Joyce Sustains Cut Eye in Denmark

January 1968

South Yorkshire Times January 20, 1968

Joyce Sustains Cut Eye in Denmark

Tommy Joyce, 20-years-old Conisbrough boxer returned last week after representing Scotland in the international boxing tournament held in Denmark.

Tommy, an ex-miner, who has been boxing from the age of eight was notified of his selection for the Scottish team to meet Denmark, just before Christmas. This is the second year in succession that the ex-Junior A.B.A. Champion has been chosen for Scotland. The first time was in December, 1966 against South Africa, the first of his many international bouts.

He flew from Glasgow to Copenhagen as one of the ten strong Scottish team, on January 10th. His first bout, two days later against Eric Sivehaek secured him a firm points’ victory over three rounds.

The second was less successful on January 14th against John Larsen in Aalborg. At that meeting only seven of the Scottish team competed due to injuries sustained at Copenhagen.          The referee stopped the bout in the last round when Tommy received a cut eye from an accidental butt.

The Supreme Honour ?

Tommy arrived back from the Danish trip last Tuesday but said his trainer, Mr. Ernest Oxer: “The cut eye injury put him out of the English A.B.A. Championships at Shipley the following Friday. However I have contacted John Henderson, secretary of the Scottish A.B.A., in the hope that he can still be entered in the Scottish Championships in February. So there is still a chance that he will get to Wembley in May, and from there to the Olympics in Mexico —the supreme honour”.

Tommy’s latest bout was last night (Thursday), when he fought for Scotland against English international Alan Tottah at the Albert Hall, London, a bout which it was anticipated would be televised by the B.B.C.

“Tommy enjoyed his Danish trip very much,” said Mr. Oxer, “but he was disappointed about the cut eye which cost him his last bout”. Mr. Oxer credits a lot of the young boxer’s success to the fact that he trains extensively each night at the Torn Hill Youth Centre, Denaby, where he also assists his trainer in coaching the members.

As a footnote. the Scottish—Danish International was the last time that Tommy boxed as a light welterweight. After two years at that weight he has moved up to welterweight.