Tony Bellew has suggested it is time for a popular heavyweight to hang up his gloves.
It is often said that the last person in boxing to know when it is the right time to retire is the fighter themselves. Not many get a golden moment to leave the sport behind.
For Bellew, it came after being stopped in his undisputed cruiserweight battle with Oleksandr Usyk. By then, he had already achieved everything he could have dreamed of by winning the WBC cruiserweight title and also having two huge fights at heavyweight with David Haye, both of which he won.
Bellew has now been speaking about another current heavyweight in Joe Joyce, the former Olympic silver medalist who has not yet won a world title.
He has been in high-profile fights with the likes of Daniel Dubois, which he won, two with Zhilei Zhang which he lost by stoppage, and most recently with Filip Hrgovic who beat him on points.
At 39-years-old, many in the sport now think it is the end of the line for a man not known for his defences. Speaking to talkSPORT Boxing, Bellew was asked whether the time was right for Joyce to now hang up his gloves and strongly agreed.
“I spoke about 18 months ago. When he fought Zhilei Zhang for the first time I cried and whinged to everyone on air and in interviews I’ve done.
“Joe Joyce’s greatest attributes have always been his durability and his resilience and I told anyone that the minute that goes he is an accident waiting to happen. I like Joe Joyce, I think the world of the lad, but he shouldn’t be anywhere near a boxing ring.”
