In an alternate universe, Joe Joyce is preparing for his next fight, the next biggest fight of his career, and is one of the biggest stars in the world.

In December 2022, he watched Tyson Fury knock out Derek Chirsora at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in his home city of London and ended up involved in a three-man face off alongside the Gypsy King and Oleksandr Usyk.

What had the potential to become a heated three-way rivalry was put on ice and will be taken off this Saturday. This time, though, it will involve two men rather than three, and the one missing out will be Joyce.

Usyk has beaten Daniel Dubois convincingly since that night 17 months ago. Fury edged past Francis Ngannou, but took the win. Joyce was beaten by Zhilei Zhang. Twice.

‘I’m hopeful and confident that I’ll get another shot,’ Joyce exclusively tells Mail Sport, speaking on behalf of Free Bets, reminiscing over what could have been. ‘I’ve been to the top going for different belts. I’ve picked up quite quite a collection already, but I need to get the pinnacle titles, war titles.’

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Joe Joyce (pictured) gives his verdict on who he thinks will come out on top when Tyson Fury faces Oleksandr Usyk

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The two heavyweights will clash this weekend, with fans and pundits generally split on who they think will emerge victorious

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Joyce himself is looking to climb back up the rankings again after beating Kash Ali in March

It’s unclear if that will ever happen. When Anthony Joshua lost to Usyk, Joyce was Britain’s next hope, Fury in a different league. Since the Zhang defeats, he’s been almost brushed aside, somewhat forgotten.

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‘I’ve been on holiday to three different places and had some time off,’ Joyce adds. ‘There’s lot going on, bits and pieces behind the scenes.

‘I’m ready to get back into camp now and I already know the rough day when I’m going to fight and kind of who I’m going to fight, so I just need to get back into camp and get back training again.’

The win over Ali was career-saving, somewhat. A loss there, and it would have been hard to come back from.

It was far from convincing. Fans questioned it. But Joyce is more than pleased with how it went.

‘I got the rounds in, I did 10 rounds,’ he says. ‘Kash Ali, he’s quite tough to hit. He stayed on the back foot and was staying in the corner,

‘He kept on, annoyingly, hitting me with overhand rights. That was the one clear shot that he was hitting me with. But it was good, I enjoyed the fight.

‘I came in career heaviest, but I got the job done. The first fight of the year is done and I’m going to pick up experience and momentum from the win.’

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Joyce had potentially been in line for a title shot but suffered shock back-to-back defeats by Zhilei Zhang

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He was involved in a three-way face-off over a year ago but has since fallen out of the picture

When Joyce addresses this weekend’s fight, he speaks like a fan. Eager to see the best do battle, to find out what’s next.

‘I feel good that it’s happening at last,’ he says, beaming. ‘We’ve all been waiting so long for it.

‘They managed to keep the belts altogether, and we’re going to get the undisputed finally. Please. Touch wood that nothing else happens to put a spanner in the works, please.

‘We can make plenty more exciting fights after that. Hopefully the belts will vacate, disperse a little bit more, and maybe other opportunities to fight for the titles will appear.’

He has to be pushed for an answer on who he thinks will come out victorious.

The Juggernaut has been in the ring with Usyk before, in the World Series of Boxing, with the Ukrainian coming out on top. Never Fury, but that doesn’t seem to matter.

‘I’m going with Fury,’ he says, initially confident in his prediction. ‘I like Fury. He’s from the UK as well, and he’s got more height and reach advantage.

‘It’s very close, because Usyk is a very, very tricky fighter. He’s got great a boxing brain, speed, toughness, and he studies his opponents well.

‘He’ll have a great game plan going in, and it’s going to be the best versus the best. I think it’s a close fight. We’re thinking about it before we’ve watched it, and I think Fury can raise the bar like he did against Klitschko, I think that might happen.’

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Joyce brands the weekend’s fight ‘the best versus the best’ and spoke of his excitement for the bout

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Refusing to rule out facing either man in the future, Joyce speaks of his excitement about fights that can be made after Saturday

Joyce may not be impacting this weekend but he refuses to rule out facing either man in the future.

Entertainment is the way. Winning the big belts and putting on a show, no matter the setback.

‘I’m at that level now where there’s a lot of fights that can be made, Dubois, Parker, Wilder,’ he adds. ‘Win one or two fights and you already back up in the mix.

‘That’s what I aim to do, get back to the top. Talk to me after the next fight, it might be like, “Ah, you should be there”. I don’t know.

‘Things can change rapidly, especially in boxing and in the heavyweight division. You’re only as good as your last fight. Beat someone good, and you’re back. I’m just hopeful and dedicated and in the gym improving, and hopefully I’ll get these big fights eventually.’

Joyce has previously made it clear that he intends to fight a number of times this year. One down, a few more to go.

His mood lifts when he speaks about his plans. He won’t name names, but something is close. And with Frank Warren promising a big fight if he knocked out Ali, it will be a booking to keep an eye on.

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Promised a big fight by Frank Warren (right) if he knocked out Ali, Joyce is close to a return

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He is aiming for a fight in July, though stays tight-lipped on who his potential opponent will be

‘I’m about to get ready for a fight coming up in July,’ he reveals. ‘That’s what my team management and promoters have presented me with.

‘I’ll be back into camp in Vegas probably, training hard and smart and improving and getting back stuck in. I’m due to start very soon.

‘I’ve had enough time off now, so I’m ready to get back on the horse and ride on.’

Fury or Usyk don’t seem close, but others certainly are. The Juggernaut chapter isn’t closed yet.