British heavyweight Joe Joyce (8-0, 8 KOs) stopped in the sixth round former world champion Bermane Stiverne (25-4-1, 21 KOs) at the boxing night at the O2 arena in London. The fight took place in the form of an extremely one-sided beating, in which Stiverne served more like a boxing bag than an opponent. At the weigh-in before the fight, Stiverne showed the highest weight in his career, 237 pounds and was clearly not in shape for a 12-round battle.
In the first half of the first round, 40-year-old Stiverne noted with several good right overhands, but that was it of his achievements, and in every of the subsequent rounds the fight could be stopped or given to Joyce for 10-8.
After the second round, Stiverne could barely return to his corner. In the third round, Stiverne was knocked down when he fell into the ropes from a hard right hand.
The bout was finally stopped in the sixth round, when referee Howard John Foster decided that it would be enough for Stiverne. The time was 2:20.
As a result of the fight, Joyce became the Commonwealth champion and the "gold" WBA champion, becoming the mandatory for the regular WBA champion Manuel Charr. Whatever it means for Joy's team.
