Joe Joyce is set to face Patrick Korte in his comeback fight following a loss to Derek Chisora. ‘The Juggernaut’ at a recent press conference spoke on future plans, including rematches with some old foes.
Joe Joyce is coming off a loss to Derek Chisora, one which has had huge impact on his career and reputation. Prior to the loss, Joyce’s only defeats had come at the hands of Zhilei Zhang, who went on to defeat Deontay Wilder. Joyce is also the only man to stop Joseph Parker, something none of Zhang, AJ, Whyte or Wilder could do.
Joyce’s career suffered a major blow in 2023, when he put the WBO Interim title he won from Joseph Parker on the line against Zhilei Zhang, and came out empty-handed. Since then, Joyce has looked lacklustre, and lost most recently to an aged Derek Chisora.
Some fans have expressed concern with Joyce’s health following the damage he’s taken throughout his career. Despite this, Joyce will be back in the ring on the 1st of March, on the undercard of Ryan Garner vs Salvador Jimenez.
Joyce’s Recent Struggles and Comeback Attempt
Joe Joyce, known as ‘The Juggernaut’ for his relentless pressure and granite chin, has faced a challenging period in his professional career. After an impressive undefeated run that saw him claim the WBO Interim Heavyweight title by stopping Joseph Parker in 2022, Joyce’s trajectory shifted dramatically in 2023. He suffered back-to-back knockout losses to China’s Zhilei Zhang. The first defeat came on April 15, 2023, when Zhang stopped Joyce in the sixth round to claim the interim WBO belt. The rematch on September 23, 2023, saw Zhang deliver another decisive blow, knocking out Joyce in the third round.
Following these significant setbacks, Joyce aimed to rebuild his career. He secured a knockout victory over Kash Ali on March 16, 2024, in the tenth round. However, his next outing on July 27, 2024, resulted in a unanimous decision loss to veteran Derek Chisora at The O2 Arena in London. Chisora even managed to drop Joyce in the ninth round, a rare sight for ‘The Juggernaut’. This string of results has led to concerns among fans regarding the cumulative damage Joyce has sustained throughout his career. As of May 2026, Joyce holds a professional record of 16 wins (15 by KO) and 4 losses (2 by KO).
The Cancelled Korte Bout and Subsequent Fights
Joyce was initially scheduled to face 22-4-1 Patrick Korte on March 1, 2025, on the undercard of Ryan Garner vs Salvador Jimenez. However, Joyce withdrew from this scheduled bout. While no official reason was disclosed for the withdrawal, Queensberry Promotions confirmed that a subsequent major domestic clash against Dillian Whyte, planned for April 15, 2025, was not expected to be affected. Patrick Korte, with a current record of 23 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw (19 KOs), has since competed, facing losses against Hughie Fury (May 11, 2024), Nelson Hysa (June 7, 2025), and Tony Yoka (December 21, 2025).
After the cancelled Korte fight, Joyce stepped into the ring on April 5, 2025, where he suffered another unanimous decision loss, this time against Filip Hrgovic. This marked Joyce’s fourth loss in his last five fights, further intensifying discussions about his future in the sport.
Heavyweight Landscape Shifts: Dubois and Parker’s Journeys
The heavyweight division has seen significant developments involving fighters Joyce has previously encountered. Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker, both of whom Joyce holds wins over, have experienced dramatic turns in their careers since the beginning of 2025.
The highly anticipated IBF heavyweight title defense between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker, scheduled for February 22, 2025, was called off when Dubois withdrew due to illness just two days before the event. As a result, Joseph Parker instead faced Martin Bakole on the same date and secured a second-round knockout victory, claiming the WBO Interim World Heavyweight championship. Parker’s impressive form continued after his loss to Joyce in 2022; he notably defeated Deontay Wilder by unanimous decision on December 23, 2023, and then secured a majority decision win over Zhilei Zhang on March 8, 2024, to win the WBO Interim title. However, Parker’s tenure as interim champion was short-lived, as he lost to Fabio Wardley by TKO in the eleventh round on October 25, 2025.
Daniel Dubois, whose career record now stands at 23 wins (22 by KO) and 3 losses (3 by KO), has also seen a resurgence and subsequent challenges. After his loss to Joyce in 2020, Dubois rebuilt with several wins, including a TKO victory over Jarrell Miller on December 23, 2023, and a TKO win against Filip Hrgovic on June 1, 2024, which earned him the IBF Interim World Heavyweight championship. His biggest triumph came on September 21, 2024, when he knocked out Anthony Joshua in the fifth round to claim the IBF World Heavyweight title. Despite this, Dubois lost his IBF title to Oleksandr Usyk via fifth-round knockout on July 19, 2025, in a multi-belt unification bout. He has since gone on to win the WBO World Heavyweight championship by defeating Fabio Wardley via technical knockout in the eleventh round on May 9, 2026.
Joe Joyce Eyes Rematches
Joyce has said regarding his plans after facing Korte that he is ‘very excited to see the winner of Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker’, and that he ‘hopes to have some rematches’.
Joyce holds wins over both Daniel Dubois, who he stopped in 2020 to win the British title, and Joseph Parker, who he stopped in 2022. Parker was set to face Dubois on February 22nd in a bid for his IBF crown.
The landscape for these potential rematches has significantly evolved. While Joyce expressed excitement for the Dubois-Parker winner, the fight itself was cancelled due to Dubois’ illness. Joseph Parker went on to win the WBO Interim title against Martin Bakole, only to lose it later. Daniel Dubois, meanwhile, achieved a world title, lost it, and then claimed another. Zhilei Zhang, who handed Joyce two devastating losses, went on to defeat Deont
