Hayemaker Promotions makes a return to television with Joe Joyce, Michael Page and Willy Hutchinson all in action

Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter for the latest tips and offers

Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

Professional boxing debuts often fly under the radar, but full attention will shine tonight on three different men who all share the same goal - success. Olympian Joe Joyce, MMA fighter Michael Page and young prospect Willy Hutchinson have all been signed by former two-weight world champion David Haye, whose Hayemaker Promotion makes a return to television on free-to-air channel Dave.

Joe Joyce has always been one of the most unconventional fighters in British boxing, and his professional debut has once again eschewed the traditional beginnings most boxers experience. The 32-year-old won bronze at the 2015 World Amateur Championships, and claimed silver at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after controversially losing to France’s Tony Yoka in a tight final.

The six foot six Londoner only picked up boxing in his early 20s after dabbling with rugby, gymnastics and martial arts, and he shares his passion of boxing with a love of art. Joyce has a degree in Fine Art, and cites Pablo Picasso as much of an inspiration as other boxers. With agility, confidence and a creative brain, Joyce is well attuned to deep thought, but tonight he must channel the creativity with a ruthless streak.

Considering both his age and amateur experience, Joyce is being fast tracked into the professional ranks, and will meet fellow Londoner Ian Lewison in his debut bout. Lewison represents one of the most difficult opening opponents in recent memory, with the 36-year-old a former amateur star who has never quite shown his full quality when it really matters.

With only 15 fights across eight years, Lewison has never been active enough to really make a mark in the heavyweight division, but he has enough quality expose any vulnerability in Joyce. Unlike his previous fight with Dillian Whyte last October, Lewison has had plenty of time to train and get in fighting shape, and he’s especially dangerous in the early rounds of fights, before his stamina tends to let him down.

Joyce showed great tenacity during his amateur days, but there are questions about his defensive acumen, though he has been training under Ismael Salas, who also trains Joyce’s promoter David Haye who has put together the card for tonight’s show on Dave. Haye’s previous efforts on Dave have seen him fight a collection of nobodies, but he has taken his promotional duties more seriously, and has put together an intriguing collection of matches.

Despite the disparity in professional experience, Joyce is still an overwhelming 1/12 with the bookmakers to win the fight, with Lewison a sizeable 7/1 underdog. Should the unthinkable happen for Joyce and he does lose, he will be in respectable company. The likes of Juan Manuel Marquez, Bernard Hopkins and Rafael Marquez all suffered defeat in their first professional fight, and all bounced back to become world champions.

MMA fighter Michael ‘Venom’ Page has also signed with David Haye, and will make his boxing bow tonight in London on the undercard.

Page is 12-0 inside an Octagon, where his crowd-pleasing style and spectacular knockouts have seen him become an internet sensation. At 30, it seems unlikely that his martial arts success will translate to the boxing ring, but it will be an entertaining experiment as long as it lasts.

Scottish amateur starlet Willy Hutchinson was the third fighter signed by Haye, and he too opens his account on Dave against Hungarian journeyman Attila Tibor Nagy. Elsewhere, John O’Donnell and Tamuka Mucha meet for the English welterweight title, while look out for light middleweight Tom Ansell who is being touted as a potential one to watch.