Joyce & Davies Score Big Ko’s, Heaney & Pauls Draw at Resorts World Birmingham

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Birmingham, UK (March 17th, 2024)– In a critical heavyweight comeback on an eight bout card televised on ESPN at Resorts World Arena, in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on Saturday, March 16, 2024, Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce, 16-2 with 15 knockouts, age 38, Putney, London, United Kingdom, landed an overhand right hand to the head late in the tenth round which knocked out brave but outmatched Kash Ali in his hometown, 21-3 with 12 knockouts, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Joyce, weighing a career high 286 pounds, came forward consistently all night, the ring was not cut off, and the bout went a somewhat dizzy consistent counterclockwise for all ten rounds. Ali fought the bout on the outside, and never stepped into center ring. Ali relied on single shot overhand power rights or overhand power counter rights. Ali’s punches were effective. However, his work rate was infrequent. Joyce, on the other hand, came forward with pressure and reigned in punches all night to the head and body, and his high work weight eventually ground Ali down.

Ali appeared to be an eight round fighter over his head. By late in the ninth round, Ali was covering up on the ropes and not fighting back, just holding on to Joyce when he could. Late in the tenth round, Ali, holding on to Joyce and getting tangled, forced a stoppage in the action and got a warning from referee Kevin Parker. After the action resumed, Ali went down form a short power right to the head and took the ten count, arising too late to beat the count at 2:53 of the tenth. While a significant comeback, Joyce was still overweight, and took far too long to get Ali, a limited opponent, out of there. His next heavyweight comeback opponent could be a step up in class, and Joyce will have to be in better condition to meet that challenge, though he did not appear to be tired.

In the featured bout on the card, Nathan Heaney, 18-0-1 with six knockouts, Stoke-On-Kent, United Kingdom, retains the BBBofC British Middleweight title with a controversial 12 round split draw over Brad Pauls, 18-1-1 with 10 knockouts, Harlow Essex, United Kingdom. It was a wild scrap with get go, with Heaney throwing the right hand, and Pauls throwing the left hook and right hands with serious intent. The first five rounds and the seventh appeared to go to Heaney, while the sixth round, and rounds eight through 12 appeared Pauls’, especially the eighth round where Pauls gave Heaney a bloody nose and knocked out his mouthpiece, and the tenth where Pauls knocked out Heaney’s mouthpiece again.

Result: Nathan Heaney Split Draw 12 Brad Pauls, Middleweights

Heaney retains EBU European Middleweight title. Referee: Lee Every.

Scoring: 114-114 draw. Victor Loughlin 116-113 Heaney. John Latham 115-114 for Pauls.

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