Younger Dick McTaggart – Tommy Joyce

October 1966

South Yorkshire Times October 8, 1966

Younger Dick McTaggart – Tommy Joyce

“A younger edition of Dick McTarggat) – that is how one national newspaper described 19 years old Conisbrough boxer, Tommy Joyce when he boxed for Scotland against South Africa at the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, last Thursday.

Tommy’s manager, Mr Ernest Oxley, of 65, Firbeck Street, Denaby Main, told the “South Yorkshire Times” this week: “I have had Tommy in my charge since he was eight years of age and last Thursday’s trial was only a just reward for years of hard conscientious end of our to achieve international standard.”

The frustration experienced by Tommy during the past few seasons when, although beating English internationals, he could not gain recognition by the English selectors, would have disheartened the majority of boys… But not him.

However, a concerted effort by Tommy and his manager resulted in an approach being made to the Scottish A. B. A. Disappointed that there was no reply to one letter, they made a further approach, and Tommy was overjoyed when he was told he was to have his big break – to box at light Welter weight against South Africa.

The result of the fight is that Tommy has firmly established himself with the critical Scottish fans and the press.

Outboxed

The “Scottish daily express” said that southpaw Joyce completely outboxed his opponent, Bob Finlay, of Johannesburg, who vainly tried to land a blow on the Anglo Scot, “who continually tormented his man with a stream of sharp right jabs and then vanished round the ring like a Willow the wisp.”

In the Scottish “Daily Record”, Joyce was said to have made a most impressive debut and to have shown “speed, skill and a punch to outpoint South Africa’s best boxer, Bob Finlay, in an exciting southpaw battle,”

Before the Conisbrough boxer left Glasgow for home he was informed that he had been picked to go to Rumania on October 18, where Scotland will box 2 matches on October 15 and 17th.

In a tribute to Tommy, Mr Oxley said: “he did us in South Yorkshire very proud indeed and although there is still a hard road ahead with faults yet to be corrected through experience, Tommy can be depended on to do what he has always done… His very best.”