Not long ago, it was practically impossible to mention the heavyweight division’s elite without bringing up the name Joe Joyce.

His slow, plodding, and mechanical movements were viewed as negatives but his deleterious power and granite chin always pulled him out of the fire. Now, however, his once impenetrable grill has been dented time and time again. The perpetual engine and offensive output has also diminished. Still, even with losses against Zhilei Zhang and Derek Chisora starting to pile up, the former Olympic silver medalist is eyeing the top of the division.

In a few short weeks, both Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker will get it on for the IBF title. From the outside looking in, Joyce (16-3, 15 KOs) doesn’t appear to be in the mix. Nevertheless, when he was at the top of his game, he did stop both.

The success he's enjoyed against The Ring’s No. 3 and 4 ranked heavyweights is something he’s still holding onto. So when the pair attempt to take each other's heads off, Joyce will walk up to the winner and offer them a chance to redeem themselves against him.

“It’s a good fight,” said Joyce to Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. “I’m excited to see it and potentially fight the winner.”

Joyce can’t get ahead of himself though. He’s in a feel-good fight against Patrick Korte on March 1st, so all of his attention and focus is placed upon the 40-year-old journeyman.

By and large, it doesn’t matter what Joyce does next. Whether he wins every second of every round against Korte or puts him through the mat violently, he’ll remain near the bottom of the heavyweight ladder.

That’s the new reality for Joyce. But just because he’s out of the title picture, it doesn’t mean he’s devoid of gigantic opportunities.

“There’s a lot of great fighters at heavyweight. I’m gonna build my way back into the big fights.”