The star ratings indicate how well the writer believes the fighters match up, the fight(s)’ contextual significance, and how good the fight(s) will be
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MUCH like how a footballer becomes better in the eyes of fans the more time they spend on the bench, and much like how an ex becomes less repulsive with the passing of time, the reputation of heavyweight Joe Joyce has only enhanced as a result of the incompetence of his peers in recent months.
Slowly but surely, not unlike his fighting style, Joyce has emerged as the breath of fresh air the division needs at a time like this. He is a man honest, both in his fighting style and ambition. He is also direct and to the point and, on the face of it, wants to do everything the others in his division are keen to avoid.
For obvious reasons, then, finding a heavyweight like Joyce restores your faith in the division and what it can offer. His call-out videos, rather than foul-mouthed and unnecessarily confrontational, are instead tongue-in-cheek and fun. His fight negotiations, meanwhile, take place off-camera and, were it up to him, would always result in the fight getting made.
Next for, a character every bit as interesting as the Londoner. For Zhang, like Joyce, is a fighter slow and ponderous inside the ring, yet strangely effective with it and, moreover, blessed with a personality at odds with most of the others in the division right now.
