The Heavyweights come out to London, England in this September 23rd rematch between Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce. This bout gets top billing on ESPN+ Top Rank Boxing in the United States. The two fighters know what is at stake in this second battle. This bout figures to start around 5:30 pm ET from London, England. Can Zhang finish off Joyce in the Heavyweight Boxing Picks?
Numbers have been found once more from the top online boxing betting sites.
Zhang vs Joyce Odds | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
---|---|---|---|
Zhilei Zhang | -125 | -125 | -131 |
Joe Joyce | -105 | -105 | -105 |
Over 10.5 Rounds | -110 | -105 | -108 |
Under 10.5 Rounds | -120 | -127 | -126 |
Okay, what happened in the first Zhang vs Joyce fight? Of course, this depends on who you talk to. One undeniable facet of that fight was Zhilei Zhang’s speed. Now, that was a clear advantage all night long. Joe Joyce could not match that pace. Zhang started to land more and more power shots and eventually shut Joyce’s eye by Round 6. Heavyweight Boxing Picks saw Zhang use his superior set of skills with ease.
Bluntly, Joyce had few answers and never truly got going in this fight. He had visions of grandeur along with a big, heavyweight payday fighting the likes of an Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury. The strange part is that Zhang is the older fighter at 40. Yes, Joyce is only 38. Despite that, it appeared very much like the Chinese fighter was the younger pugilist.
Not sure what Joe Joyce can do to beat Zhilei Zhang.
— #RingsideFracas (@Ringside_Fracas) June 10, 2023
The first fight was just so one sided.
That eye will definitely be targeted again by Zhang.
He’d have to heavily rely on dragging the fight into the championship and try to get Zhang in the deep waters#ZhangJoyce2
This fight is all or nothing for a guy like Joyce. The British fighter got knocked around silly by Zhang’s left-handed combinations all night in April. If Zhang wins this like quite a few believe he can, this sets up a late Winter or early Spring bout against Tyson Fury perhaps or maybe even Usyk. It depends on scheduling, but Usyk could be the more likely opponent. First things first is this rematch.
This weight class rumbles in at 201+ pounds. These two fighters are nowhere near 201 pounds by the way. Zhang comes in at around 256 pounds and Joyce weighs approximately 270 pounds. The winner moves up a little further on the heavyweight ladder. Zhang knows he has to win this fight too. Now, Heavyweight Boxing Picks surprise most by thinking Zhang can win this easily again.
Does anyone think this fight is going 12 rounds? That answer is not likely. Could it happen? Sure. The Under of 10.5 rounds is trending outward to around -130. Honestly, the Under at 9.5 rounds rolls in at +105. This fight will have a bit of an ugly aspect to it later on. While Joyce will try to stick and move a lot, Zhang will attempt to use his speed to cut off the ring from Joyce. It worked very well in the first fight.
A few places keep talking about this fight like Zhang has won it already. When talking to the Chinese fighter, he believe none of that rubbish. His focus boils down to finishing Joyce once and for all. Both fighters know the consequences of a loss but Joyce has more pressure on him. After all, the British boxer must actually box. That will not be easy against a smooth customer like Zhang.
Yes, Zhang respects the power Joyce still has. On the other hand, his training level ramped up rapidly with only five months between the fights. Father Time is undefeated and Zhang knows the time is now. He lost focus against Filip Hrgovic and paid for it. That hunger and 80 inch reach will pay dividends next Saturday night. Taking Zhang again in the Heavyweight Boxing Picks along with a prop or two is a solid wager.
Can Joe Joyce find a way here? The Englishman won his first 15 fights with 14 coming by some form of knockout. Again, he ran into someone that could take his punches and dish out their own brand of punishment. It was something Joyce could not handle. By the middle rounds, Joyce’s eye looked like something out of a horror movie. It was grotesque.
😬 "Everything about the first fight looked wrong, Joe! You looked so much slower!"
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 29, 2023
👀 "I worry about you going back into this fight!"
Simon Jordan confronts Joe Joyce over his performance against Zhilei Zhang. 🥊😳 pic.twitter.com/y7HBYLGCZG
So, the Heavyweight Boxing Picks range Joyce as a -105 to underdog to win on the moneyline against Zhilei Zhang. It is understandable. Consider that there are enough pundits who think Joyce learned his lesson. The British fighter showed flashes of boxing acumen against previous opponents. He was not just a one-dimensional power puncher.
Both fighters are at the tail ends of their boxing careers. That seems to be way more of an issue for Joyce compared to Zhang. Joyce rushed into this fight because of the urgency. Honestly, there lies much risk here. However, if the fighter finds a way to keep Zhang at bay with his jab and power right cross, the Brit stands a chance. A decision seems like a crazy notion but this may be the only way Joyce can win next Saturday.
Heavyweight prop timer for September 23rd enjoys some solid online boxing odds. The Under 8.5 round prop rolls in at +130 and even the Under of 7.5 at +165 is not crazy. If Zhang’s left-hand is anything like the first fight, Joyce is going to get drilled once again.
So, what about a knockout in the middle rounds? Sprinkling a little money on a knockout in Round 7 or Round 8 (both at +1600 for Zhang) is a definite possibility.
Heavyweight boxing picks like Zhang to stop Joyce once and for all.
Check out more online betting sites for more boxing bets.
Summary
Chris Wassel AA, AAS CURRENTLY Sports Writer and Journalist RESIDES IN Rahway, NJ EDUCATION Union County College, Montclair State University EXPERTISE Business, Writing, Sports, Food, Grilling, Olympics, Injuries, Politics, and more Summary Member of FSWA, FSGA, and a variety of Sports Betting Groups. Lead arranger of news and injury reports for Rotoballer Hockey. Also did the news lead for NASCAR on the same site coming out of COVID. Strategy and mapping out of various sports betting and sports articles for MyNHLTradeRumors and gambling.com. Runs a hockey and fantasy hockey podcast that teaches fantasy hockey players how to improve their skills. Experience Chris Wassel has 20+ years of sports journalistic experience in various disciplines.. His ability to play sports is well documented. Most people in the business just write. However, Chris will race cars and even a super Moto bike from time to time. There is that fitness and hiking/cycling aspect too. Chris has climbed mountains from Mount Washington to Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California. For those that do not know. Chris also dabbles in food eating contests and challenges. Having a unique background with friends including Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has the ability to eat a whole 16-pound turkey or a 32 inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, Chris has primarily focused on sports writing and fitness. On social media, he will answer any question in many different aspects. Even Chris's ability to wager on Entertainment and US Elections is well documented. He was able to predict Joe Biden's inevitable dip in approval rating below 40%. Throughout his career, Chris has worked at a lot of places from DraftKings to USA Today and much more. Finally, Chris has been nominated for quite a few awards from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association for Hockey Writer Of The Year. Also, there have been a number of amazing fantasy hockey championships from expert to high-stake leagues. Education Chris received an Associates from Union Country College for business and accounting. Chris did sports journalism work at Montclair State University covering the hockey, baseball, and football teams. Quote from Chris Wassel "Do Not Think, Just Do.”
Education
1999 Graduate of Union County College
1993 Graduate of Rahway High School
Professional Achievements
Media credentialed member of the New Jersey Devils since 2010
Covered several NHL Drafts including the one day event in Newark in 2013
Been on countless podcasts, TV shows, and more including Sportsnet and even NHL Network