Davey Oliver Joyce enters pro ranks with big world title ambition

At 30 years old, and with buckets of World Series of Boxing and AIBA Pro Boxing experience, Davey Oliver Joyce has neither the time nor the need to hang around in the pro game.

It was announced yesterday that the Mullingar lightweight has turned pro with Mack The Knife Global, and Joyce wants to be fast-tracked to the top.

Indeed, bar perhaps a rust shaker of a debut, the triple EU gold medalist and Rio Olympian has the ability and experience to move into eight, ten, and twelve round bouts early considering he has already completed eight rounders in the APB.

Joyce joins Mick Conlan and Paddy Barnes, along with over a quarter of all current Irish pros, in the MTK stable, and the St Michael’s Athy man admits that he has had the urge to join the booming pro party ever since fulfilling his long-held Olympic dream.

Joyce said that “I’ve been wanting to turn professional since returning home from the Olympic Games and I’m delighted to do so with MTK and look forward to working with them.”

“I’ve known Paddy and Mick and since I was a kid and discussed turning over when we were at the Games, seeing those guys do it has given me that little edge to go and do it for myself.”

Looking ahead, Joyce agrees with the sentiments of many Irish boxing fans that he is made for the pro game, and the Westmeath slugger is aiming high.

The fan-friendly fighter outlined how “I had a great amateur career but I believe I’ll be even better as a professional, a lot of people have told me I’ve got a great style for the pros. The amateurs are shorter and I believe the longer rounds will suit me down to the ground.”

“I don’t do small things, I do things big and in the next year or two I want to be winning world titles, that’s my ambition.”

“I’ve seen the shows recently and they look great, there have been some top boxers in action and I want to show people how good I am on the big stage.”