Joe Joyce has accused Anthony Joshua of "laughing and gloating" over his amateur win against the 'The Juggernaut'.
Joshua and Joyce are two of the UK's most successful heavyweights in the modern era, with their achievements beginning as part of the Team GB Olympic team. 'AJ' has gone on to become a two-time world champion in the professional ranks, while Joyce boasts an undefeated record and is currently in pole position to challenge for the WBO crown.
it is a rivalry which first began when Joshua stopped Joyce in the first round of their amateur contest in 2011, and it has since been reignited after footage emerged of a previous spar they shared. Joshua was shown in the footage to be dominating 'The Juggernaut' which he later suggested was tailored to show his rival's best bits.
And now after assessing the new tensions between the pair, Joyce has suggested he was unfortunate to lose in their amateur bout given he had already fought on the same night. "I’ve always been playing catch-up, because if I had beaten Joshua in the London finals then it could’ve been me perhaps in 2012," Joyce said during an interview with Boxing King Media.
"So I’ve always been trying to catch up, and now I’m ahead of them in the rankings, I’ve got the Interim title. Certain things we’ve kind of fallen out about. There was some footage leaked of the sparring of all his best bits, maybe it was from one of his team, and I saw him laughing and gloating about beating me in the amateurs when the ref was quick to jump in.
"I had to fight twice that night against a southpaw, so I kept on walking into his right hand cause I was like a novice at the time. To see him laughing and gloating about that, and the different comments. Anyway – it’s a big fight in the making."
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Joshua is currently attempting to rebuild his heavyweight career having outpointed Jermaine Franklin under new trainer Derrick James last weekend. Meanwhile Joyce will be defending his status as WBO mandatory challenger against Chinese star Zhilei Zhang this weekend at the Copper Box in London.
A win for 'The Juggernaut' could set up a clash with Joshua who has recently suggested he will no longer return until December. Despite links to a rematch with Dillian Whyte, the 33-year-old has suggested he would prefer a meeting with his new foe. He told iFL TV: "Dillian Whyte – not so much, but it is what it is. Joe Joyce interests me the most.
"Wilder interests me but because I feel like this situation with Fury and Wilder – it’s just been back and forth – I would leave that to my team. I like the Joe Joyce fight. I think that’s one that interests people, and Joe Joyce is from the same country as me, so it makes sense.”
