Joyce had emerged as a possible replacement after Tony Yoka withdrew from his scheduled challenge because of a back injury. With Joyce already on the same IBA Pro 19 card, many viewed him as the logical choice to step in and challenge Gassiev for the heavyweight title.

Instead, the opportunity has gone to the unbeaten but largely untested Kadiru, whose résumé lacks the kind of notable victories Joyce has accumulated during his career.

For Joyce, the decision is a difficult setback. At 40 years old, time is no longer on his side, and chances to fight for a world championship are becoming increasingly scarce. Even though he has lost four of his last five bouts, Joyce had remained in the mix for the Gassiev fight after Yoka withdrew, giving him what may have been his final realistic path to a heavyweight world title.

Rather than challenging for the championship, Joyce will stay on the undercard against unbeaten Russian Artem Suslenkov in a high-risk fight that offers little reward. A victory is unlikely to move him straight back into world title contention, while another defeat could effectively end any remaining hopes of competing for a major belt.

The timing makes the disappointment even greater. The heavyweight division has recently undergone significant changes after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the WBA, WBC and IBF titles. Gassiev was elevated from WBA “regular” champion to full champion, opening the door for a first title defense that briefly looked like it could fall to Joyce. Instead, that opportunity belongs to Kadiru.

It is a bitter pill to swallow for Joyce. After waiting in the wings for the call, he has been overlooked in favor of a challenger with a far lower profile and no signature wins. Unless another unexpected opportunity emerges, Joyce may have seen his last realistic chance to fight for a heavyweight world title slip away.