that’s off the mark.

Gardner blocks a hook and an uppercut, but O’Leary is starting to get through again now!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:15 , Alex Pattle

Round 3

Gardner opens up a bit more, but he’s made to pay for it! A clean right cross catches him on the chin.

He’s undeterred, but O’Leary continues to punish him for exposing gaps in his own defence.

Nice one-two upstairs by O’Leary.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:12 , Alex Pattle

Round 2

O’Leary moves forward behind the jab, then misses with a winging overhand right.

Gardner backs up and covers up. Lovely, quick flurry of straight punches from O’Leary now.

More pressure from O’Leary, more straight shots. Gardner is yet to get into this fight.

O’Leary just misses with an uppercut.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 21:08 , Alex Pattle

Round 1

O’Leary staggers Gardner with a hard right hook to the body!

It’s the standout moment in a comfortable round for O’Leary, who presses forward all throughout.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Pierce O’Leary vs Kane Gardner

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:57 , Alex Pattle

Next up, Pierce O’Leary defends his WBC international super-lightweight title!

He takes on Kane Gardner.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:52 , Alex Pattle

Zach Parker def. Khalid Graidia via seventh-round TKO (3:00).

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:50 , Alex Pattle

It’s all over! It’s called off between rounds! Graidia’s team decide that he’s had enough.

That’s a fair call, in all honesty.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:49 , Alex Pattle

Round 7

Parker is in control all throughout the seventh round, backing up Graidia to the ropes, holding him, and hammering him with right straights to the cheek.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:45 , Alex Pattle

Round 6

More front-foot boxing from Parker, who’s looked very impressive so far tonight.

Brutal left hook to the body by him now, after he slips to the left of Graidia’s jab.

Another heavy hook to the body by Parker!! He follows up with a flurry of short uppercuts to the head.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:40 , Alex Pattle

Round 5

Two hard rear uppercuts from Parker, plus a hook in between! Brilliant stuff!

There’s a brief pause in the action as Graidia catches Parker a little below the belt.

We’re back under way, and Parker unloads a terrific combination, varying his angles and targets as he unloads to the head and body of Graidia!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:36 , Alex Pattle

Round 4

Teasing southpaw cross from Parker. Graidia backs him up but doesn’t pull the trigger.

Another hard right hook upstairs by Parker! Graidia again forces him back to the ropes, and this time he unloads, briefly making Parker uncomfortable.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:32 , Alex Pattle

Round 3

More clean shots from Parker, who’s finding gaps in Graidia’s guard off both wings.

Graidia finally mounts a bit of a comeback, using his right hand well, but he’s behind here.

Nice body shot from Parker, who then catches Graidia on the end of a long right hand.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:30 , Alex Pattle

Round 2

Graidia trips after both fighters overextend on straight punches.

One-two sneaks through Graidia’s guard, then a right hook wraps around it! Good stuff from Parker.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:24 , Alex Pattle

Round 1

Parker with a really positive start, winging a right hook to the body as he backs up Graidia to the ropes.

Another right hook to the midriff by Parker, the southpaw also leaving his lead hand out in Graidia’s face to obscure his vision.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:20 , Alex Pattle

Next up, it’s a super-middleweight bout between Zach Parker and Khalid Graidia! Here we go.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Royston Barney-Smith vs Engel Gomez

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:07 , Alex Pattle

Royston Barney-Smith def. Engel Gomez via decision (60-52).

Still unbeaten! No questions over this one.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Royston Barney-Smith vs Engel Gomez

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:05 , Alex Pattle

Round 6

Lots of pressure from Barney-Smith as he seeks a finish in this final round. Harsh left crosses and hooks.

One cross rocks Gomez somewhat, but he keeps coming forward!

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Royston Barney-Smith vs Engel Gomez

Saturday 23 September 2023 20:01 , Alex Pattle

Round 5

Barney-Smith is favouring heavy uppercuts and hooks in this penultimate round.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Royston Barney-Smith vs Engel Gomez

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:57 , Alex Pattle

Round 4

In a good end to the round, Gomez half-catches Barney-Smith with a couple of overhand rights, and a left hook to the body between them.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Royston Barney-Smith vs Engel Gomez

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:54 , Alex Pattle

Round 3

Another knockdown by Barney-Smith! It’s a clean, rear uppercut! Again Gomez beats the count, but he’s really struggling here.

Barney-Smith is managing the distance so well, and he’s timing his counter left hands very nicely as well.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Royston Barney-Smith vs Engel Gomez

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:50 , Alex Pattle

Round 2

Barney-Smith sends Gomez down to a knee! First there’s a lovely, step-back cross to the chin, but it’s followed by a body uppercut – and that’s what scores the knockdown.

Gomez, in his third fight this month(!), beats the referee’s count, but he’s soon caught with another southpaw cross.

He comes back with a decent overhand right, it’s just lacking a bit of power.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Royston Barney-Smith vs Engel Gomez

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:45 , Alex Pattle

Round 1

Southpaw Barney-Smith with some decent jabs and a few good left hooks to the body.

High guard by Gomez, who misses with a right hook to the head but lands a left to the body.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Main card under way!

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:38 , Alex Pattle

The main card is under way! Royston Barney-Smith takes on Engel Gomez!

Joyce vs Zhang 2: Early undercard highlights

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:22 , Alex Pattle

And just now, in the final fight before the undercard proper, Ezra Taylor snatched a late stoppage win over Joel McIntyre!

Joyce vs Zhang 2: Early undercard highlights

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:21 , Alex Pattle

Tommy Fletcher secured a fourth-round win against Alberto Tapia not long ago. Here’s the finish:

Joyce vs Zhang 2: Early undercard highlights

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:19 , Alex Pattle

Earlier tonight, Sean Noakes was victorious against Lukasz Barabasz on points. Here’s a snippet from that bout:

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Undercard in full

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:15 , Alex Pattle

Subject to changes...

Zhilei Zhang (C) vs Joe Joyce 2 (WBO interim heavyweight title)

Pierce O’Leary (C) vs Kane Gardner (WBC international super-lightweight)

Anthony Yarde vs Jorge Silva (light-heavyweight)

Sam Noakes vs Carlos Perez (lightweight)

Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia (super-middleweight)

Royston Barney-Smith vs Engel Gomez (super-featherweight)

Moses Itauma vs Amine Boucetta (heavyweight)

Aloys Youmbi vs Erik Nazaryan (cruiserweight)

Ezra Taylor def. Joel McIntyre via eighth-round TKO (2:56)

Tommy Fletcher def. Alberto Tapia via fourth-round TKO (1:31)

Sean Noakes def. Lukasz Barabasz via decision (59-54)

Who is fighting on the Joyce vs Zhang 2 undercard tonight?

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Joe Joyce interview

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:10 , Alex Pattle

For someone who is such a monolith of a man, there are a surprising number of layers to Joe Joyce. At certain points during our half-hour conversation, Joe Joyce the heavyweight boxer is speaking; at others, it’s Joe Joyce the fine-art student, the swimming instructor, the cheerleader, or the trumpet player.

“When I was a swimming and diving teacher, it was a really great feeling to have someone who was really afraid of the water and to get their head under the water – or have them swimming three, four strokes by the end,” the Londoner tells The Independent. “To have people who have spent their life not being able to swim, and to get them to even put their head under the water in their late sixties and seventies, that’s something I found really rewarding.

“I also played trumpet for quite a few years, I was in the choir at school. I could do a little bit of percussion; I used to go on music holidays. My little brother is the more musical one; he’s at uni doing something musical and was in the Brit School; he was also in Thriller Live. My dad’s an art teacher, he restores antique mirror frames, and my mum was into pottery; she does a series of African-esque heads. Growing up, music and sport was encouraged, as was art. I did my first oil painting when I was seven years old.

“It would be nice to make more art and create more things, be more creative than the destructive boxing side.”

Exclusive interview with Joyce – first published in October 2022:

Joe Joyce on knockouts, oil painting, and teaching 60-year-olds to swim

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: What time are ring walks?

Saturday 23 September 2023 19:00 , Alex Pattle

The earliest undercard fights are under way as we speak. The main card is expected to begin at 7.30pm BST (11.30am PT, 1.30pm CT, 2.30pm ET), with ring walks for the main event due at around 10.30pm BST (2.30pm PT, 4.30pm CT, 5.30pm ET).

What time does Joyce vs Zhang 2 start tonight?

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: How to watch fight online and on TV

Saturday 23 September 2023 18:55 , Alex Pattle

In the UK, the event will air live on TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) and Discovery+. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

How to watch Joyce vs Zhang 2 online and on TV tonight

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Steve Bunce fight preview

Saturday 23 September 2023 18:44 , Steve Bunce

Back in April, Zhilei Zhang was a boxing dreamer of 39 when he closed Joe Joyce’s right eye and stopped him in six rounds.

It was one of boxing’s genuine shocks and tonight, at the old Wembley Arena, they will have a rematch for the right to move just a bit closer to a heavyweight title fight. If Joyce, as expected, had won the first fight, he would have probably fought Oleksandr Usyk a few weeks ago.

Zhang has been marketed as the eating, fighting, man-mountain from China. In April, he was the ideal, but risky, warm-up for Joyce. It was thought that Zhang, who had lost just once in 26 fights, was slow, easy to hit and easy to solve and would be ideal for Joyce to knock out in the last few rounds. Nice plan, wrong man.

Zhang, now 40, fought a smart fight, avoided Joyce’s jabs and straight rights, and connected again and again with his left hand. Zhang is a far trickier southpaw than anybody cared to realise, and he is so much faster than anybody wanted to believe. The brutal truth is that Zhang took Joyce apart; the official end was because Joyce’s right eye was closed, but that is a convenient little fact. Zhang was in total control.

“I took a risk,” Joyce said. “I could have just taken an easy fight and waited for a title fight.” Joyce is right, and he had taken other risks in his previous 15 fights. There is a case, a strong case, that no modern heavyweight has been pushed so hard and so quickly. Joyce has been a delight, beating former champions and challengers, and now he is in the fight of his life to salvage his short career.

Full main-event preview:

Desperation and danger: Joe Joyce revisits risky Zhilei Zhang clash

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE

Saturday 23 September 2023 18:29 , Alex Pattle

Joe Joyce and Zhilei Zhang will go head to head in London tonight, five months after the Chinese heavyweight beat the Briton via TKO.

When Joyce and Zhang clashed in April, also in the English capital, “Big Bang” emerged victorious in Round 6, having forced a stoppage by damaging Joyce’s eye to the point of closure. In doing so, Zhang, 40, took the WBO interim title from the “Juggernaut”, who is out for revenge this evening.

Joyce, who turned 38 this week, was unbeaten prior to his loss to Zhang, and he is aiming to get back to winning ways while reclaiming his title here. If he can do so, the Olympic silver medalist may even set up a bout with Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the main WBO belt – as well as the WBA, IBF and IBO titles.

Joyce vs Zhang 2 LIVE: Repeat as “Big Bang” wins again

Saturday 23 September 2023 23:59 , Alex Pattle