Joyce and Zhang’s Differing Sean Turner History
If you measure off the Sean Turner barometer Zhilei Zhang should defeat Joe Joyce in the big heavyweight fight this weekend.
Joyce makes a defense of his interim WBO heavyweight title against the big-punching two-time Olympian Zhilei Zhang in an eagerly anticipated 12-round fight at the Copper Box Arena in London, on Saturday.
The Brit starts as favourite and is expected to come through a solid test to claim victory.
However, if you were solely to compare how both did against former Irish heavyweight of note, Sean Turner the Chinese big man that viewpoint may change.
The Dubliner fought both back to back in 2011. ‘Big Sexy’ suffered a points defeat to Zhang in an Ireland v China clash in New Ross in March before defeating Joyce in the 2011 Haringey Box Cup Semi-Final just three months later.
In truth their Turner history will have no bearing on the fight, nor should it be used to make a prediction.
However, it does allow Irish fans to lament the former amateur of notes pro innings somewhat.
Turner shared the ring with some huge names in the amateurs including Anthony Joshua, Otto Wallin as well as the aforementioned.
The Shankill native holds a win over Arnold Gjergjaj, who was world-ranked when he stopped him in the pros. He also went the ten-round distance with ‘world champion in waiting’ Filip Hrgovic but rarely fought regularly and never got serious momentum.
The entertaining character has also admitted to not living the life and believes that hampered his innings.
The 32-year-old is now a bare-knuckle fighter.
