By Marco Bratusch
Two big offers shook the EBU offices in Rome, Italy, at today’s purse bid as former longtime WBO cruiserweight beltholder Marco Huck, 34, and 2016 Olympic silver-medallist destroyer Joe Joyce, 34, are set to collide for the vacant European heavyweight title.
Huck’s German venture Huck Service put in the envelope the amount of 480,000 Euros, topping another strong offer of 358,000 Euros made by UK’s Queensberry Promotions. The winning offer will have to be split 50/50, being the two men co-challengers after former titlist Agit Kabayel vacated.
Huck (41-5-1, 28 KOs), a two-time European champion, won the continental belt in 2006 and 2008 respectively before moving on to chase world level challenges. The powerful Joyce (10-0, 9 KOs) is coming from a competitive twelve-round victory over Philadelphia’s Bryant Jennings at London’s O2 Arena last July, and will arguably be the stronger, fresher man of the pair.
In other EBU news, England’s Martin Murray (38-5-1, 17 KOs) has been appointed as the new mandatory challenger for freshly-crowned European middleweight champion Matteo Signani (29-5-3, 10 KOs), aged 40. The Italian won the vacant belt last Friday in Trento, Italy, with a debatable twelve-round split-decision over Armenian-born Gevorg Khatchikian (29-3, 14 KOs). The veteran, durable Murray has never fought for the European belt in his twelve years as a prizefighter.
Huck is not a shot fighter yet, but I am sure his losses against Usyk and Briedis took their toll on him.
Joyce had an unimpressive amateur career, but a stellar pro career so far. His confidence should be very high after beating Jennings.
I think they are relatively evenly matched but the momentum may be in favor of Joyce.
bit harsh to say Joyce’s amateur career was unimpressive. Also based on Joyce’s seemingly strong punch resistance i would expect him to walk down, bully and overwhelm Huck.
Interesting fight though
@CB, Ding:
Joyce’s amateur record was 36-7, with only 10 KOs. He lost to unknown fighters like Tony Yoka (who ended his career with a 15-8 record. In fact, all 7 losses were to fighters with poor records. And so were many of his amateur wins.
In other words, I don’t think its harsh to say that his amateur career was pale compared to his pro career.
i am not really arguing Joe Joyce is a legendary amateur like Kindelan or Lomachenko. i just think if coming second in the biggest amateur competition out there is unimpressive, then amateur boxing is a sham.
CB: I agree with you in general. At the same time, the HW roster at the 2016 Olympics was imo one of the weakest ever. The rest of his amateur career was by no means outstanding. Relatively few amateur fights, and losses against fighters with poor records. I wish him well, but I doubt he will get far.
Joyce might be the slowest fighter in the history of the sport. No way he ever wins a belt.
I’m sure he’ll beat Huck and that means he’ll have the Euro belt.
He’s already won & vacated the Commonwealth belt.
Marco “the ultimate warrior” Huck is gonna beat this man senseless. Mr Huck was robbed against Povetkin (thanks Drumpfff) and Joey Joystick couldn’t carry Povetkin’s jockstrap.
Huck is really out of his class in the heavyweight division. He was impressive at cruiserweight but is a bit small for the dreadnaughts that cruise the upper tier of the division. He won’t have enough power to bother Joyce.
Did I just read someone say that an Olympic Silver medalist had an “unimpressive amateur career”. LOL, I needed that laugh today. :-p
@ Ding: see my response above. The silver medal was Joyce’s only remarkable accomplishment as an amateur. You may want to take a look at the heavyweight roster at the 2016 Olympics: one of the weakest ever in Olympic HW history. The guy who beat him – Tony Yoka, had a 15-8 record. You may be impressed by Joyce’s 36-7 amateur career. I am not.
Yes, just because Joyce had a silver medal doesn’t mean dick when it’s against weak opposition. The superheavyweights have sucked ass in the last two Olympics. Joyce is good enough to beat crude Huck, but a world champion he will never be.
A blowout of Huck by Joyce in 2, at the most of 4 rounds.
Wow, Huck is no boxer and he relied on brute strength at cruiserweight. May be his cashout fight, but if he wins it’s over for the overrated Joyce.
Wow, Huck is only 34???? I thought for sure he was much older. I guess it just seems that way.