The British boxer knocked out Dubois in their 2020 fight but was usurped in the queue for a title shot after he suffered a defeat to Zhilei Zhang earlier this year - much to his chagrin.

Joyce told BoxingScene.com: "It was frustrating that it was the guy I beat convincingly that got the shot before me.

"And it bothers me that I was once the WBA gold [champion] and paid the sanctioning fees, and then I was completely out of that [mix]. That’s a route I could’ve taken, but I did the WBO route and I’m in that position again. But to have to lose to Zhang, when I was so close and I could’ve just waited and took a different shot, it was quite a hard time and lesson to learn."

Joyce will now take on China's Zhang in a rematch on Saturday (23.09.23) and realised that he had to try and get instant revenge if he is to maintain hope of becoming a world champion.

He said: "I don’t really have time to piece my way back another way, so I have to. Because I could’ve had a fight in the meantime. Someone could’ve fought Zhang instead or Zhang could’ve had that opportunity at the WBO [title]. But this is why I enacted the immediate rematch [clause], so I can get back in position."