Despite turning 40 and having lost four of his last five professional fights, Joe Joyce has no intention of retiring yet. The British heavyweight will fight undefeated Russian boxer Artem Suslenkov at Moscow’s VTB Arena on July 11. The bout will be part of the card headlined by Murat Gassiev’s defense of his WBA Regular heavyweight title against Tony Yoka.
Joyce last fought in April 2025, when he was outpointed by Croatian heavyweight Filip Hrgovic at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena. However, the British fighter’s rise had already come to an abrupt halt in 2023, when he was stopped by Zhilei Zhang and suffered the first defeat of his career. Since then, “Juggernaut” has never truly recovered and appears to have entered the twilight of his career.
Here is what Joyce, who has teamed up with American trainer Sugar Hill Steward for his comeback, had to say about the upcoming assignment:
“I’ve spent the last year preparing, training and wanting to be back in the ring. I’m excited for the opportunity to travel to Russia, my team and I are locked in and Moscow should get ready for a big performance.”
Artem Suslenkov will have to overcome a significant deficit in both experience and size, but he enjoys the advantage of being ten years younger than his opponent and remains unbeaten through fourteen professional contests.
The Russian made the following comments about the upcoming fight:
“Joyce is a powerful opponent with strong technique and vast experience. This is a serious challenge. I feel both excitement and full focus. Meticulous preparation and the right tactics to neutralise his strengths will be crucial. This is a chance to show my level and give the fans something to cheer about. Joyce is a strong, pressure-fighting heavyweight with heavy hands and a great deal of experience.”