Joyce Joyce's Return Confirmed For March 1 — Instagram: joejoyceboxing

WBA Considering Bizarre World Heavyweight Title Fight

By FIGHTSPORTS Jul 3, 2026 Last updated Jul 3, 2026

Joe Joyce (16-4, 15 KOs) has emerged as the frontrunner to face WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev (33-2, 26 KOs) after Tony Yoka withdrew from their scheduled title fight with a back injury.

Gassiev, elevated to full WBA champion following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate his belts, was due to defend his title against Yoka at Moscow’s VTB Arena on July 11th. With that main event scrapped, Joyce — already on the card to face unbeaten Russian Artem Suslenkov — is now in line for a significantly bigger opportunity.

“Tony Yoka is now out of his WBA heavyweight title clash against Murat Gassiev due to a back injury. Alternative opponents are being lined up for Gassiev’s return later this month, with Joe Joyce as the most likely option,” source

Joyce has lost four of his last five fights. Back-to-back stoppages against Zhilei Zhang in 2023 first raised serious questions about whether he was done at the highest level. Consecutive points defeats to the 40-year-old Derek Chisora in July 2024 and Filip Hrgovic April 20025 followed. If he now gets a world heavyweight title shot, it will be yet another blow to the credibility of the sanctioning bodies.