By Paul O’Donovan
Speaking to Topic this week, Johnny Joyce, who defeated Wayne Kelly from Ballynacargy in the semi-final last Friday said, “I had a good enough win against Wayne last Friday I didn’t box like I can box. I was slow enough starting off but I thought I won it handy enough, I won the second (round) handy, the third really handy, so I had him gone in the third, could have finished him off, but I got the win and that is the main thing. There is still a lot more in me so hopefully I bring that out on Friday night next and do the job against Adam Nolan.”
“PRESSURE MAKES ME BOX BETTER”
Although boxing out of the St. Michael’s Club Athy, Johnny is from Mullingar, and his family recently built on a fully equipped boxing gym in their garage, which is now home to the new Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar.
Johnny, who is 27, told Topic, “Wayne (Kelly) is a good lad and there was big rivalry there last Friday night. Loads travelled up from Ballynacargy to support him and loads from Mullingar to support me, as I am a coach in this club in Mullingar, but I am well able for that rivalry. I am 20 years in this game, I’ve been to the Olympics and I’ve been all over the world in this game and pressure is nothing to me. Pressure makes me box better.”
“I am boxing out of the Athy club 20 years now, I suppose I just went there as a kid, and they treated me very well and I got to like my coach, Dominic O’Rourke. My dad, Christy, is also my coach and he put in numerous hours with me here and he still does. Just today, Sunday, we did a session getting ready for the final on Friday. My dad is great and Dom is like a father to me too, so they are two great lads and two great coaches also,” said Johnny.
Looking forward to facing Adam Nolan next Friday Joyce said, “I know Adam well and he knows me well. I was in the Beijing Olympics and he was in the London Olympics, so it is the battle of the Olympians this Friday. It is going to be a great fight, it should be close, it could go either way but I am hoping to have the bit of luck this time. I didn’t box great the first night against Fergal Redmond but got the win handy enough.
Didn’t box great last Friday against Wayne but still got the win so hoping to improve on Friday and once again get the win,” said Joyce.
GREAT BATTLE
“Of course it is going to be a tactical battle, he will have his plans, I will have mine, we always do. But when the bell goes and things don’t go well and tactics don’t work you have to have a plan B and you just have to put the foot down and drive on. There are always game plans but you have to back them up and get stuck in.”
“I have won them all. I have 15 national titles, four national senior titles, three European middleweight junior titles, travelled all over the world, been in one Olympics, and unlucky not to have been in two Olympics. Having said that Adam is three times national senior champion, and has been to the Olympics too so you are probably looking at two of the best welterweights boxing on Friday. So whoever wins, wins and with a bit of luck it will be me,” concluded Johnny.
