Kash Ali vows to grasp his big opportunity against Joe Joyce

Rotherham’s former IBF European champion will take on the world top-ten contender in Birmingham on March 16 in his most high profile contest since his infamous fight with David Price four years ago that resulted in a six-month ban for biting.

Ali went on to claim the European crown only for his career to stall and an injury-enforced 17-month absence from the ring ended in a points defeat to Ukraine’s Bohdan Myronets last summer.

Now the 31-year-old is back with a chance to put himself back in the conversation on the heavyweight scene.

“When my trainer, Richard Towers, told me we’d been offered the Joe Joyce fight for March and I said yes straight away,” Ali told the Advertiser. "It’s a brilliant opportunity and I’m not bothered about anything else. It’s about me and what it does to me after I beat him.

"I had the fight with David Price which was quite a big one and I’ve had some good wins since then.

"This is the one that really puts you in the mix and gives you those big, big fights what every fighter wants to be in and I’m gong to take it with both hands.”

Joyce (38) is coming in off the back of two losses last year to Zhilei Zhang for the interim WBO heavyweight title last year and sees a win over Ali as a stepping stone to challenging for world titles.

"He is top ten in the world still,” said Ali. “He has had good wins over good fighters, people like Joseph Parker and Daniel Dubois, and look what they’ve just done. There’s not too much of a difference between the top heavyweights. Once you’re in the mix you’re in that mix and anyone can beat anyone I believe.”

Although inactivity could count against Ali, who has just two defeats in 22 fights as a pro, he says it won’t handicap him.

He added: "There has been injuries and one thing and another. It’s been out of my hands but this is it now.

"I've got six or seven weeks left so we’ll start upping the training and pushing the sparring.

"I just believe the best version of me will be enough to beat Joe Joyce. I know I’m a massive underdog. No more than a handful of people really give me a chance but there is no pressure on me. I believe I’m good enough and there’s only one way to find out, to get in there and punch him.”