Joe Joyce secures the final KO win over Kash Ali just seconds before the final bell

JOE JOYCE’S big comeback ended with a knockout and avoided a huge disappointment.

After punishing back-to-back losses to Zhilei Zhang, the 38-year-old Putney man returned to the ring with a career heaviest weight of 20st 6lbs.

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And the ten rounds he almost completed – before knocking out Kash Ali for the final time – were a heavy burden for boxing fans.

Ali threw a couple of wild haymakers in the opener, being launched from his boxing boots in Birmingham and landing in Solihull.

Joyce was much more measured, trying to take down his 34-year-old opponent by switching between his shaved head and body.

Joyce’s chin did get a tickle in the second, when he backed Ali into a corner and he lunged and gave him a haircut.

Fortunately, that counter punch and a follow-up punch bounced straight off the 2016 Olympic silver medalist.

Ali was negative and complained of rabbit punches, making it difficult for Joyce to find his rhythm in the first few rounds.

Joyce’s reach was still miles away in the third round, the 20th Juggernaut chopping into thin air too often and making Kash Ali look like Mohammed.

And round four was another worrying sign that Joyce might be in trouble after being clipped by a right and a left from the nonsensical opponent.

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The middle rounds dragged on and sucked the atmosphere out of the arena in Birmingham.

Luckily Joyce was in good spirits for the seventh and chased Ali around the ring in an attempt to scythe him.

In the break before the ninth, Ali’s trainer – 44-year-old former pro Richard Towers – said: “I could beat him right now, but you’re hanging around.”

And it was a very honest assessment.

Ali was injured in round nine and it looked like it would be stopped as he had run out of ideas, energy and interest.

After another bite from Towers in the final break, Ali threw a pair of right hands and a left hook that landed.

But then he was knocked down and eliminated with a few seconds left.

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