Tough matchmaking can be hazardous but Joe Joyce is ready for Stiverne test
Stiverne took WBC champ Deontay Wilder to points in 2015 and represents a big step up on paper
WHEN it was announced Leon Spinks was going to challenge Muhammad Ali boxing was considered to have reached the depths of insanity.
Spinks, who won the light-heavyweight gold medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, was still wet behind the ears having had only seven professional fights.
Like most of the outraged critics I believed he had signed a suicide note rather than a contract.
Who in their right mind would put a comparative novice in the ring with the greatest world heavyweight champion who ever lived?
It's exactly forty years ago today the goofy-looking Spinks, a gaping hole in the middle of his
mouth where his four front teeth should have been, faced Ali at the Hilton hotel, Las Vegas.
We feared for the safety of the naive young man they called 'Neon Leon' because of his love of the night-life, as the opening bell sound.
Yet an hour later along with millions of fans I sat stunned at ringside having watched Spinks outpoint Ali to be acclaimed the new heavyweight champ.
Matchmaking is a hazardous occupation and whether it's arranging a fight or a marriage it can go horribly wrong.
Putting newcomers, however talented, up against seasoned pros often leads to disaster and can put an end to a promising career.
With the Spinks experience in mind it would be folly to criticise the wisdom of matching Joe Joyce with Bermane Stiverne, at London's 02 Arena, a week tomorrow James DeGale's contrived so-called grudge battle with Chris Eubank jnr will be centre stage but I find Joyce's clash with Stiverne just as intriguing.
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Joyce who has a University arts degree was the Commonwealth and European amateur champion and silver medallist at the Rio Olympics three years ago.
Though at 33 he is in his prime the 6ft 6in , 19 stone big punching Londoner - shades of Spinks - has had only seven fights - all won by knockout.
Stiverne may be 40, but he is a veteran of 29 fights and four years ago was the WBC's world champion.
But with Leon's experience in mind it would be folly to criticise the wisdom of matching Joe with Stiverne at this early stage of his development.
Stiverne was the first man to go the distance with Deontay Wilder, when he lost his crown to him. But he was battered to a first round defeat in the return 16 months ago - his last fight.
Bermane admitted he was out of condition mentally and physically on that occasion and said: "I wish to apologise to my supporters for sending an impostor into the ring. My mind wasn't attached to my body. My heart wasn't in the fight. I was there in name only".
Stiverne is astonished that Joyce with his limited exposure has agreed to meet him. He sounded positively insulted when he added: "Seven fights and he has the audacity to box me."
British boxing is consumed with the machinations of our world class big boys - Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte.
But they shouldn't take their eyes off Joyce patiently and quietly waiting for them in the wings.
He has already attracted the attention of the WBA who have him at No 5 in their rankings.
Joyce is now managed by former Swiss banker Richard Shaeffer, who spent many years helping Oscar De La Hoya, become established as a top promoter.
More significantly he is now trained by Mexican-born Abel Sanchez, who trains Gennardy Golovkin.
I'm sure Sanchez wouldn't allow Joe anywhere near Stiverne if he thought he wasn't ready to beat him.