Tony Bellew wants Joe Joyce to hang up his gloves. The former WBC cruiserweight champion has urged the heavyweight boxer to call it quits after Joyce's recent loss to Filip Hrgovic.
Bellew, who retired after losing to Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed cruiserweight battle, knows a thing or two about when to step away from the ring. He won the WBC cruiserweight title and scored two big heavyweight wins over David Haye before calling it a day.
Joyce, at 39, hasn't had the same level of success. He's an Olympic silver medalist but hasn't managed to snag a world title in the pro ranks. He beat Daniel Dubois, but then lost twice by stoppage to Zhilei Zhang and dropped a decision to Filip Hrgovic.
Bellew didn't mince words when talking about Joyce's future:
"Joe Joyce shouldn't be anywhere near a boxing ring. I like Joe Joyce, I think the world of the lad, but he shouldn't be anywhere near a boxing ring."
Bellew's main worry is Joyce's health. He points out that Joyce's best qualities were his toughness and ability to take punches. But Bellew saw this coming. He warned 18 months ago that if Joyce lost those qualities, he'd be in danger.
It's not just Bellew who thinks Joyce should retire. His last opponent, Filip Hrgovic, and even his own promoter Frank Warren have suggested it might be time to call it quits.
But Joyce isn't ready to throw in the towel just yet. He's made it clear he wants to keep fighting.
The boxing world often sees fighters stick around longer than they should. It's a tough decision, and fighters are usually the last to know when it's time to step away. Joyce's next move will be closely watched by fans and experts alike.
