Results Report and Highlights – Joe Joyce puts the hammer down with a stoppage-time win

Joe Joyce (14-0, 13 KOs) ended a 12-month absence from the ring with a 4th round win over seasoned Christian Hammer (27-10, 17 KOs).

‘The Juggernaut’ proves once again that his pressure and restlessness are two attributes that are definitely nightmares of this level for someone like Hammer. The question is whether in the future they will take the main kick in heavyweight or not?

The Hammers got off to a good start in part thanks to Joyce’s manly defense. His chin absorbed a lot of his right hand and forced the German to fall prematurely.

Right from the first round, Joyce targeted the 34-year-old’s body and was clearly a tactic of his and coach Ismael Salas Joyce started round two in a positive but still letting himself be chin but then Brit marches forward.

Hammer started the third round on high alert, a sign he may now have to defend for a while. Joyce let go of a right hand which unsettled his opponent but was amused by the audience, who could sense the away boxer had given all he could. An overhead butt from Joyce forced Hammer to hold on before a fleeting blow to the back of the head gave Brit the first kill of the battle.

However, the ringing of the bell saved Hammer back to his stool.

Thirty seconds into the fourth and the Hammer is dropped again. The body shots that pay off from the 36-year-old and are starting to do the damage were established in the opening stanza.

Hammer then threw a lottery ticket in his right hand, but Joyce shrugged and began to be impressed with his Terminator. The third knock-out came as Hammer, simply buckling under pressure before a left-hand drive into the middle of the pitch ended the bottom team’s hopes. Referee Victor Loughlin had seen enough and saved the old man from an unnecessary penalty.