Joe Joyce: British heavyweight to return in Birmingham against Kash Ali after successive defeats

Joe Joyce (left) won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games

British heavyweight Joe Joyce will return to action against former IBF European champion Kash Ali in Birmingham on 16 March.

Joyce, 38, lost both of his fights in 2023 against Zhilei Zhang for the interim WBO heavyweight title.

The 'Juggernaut' was unbeaten in 15 fights before his defeats against China's Zhang.

Fellow Englishman Liam Davies, 27, takes on Mexico's Erik Robles Ayala for the IBO world super-bantamweight title.

Meanwhile, Nathan Heaney makes the maiden defence of his British middleweight belt against Brad Pauls to headline a Queensberry promotions card, which boasts seven title fights.

"Seven big title fights on one big night is a veritable banquet of boxing for sports fans to feast on and a number of our young stars are really stepping up for the occasion," said promoter Frank Warren.

"It will be a special night for our Stoke hero Nathan Heaney making a first defence of his British title against the English champion Brad Pauls before, if all goes to plan, we get to fight him at the home of Stoke City at the end of the football season."

At super-bantamweight, Commonwealth champion Dennis McCann - unbeaten in 15 fights - faces the also-undefeated WBO European champion Brad Strand for the vacant WBO Intercontinental title.

Undefeated records will also be on the line at welterweight with Eithan James defending his WBO European title as he also tries to pick up the vacant English strap against Owen Cooper.

Heavyweight Soloman Dacres will also defend his English title against an opponent yet to be confirmed, while former WBO International super-middleweight champion Zach Parker goes up against Germany's former WBA world champion Tyron Zeuge.