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Joshua, Joyce: The Brits in line to face Olympic champion Yoka after Queensberry switch
Queensberry announced the signing of Olympic gold medallist Tony Yoka on Wednesday evening as they made another addition to their heavyweight stable.
Yoka struck gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil by beating Britain’s Joe Joyce in the final.
Fans from the UK will also be familiar with the Frenchman following professional fights with Dave Allen and Martin Bakole.
It has not all been plain sailing for Yoka in the professional ranks as he suffered three straight defeats between May 2022 and December 2023. He has since bounced back to win his last three fights and is now looking to move onto the world stage in boxing’s blue-riband division.
In order to get there he will need some big wins under his belt and there is a long list of Brits that he could be thrown in with over the coming months. Let’s take a look at potential British opponents he could be matched with to prove whether he can go all the way in the professional game.
Anthony JoshuaGetty Images
Anthony Joshua has been out of the ring for the best part of a year after losing to Daniel Dubois at Wembley last September.
He underwent elbow surgery earlier this year but could return to the ring before the end of 2025.
A domestic showdown with Tyson Fury could finally take place in 2026, but first Joshua may want to dust off the cobwebs after a period of inactivity.
Former European super bantamweight champion Spencer Oliver recently threw Yoka’s name into the mix as a potential next opponent for Joshua, claiming a clash between two Olympic gold medallists would interest the boxing public.
He told talkSPORT: “I think that is a great possibility (that Joshua fights Yoka). We get two Olympic gold medallists going at it. Tony Yoka is trying to rekindle his career after losing to the likes of Carlos Takam. Doesn’t it make sense? Two Olympic gold medallists, there is history there.
“It will be a great fight, it is a sellable fight. I would love to see it.”
If Joshua does want a solid test before jumping in with Fury next year, Yoka could be a name that interests him.
Joe Joyce
The last couple of years have been tough for Joe Joyce. Back in 2022 he was absolutely flying having just knocked out Joseph Parker to move to 15-0.
But he followed that up by losing to Zhilei Zhang twice in 2023, and he has since been beaten by Derek Chisora and Filip Hrgovic.
Joyce has taken a lot of punishment in his career and will turn 40 in September. The clock is ticking and he may not have many fights left.
If he is to get back into the ring, though, a long-awaited rematch with Yoka could be the fight to make.
Yoka got the nod in their Olympic final nine years ago, but it was an extremely close contest that Joyce is adamant he won.
He would welcome the opportunity to settle the score with his old rival, and now seems like the perfect time to run it back.
Queensberry/Leigh Dawney
Frazer Clarke
Let’s throw another Olympian into the mix. Frazer Clarke won a bronze medal in Tokyo four years ago and is now looking to kick on as a professional.
He was brutally stopped by Fabio Wardley in their rematch at the back end of 2024 after their epic draw the first time around, but returned to winning ways by knocking out Ebenezer Tetteh inside a round in April.
Clarke is trying to move from domestic to world level, and Yoka is the type of opponent that could help him bridge that gap.
Both men are aged 33 and have little time to waste if they are going to make a splash at the top end of the heavyweight division.
This could be the ideal crossroads fight to see if either of them truly can be world-class operators.
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Daniel Dubois
Daniel Dubois came up short in his bid to become undisputed champion when he was knocked out by Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley, but he has vowed to return better than ever.
The 27-year-old will need time to rest after a disappointing defeat and will then have to work his way back into contention for another title shot.
Putting him straight back in with an elite heavyweight could be a risk at this stage of Dubois’s career, so it may be wise to look further down the ladder for his comeback fight.
This is where Yoka could come into the reckoning. He is not currently a top 10 heavyweight but has ambitions of reaching that level.
Dubois is in that top bracket of heavyweights right now and by beating a fringe contender in Yoka he could show that he still has the drive and hunger to become a champion again.
Tyson Fury
Tyson Fury retired from boxing at the start of the year after successive losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024.
But he has since performed a U-turn and is now targeting a trilogy bout with Usyk next April.
A clash with fellow Brit Anthony Joshua is also a possibility but Fury needs to get active again first.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has spoken about wanting to give Joshua and Fury tune-up fights before facing one another and this could lead to Fury taking on Yoka.
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The two-time heavyweight champion is no stranger to having low-key bouts to get rid of any ring-rust.
Fury had two fights against limited opposition before facing Deontay Wilder for the first time, and then set up two more clashes where he was a heavy favourite before the Wilder rematch.
Getting back in the ring before fighting either Usyk or Joshua seems a sensible move and Fury may view Yoka as someone who can give him some rounds without jeopardising a future super-fight.
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