European dream lives on for “dying sick” John Joyce

Illness couldn’t prevent John Joyce [7(4)-0] from taking another step toward some form of European title shot on Saturday night.

The Irish Army colonel took to the ring in a “hula hoop” but solidered on to register a knockout victory and now believes he could be just one eight rounder short of a major title tilt.

The 31-year-old hopes to follow up his seventh career win over Henrich Herak with a successful eight round venture on the proposed Assassin Mayo show in December before exploring continental options early next year.

“I am dying sick. I’m in an absolute hula hoop,” Joyce admitted to Irish-Boxing.com following a fifth round knockout win at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght.

“So, I said ‘I have to get in and wear this lad down’. I was thinking it might be risky to try and preserve energy and my craziness kind of prevailed.”

“I never told Tony [Davitt, coach and manager] I was sick, although, knowing him, I doubt he’d have pulled me,” a bunged up but not banged up Joyce continued before revealing as much details as he allowed to about his plans.

“Again, Tony won’t let me talk about the specifics of the plan but basically it will be an eight rounder next and then we will do all we can to get that big fight early next year.” A

“fter that if it makes sense then I don’t mind exploring the Irish scene and being in some of those good scraps.”

Joyce has been the subject of some domestic call outs, not least by Keane McMahon, a fighter he trains alongside on occasion, while Dylan Moran says he is open to all comers.

The TDP puncher claims he is domestic keen and can see the value in some entertaining all-Irish fights – however, with some form of continental title an option early next year, he believes it would be remiss of him not to follow that path for now.

“As I have said to you before, I am 31 now so while that big fight is there I would kill myself if I didn’t take it. It’s not I don’t want to do it at domestic level it’s just that chance is there so I have to take it,” added the Lucan entertainer before looking back on his win.

“He should have went earlier. He hung a bit. I was catching him with lovely body shots. The first one were he touched the ground and the ref said it wasn’t a count I told the ref he should have been and he stopped it soon after that. He seen your man was in bits.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)