Joe Joyce (13-0) last fought in July when he stopped the usually durable Carlos Takam in 6 rounds. 

The plan is for him to fight again before the end of the year but according to the 36-year-old, it has been hard to secure an opponent. 

Last week in a video interview with IFL TV he claimed that top heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz (32-2) rejected an offer to fight him. 

"That was an option [to fight Joseph Parker], but he obviously now is going to fight Derek Chisora, and there were a few more names. Ortiz was mentioned, but I'm not sure he wants the smoke. But there are other names around the area. We'll see what we can get," Joyce said.

Joyce was a little more blunt when asked to confirm whether or not Ortiz had turned him down.

"Yeah. He didn't want a war," Joyce said.

When made aware of Joyce’s comments, Ortiz couldn’t help but shake his head.

“Joe Joyce is a liar and it’s very embarrassing to him as a man and as a boxer because at no time has he spoke to me, or Jay Jimenez (his  manager) or his coach Herman Caicedo,” Ortiz told BoxingScene.com. 

“We at King Kong’s boxing camp would love to know who this little ego man spoke to and why would he lie when he knows full well Luis ‘King Kong’ Ortiz has never turned down a fight in his life. Our camps don’t even have communication or even have each other’s number.”

Ortiz last fought in November when he blew out Alexander Flores in one round.  Both of his career losses came against former champion Deontay Wilder. 

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