On a night in Moscow, veteran heavyweight Joe Joyce faced a daunting Artem Suslenkov in a bout that ended abruptly in the 11th round. Joyce appeared drained and stepped back, offering little defense as Suslenkov landed a series of blows. The referee halted the fight, handing Joyce a loss that brings his professional record to 16‑5.

Joyce’s career peaked in 2022 when he captured the vacant WBO interim heavyweight title by defeating Joseph Parker. Since then, he has endured five defeats in six fights, including losses to Zhilei Zhang and Filip Hrgovic. The recent stoppage adds a sixth loss and raises questions about his future in the ring.

Fans and analysts now debate whether this could signal the end of Joyce’s career. The bout was an undercard to Murat Gassiev’s WBA title defense, and Joyce’s promoter Frank Warren already suggested a serious reassessment of his path forward. The outcome may force Joyce to consider retirement or a significant career shift.

Suslenkov, who stands at 15‑0, has improved his résumé with this win, positioning him as a rising contender in the heavyweight division.