Suslenkov vs Joyce Predictions: The ‘Juggernaut’ slows to a standstill

Olympic silver medalist Joe Joyce walks into Artem Suslenkov’s backyard this Saturday 11 July. The 16-4 heavyweight will battle Russia’s unbeaten hope over 10 rounds at the VTB Arena in Moscow. The bout serves as chief support for Murat Gassiev’s WBA championship defence against Peter Kadiru. The card will air for free on YouTube and live on DAZN.

Read on for my Suslenkov vs Joyce predictions ahead of this heavyweight humdinger.

Suslenkov vs Joyce Fight Preview

Joyce is both lucky and unlucky to be having this fight. Lucky because, after losing four of his last five ring outings, he is once more being given a featured attraction bout. Unlucky, because ‘Juggernaut’ very nearly got handed a dream main event.

WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev, newly-crowned in the wake of Oleksandr Usyk vacating his titles, was set to face Tony Yoka on this card. But the French Olympian pulled out with a back injury, leaving promoters scrambling for a challenger for the world belt.

As the biggest name on the undercard, Joyce was floated as Gassiev’s replacement challenger. The move was rightly criticised. The once fearsome Joyce has lost four times and been knocked out twice since his last significant win; a 2022 points decision over Joseph Parker.

The idea of Joyce fighting for the world title was laughed out of court. But then the WBA sanctioned unranked German plodder Peter Kadiru fighting for the title instead. I understand the wisdom of saving a show and not wasting Gassiev’s training camp. But the WBA has eroded their crumbling credibility by allowing a fighter outside the rankings to take on their newly-crowned heavyweight boss.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think Joyce would have done much against Gassiev. Not because the Russian is a particularly good heavyweight. While he was brilliant at cruiser, Gassiev is objectively the worst current heavyweight title-holder. But I don't think Joyce would have beaten the champion because he has reached the most difficult time in a boxer’s lifespan.

Joyce is still a big name. Promoters find him an easy sell because of his body of work. When ‘Juggernaut’ has a fight coming up, social teams pull together clips of Joe’s biggest and best wins. Stopping Dubois before ‘Dynamite’ went on to win IBF and WBO world titles. Finishing ex-champ Joseph Parker. Clubbing contenders like Carlos Takam and former WBC boss Bermane Stiverne.

But Joyce is not that fighter any more. The dual-stoppage losses to Zhang extinguished his fire. Chisora and Hrgovic scattered the ashes. I was ringside for the latter fight, where the big Croat landed some truly hurtful leather on the brave Brit. It was an uncomfortable watch. Joyce clearly had no answers to the questions Hrgovic’s fists were asking.

Even in his most recent win, Joyce looked laboured and uncertain as he toiled for a 10th round stoppage of ordinary Kash Ali. Power is the last thing to leave, but Joyce’s shot-selection betrays his faded reflexes. Where once he seized upon openings, he now paws. Where once he walked through fire to return the flames, now he merely stays in the middle distance eating punches. Sure, the chin is still impressive, but Zhang showed that even that legendary Joyce jaw has its limits.

Suslenkov is fancied to go far in the heavyweight division. His shots are more wild and free than most Eastern European fighters. Suslenkov uses his jab not to nick rounds, but to bore in and throw power hooks. He is not patient and that might come back to bite him at some point. But against Joyce, it is the perfect style to win.

Perhaps Joyce will prove us all wrong, as ex-foe Chisora did when following calls to retire with some of his best wins. But even in defeat, ‘Del Boy’ is always in the fight. Joyce hasn’t been in the fight for a long time. Boxing has gone from something he enjoyed to something he endures.

Suslenkov vs Joyce Full Card

Murat Gassiev vs Peter Kadiru

Artem Suslenkov vs Joe Joyce

Murad Khalidov vs Arslan Yallyev

Aleksei Egorov vs David Dzukaev

Sharabutdin Ataev vs Jose Uzcategui 

Tamerlan Ozdoev vs Shivam

Vyacheslav Rogozin vs RV Deniega

Suslenkov vs Joyce Prediction

Joyce won’t find Suslenkov hard to find. But his face-first defence is surely going to get sliced open by the Russian. 

Suslenkov can be frustrated. Mutual opponent Christian Hammer dragged him to the scorecards over eight. Joyce fans may take heart from the fact their man hammered Christian in four rounds. Jack Mulowayi was on the wrong side of a majority decision against Suslenkov and he might provide the blueprint for any ‘Juggernaut’ success in this fight.

Mulowayi made it tough on the inside. He timed the Russian’s jab, mauled when he needed to and went to war when appropriate. But Suslenkov overcame him eventually. I think he does the same against a shopworn Joyce. I’m taking Suslenkov on points.