Joyce thrills fans as home boxers edge Salthill show

EUROPEAN champion David Oliver Joyce thrilled the home fans with a tough, high-energy display to see off All-American champion Darres Smith during a top class invitational boxing tournament featuring the cream of Chicago’s young amateur fighters at the Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill, on Sunday night.Joyce, who secured a gold medal for Ireland at the European Union championships in Denmark last month, proved too fast and too strong for the Chicago southpaw and emerged with a convincing 13-1 victory to the delight of the vocal home supporters.The St. Michael’s, Athy, man underlined why he is one of the hottest tickets in Irish boxing with a blistering performance over three rounds which left Smith outclassed in the 57kg contest.