‘I can think about calling it a day’ – Joe Joyce out to revive title hopes in Filip Hrgovic fight amid retirement talk
JOE JOYCE is out to KO Filip Hrgovic and talk of retirement in the same breathe as he prepares to put his career on the line.
Joyce returns on Saturday in Manchester on DAZN in a make-or-break clash following a punishing points loss to Derek Chisora in July.
The 39-year-old Olympic silver medalist faced calls to retire from his boxing peers – after two damaging defeats to Zhilei Zhang in 2023 as well.
But Joyce still dreams of landing a world title shot but will first need to put doubts over his career to bed.
He told Boxing Social: “I’ve been up the mountain twice, it’s the third time where I need to actually get the proper full belt.
“Not an interim or anything like that, I just need to get the full title or full titles and then I can think about calling it a day.
“Of course I’m happy. I’m doing what I like to do. I have a big fight coming up and I’m excited for that.
“While I’m still enjoying it and making money I’m going to continue doing my job.”
Joyce beat Daniel Dubois – now the current IBF champion – in 2020 and looked on course for a shot at the world title.
He held the WBO interim belt – making him mandatory to Oleksandr Usyk at the time – while also being linked with fighting Tyson Fury.
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But his defeats to Zhang sent Joyce down the pecking order – despite returning with victory against Kash Ali last year.
It was his loss to Chisora – hitting the canvas in the process – which left Joyce staring retirement in the face.
But he looks to get back to winning ways against Hrgovic, 32, who is coming off an eight-round stoppage to Dubois, 27, last June.
Joyce said: “I know exactly what to do. And I’m ready. It’s great to be in exciting fights.
“He has a lot to offer because he’s high up in the rankings so that puts me back at the top of sport which is what I’m trying to do.”