Sam Jones reveals Joe Joyce has lost thousands investing in training camps
Joe Joyce's manager spoke exclusively to BonusCodeBets.co.uk on the heartbreak of the cancelled April 11 fight date
The co-Owner of S-JAM Boxing said, "Joe was absolutely heartbroken. He's been out the ring since beating Bryant Jennings last July. Since then, he had his Marco Huck fight cancelled in January, so he's had two training camps now, peaked twice, and had no fight.
"It brought me to tears knowing how well Joe was doing, what had gone into camp, the sacrifices he had made, the cost of the sparring partners we'd brought in.
"The reality is we paid for flights for our team and the sparring partner from the UK. Then we were paying weekly for four US-based sparring partners. The UFC training facility, the very nice villa we were living in out in Vegas.
"We are talking thousands and thousands of pounds and I'm not talking about small thousands – big thousands – all invested into a camp that you can't claim back because boxers are self-employed. It's absolutely heartbreaking."
Olympian Joyce was due to face Greenwich powerhouse Daniel Dubois on April 11 at the O2 arena in London, but the COVID-19 pandemic has consequently seen the fight date pushed back to July 11 instead.
Sam Jones: Joe is still training hard… it will still be the same result whenever it takes place
"At first, we were trying to put it to the back of our minds but then it became a serious problem. Flights were getting cancelled. We were hearing Donald Trump could make it difficult for us to get back to the UK, so we needed to make a decision.
"We were very much prepared to finish the camp in the UK, prepared to fly the coach over. There was talk of fights happening behind closed doors, but it would have been unfair. Both boys deserve the biggest night of their careers, inside a packed O2 arena. We eventually got told it was near-on impossible for the fight to go ahead and we were given July 11.
"It's a worldwide disaster but things will settle down. Unless something crazy happens, I am very confident and wholeheartedly believe it's going to go ahead on July 11th.
"We were at the business end of camp, so Joe is now having a week off with his family. He'll then start ticking over with his strength and conditioning coach and look to head back to the US, or Ismael Salas will come over to the UK. We haven't quite decided that yet.
"It's going to be a different date with the same result. Joe is going to stop Daniel Dubois. It's going to be a car crash at the O2 arena and it's only going to end one way.
"This is the biggest fight of Joe's career, five or six belts on the line, the winner goes on to a guaranteed world title shot. The date has been pushed back but this fight will happen – the fans have demanded it.
"Everyone is in the same boat, businesses are going to be affected by this. I feel terrible for people that are going to lose their job over something that is completely out of their control. When you take a step back, you also realise there are lots of people way less fortunate than you.
"There's a lot worse things happening to people than this fight being cancelled."
'Juggernaut' Joe Joyce and 'Dynamite Daniel Dubois are still set to meet, although whether there will still be a ban on public events in July is yet to be seen.
When they do finally meet, the unbeaten heavyweights will have five belts on the line in their domestic showdown – British, Commonwealth, WBC Silver, WBO International, and the vacant European heavyweight titles!
Everything you need to know about Dubois vs Joyce HERE
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