British heavyweight Joe Joyce will make his long-awaited return to the ring on 11 July when he faces undefeated Russian contender Artem Suslenkov for the WBA Continental heavyweight title in Moscow.
The bout marks Joyce’s first appearance since April 2025, when he suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Filip Hrgovic in a fight for the vacant WBO International heavyweight belt. The loss continued a difficult run for the 40-year-old, who has been beaten in four of his last five outings.
Joyce’s most recent victory came in March 2024 against Kash Ali, and following the defeat to Hrgovic, promoter Frank Warren suggested the former Olympic silver medallist needed to carefully consider his future in the sport.
However, Joyce has opted to continue his career after spending the past year preparing for a comeback. The Londoner enters the contest with a professional record of 16 wins and four defeats and sees the Moscow showdown as an opportunity to revive his standing in the heavyweight division.
Standing in his way is Suslenkov, a 30-year-old Russian who has yet to taste defeat as a professional. The Volgograd-born heavyweight has won all 14 of his fights, including nine by knockout, and arrives with growing momentum.
Suslenkov last fought in April, successfully defending the WBA Continental title against Artur Mann. That victory helped him break into the WBA’s top-10 heavyweight rankings for the first time and further strengthened his reputation as one of Russia’s rising heavyweight prospects.
The clash between Joyce and Suslenkov will be part of the IBA Pro 19 event, which will be headlined by Murat Gassiev defending his WBA heavyweight title against French Olympic champion Tony Yoka.