The heavyweights will be back under the spotlight this weekend when Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce collide in a rematch at the Wembley Arena in London on Saturday. The 12-round, plus undercard action, will be broadcast by ESPN+ in the U.S. and BT Sport in the U.K.
MORE: Sign up to watch Zhilei Zhang vs. Joe Joyce 2, exclusively on ESPN+
Boxing history is replete with upsets and no more so than in the sport’s glamour division. In April, a new chapter was added to the book when Chinese veteran Zhang scored a shocking sixth-round stoppage over the previously unbeaten Joyce, who many felt was a world champion in waiting.
Decisive in the bout was Zhang’s southpaw stance. Joyce appeared completely ill-equipped to deal with his opponent’s straight left hand which landed with ominous regularity. The Englishman’s right eye was swollen shut by the midway point and he was ultimately pulled out of the fight by referee Howard Foster.
“[Zhang is] a tricky southpaw, he’s a very good counterpuncher and he let me know with tagging my eye and aiming for the eye a lot,” Joyce (15-1, 14 KOs) told RingTV.com recently. “It was a tough night at the office. I had to take some heavy punches. I felt like I was starting to warm into the fight when it was stopped. I felt like I could continue. I didn’t lose by getting knocked out.
“It’s just minor things [that need to be fixed]: my focus and dedication in camp, more practice with fighting southpaws, better defence. Lots of little improvements, but when you put them all together it’s a whole lot more than the last camp.”
Zhang (25-1-1, 20 KOs) has been installed as favourite to deal out the damage on enemy territory for a second time and move on to his first world title shot. Can Joyce defy the odds, claim revenge, and put himself in line to face unified heavyweight champion and former amateur rival Oleksandr Usyk?
The Sporting News will provide undercard results and a full fight report on the main event.
Zhilei Zhang vs. Joe Joyce 2 full card results
- Zhilei Zhang (c) vs. Joe Joyce 2 for the interim WBO heavyweight title
- Pierce O’Leary vs. Kane Gardner; Super Lightweights
- Anthony Yarde vs. Ricky Summers; Light Heavyweights
- Sam Noakes vs. Carlos Perez; Lightweights
- Zach Parker vs. Khalid Graidia; Super Middleweights
- Ezra Taylor vs. Joel McIntyre; Light Heavyweights
- Royston Barney-Smith vs. Engel Gomez ; Super Featherweights
- Moses Itauma vs. Amine Boucetta; Heavyweights
- Tommy Fletcher vs. Alberto Tapia; Cruiserweights
- Aloys Youmbi vs. Erik Nazaryan; Cruiserweights
MORE: Joe Joyce looking to reverse fortunes in Zhilei Zhang rematch
When is Zhilei Zhang vs. Joe Joyce 2?
The main card starts at 7 p.m. local time, which is 2 p.m. ET. Both fighters should make their way to the ring around 10:15 p.m. BST (5:15 p.m. ET), depending on how long the undercard fights last. Here’s how that translates to different timezones globally:
| Region | Date | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Saturday, September 23 | 2 p.m. ET | 5:15 p.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Saturday, September 23 | 11 a.m. PT | 2:15 p.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Saturday, September 23 | 7 p.m. BST | 10:15 p.m. BST |
| Australia | Sunday, September 24 | 4 a.m. AEST | 7:15 a.m. AEST |
How to watch Zhilei Zhang vs. Joe Joyce 2
| Region | TV channel | Live streaming |
| USA | — | ESPN+ |
| Canada | — | TSN+ |
| UK and Ireland | TNT Sports | TNT Sports |
| Australia | — | Kayo |
In the U.K., the fight will air on TNT Sports. In the U.S., the fight will air on ESPN+.
Watch: Zhilei Zhang vs. Joe Joyce 2, exclusively on ESPN+
Zhilei Zhang vs. Joe Joyce 2 price: How much does the card cost?
You can pay $9.99 for a monthly subscription to ESPN+ or buy an annual subscription for $99.99.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $13.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
