Joe Joyce is hoping a Cuban running coach can help him get his boxing career back on track. The British heavyweight takes on Croatian Filip Hrgovic in a make-or-break clash in Manchester tonight.
Joyce, 39, knows defeat means his career is over if he suffers a fourth career loss. The Juggernaut was halted in the last two years after two defeats by Zhilei Zhang and then a shock loss against Derek Chisora.
Once the No 1 contender for the world heavyweight titles, the 2016 Olympic silver medallist is on the brink.
But he’s brought back some familiar faces with strength and conditioning coach Cameron Goff – who was not part of the team for the three losses – working alongside boxing trainer Steve Broughton.
He also has mentor and Cuban athletics coach Juan Hernandez Pineda back in the team. “Before I got into boxing, I wanted to go to the Olympics in athletics,” said Joyce.
(Image: PA)
“So I worked with Juan. He was a mentor to me, an inspiration. We stayed working together even when I switched to boxing.
“He was always there for advice. He was the one who said I should go to Cuba and train with his brother back in the early 2010s.
“I went over there for three weeks before I won my first national senior amateur title. It all started from there, GB team followed, Olympics and then the pros. It all started with him.”
Don’t miss a thing with sport updates!
Want to keep up with all of the latest sport news? Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star Off the Ball email newsletter!
From darts, boxing and UFC, to snooker, F1 and golf, get it all in your email inbox.
How do you sign up?
Simply click on this link, then provide your email address and that’s it, job done. You’ll receive an email with all of the top football stories.
You can also sign up for our Daily Star Football email for all the latest transfer news and breaking stories, right here
It would seem to be a strange addition to the team but Joyce needs something different after a couple of tough years.
There are concerns for his well-being as he gets older. Despite only having 19 professional fights, he had a long amateur career and also played rugby when younger.
Joyce isn’t known for having the best defence but he’s cleared medically to box so the show rolls on.
The Putney-based puncher beat Hrgovic in the World Series of Boxing, a hybrid amateur and professional event, in 2013 before both medalled at the Olympics in 2016, with the Croatian claiming bronze.
Yet this fight only materialised last month when Dillian Whyte withdrew claiming to be injured.
It’s a chance for Joyce to show those who think he should retire that there’s still life in his career. He still believes he can reach the top like Daniel Dubois did, who he once beat into submission.
“I want to get to the top of the mountain and this time get the gold at the end of the rainbow,” added Joyce. “It’s never too late. You’re only as good as your last win and you can quickly move back to the top and that’s what I plan to do.”