Joe Joyce to Replace Tony Yoka in Shock WBA Heavyweight Title Fight vs Gassiev

Joe Joyce is the frontrunner to secure a stunning world heavyweight title shot on short notice. "The Juggernaut" is expected to replace Tony Yoka against Murat Gassiev on 11 July 2026 at Moscow's VTB Arena.Yoka was forced to withdraw from the blockbuster main event after suffering a severe back injury in training camp. Organisers pivoted quickly to Joyce, who was already deep in training and scheduled to compete on the undercard against undefeated Russian prospect Artem Suslenkov.If officially sanctioned by the WBA, this bout will be contested for the full WBA world heavyweight championship, which was recently relinquished by Oleksandr Usyk.The booking has raised eyebrows across the boxing landscape. Joyce, 40, has suffered a brutal run of form, dropping four of his last five contests, including back-to-back defeats to Derek Chisora and Filip Hrgović.Despite the controversy surrounding his recent record, the Olympic silver medallist has been handed the ultimate promotional lifeline. Stepping into the main event saves the broadcast card and offers Joyce an unexpected, career-defining opportunity to finally capture world honours.Photo Credit: Joe Joyce Facebook

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