"We will have guys like Tony Yoka coming over, maybe to fight Joe Joyce," Top Rank boss Bob Arum says the Frenchman could resume his rivalry with British heavyweight contender Joe Joyce in the pro ranks
Tuesday 13 July 2021 16:11, UK
Joe Joyce could be targeted by Tony Yoka in a rematch of their 2016 Olympic super-heavyweight final, promoter Bob Arum told Sky Sports.
Yoka claimed a hotly disputed points win over Joyce in the 2016 Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal match.
Both men have since evolved into dangerous threats to the world heavyweight champions, with Anthony Joshua set to defend his IBF, WBA and WBO belts against Oleksandr Usyk on September 25, while Tyson Fury's WBC title fight against Deontay Wilder has been postponed.
Yoka is promoted by Top Rank boss Bob Arum, who hopes to showcase his heavyweight talent in the UK.
"We will have guys like Tony Yoka coming over, maybe to fight Joe Joyce," Arum recently told Sky Sports.
Joyce takes on Carlos Takam on July 24, knowing that victory will strengthen his position as a future title challenger after rising to No 2 in the WBO rankings, No 6 with the WBC and No 9 with the IBF.
The British contender is coming off a career-best win against Daniel Dubois, but Yoka has also stepped up his pursuit of a world title shot and could reignite his rivalry with Joyce.
Yoka has won all 10 of his pro fights, eight via knockout, since claiming Olympic gold at Rio 2016, four years after Joshua completed the same feat.
He is ranked at No 6 with the IBF, No 12 with the WBC and No 15 with the WBO.
All of his fights so far have been on home soil in France.
