An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 33 also has undertaken a career in professional boxing. Having im- pressed in the amateur ranks, this relatively still unknown fighter, has taken the huge plunge and will pitch himself amongst the best in the country. Amazingly, this has all been achieved by the former Leinster and All-Ireland champion in just five years. Fighting at welterweight, Cpl Joyce is a mid to close range boxer who uses his power to effect, "I've always had a heavy shot, I've always been a heavy hitter." Watching Joyce 'work the bag,' it is evident to see the sheer power he possesses, as the bag cracks with every vicious but measured punch. His timing, focus and determination is written all over his demeanour and he accredits his steel-like poise to his time served in the military, "I've been in the army for eleven years and it has been bred into me to be tough." Training up to twenty- five hours a week, Joyce has early morning running sessions, followed by conditioning circuits in the facilities in Cathal Brugha Bks and then has boxing training in the evening. By nature, a professional fighter dedicates their entire time and focus to boxing and has all the frills that go with such a career. However, Cpl Joyce is sticking to where it all began for him and he is very vocal about the level of support he has from both his unit and the DF on a whole, "Comdt Padraig Duggan and CS Philip Cole of the 7th Inf Bn and the DF on a whole have been an incredible support for me and I feel they are on this journey with me, which is a great help." Joyce has added a sports psychologist to his team to fully channel his potential and recognises that the brain ultimately decides what the body does. Furthermore, all his meals are supplied by a local health store, which allows Joyce to focus on his boxing skills. Under the tutorage of veteran manager and trainer Tony Da- vitt, Joyce has truly excelled, and the 31-year-old shows no signs of slowing down. Davitt has helped harness the raw materials Joyce possessed and turn him into a more controlled and mea- sured fighter, "he's teaching me so much. he's teaching me to sit down on shots, be more assured and my shots are more accurate. he's pushing me to my absolute limits." A member of Celtic War- rior pro boxing club, Blanchardstown, Joyce is truly utilising all the available amenities available to him to be the best boxer he can be. So many fighters are lured to the professional scene by the bright lights and the potential to accrue large prize pots. How- ever, Joyce is of the purer generation and just wants to pitch him- self with the best and see where that takes him. It is evident that he proudly distinguishes himself as a soldier first, then a boxer, and is fully dedicated on representing the DF first and foremost. Considered now as a poster boy for the 7th Inf Bn, Joyce is doing something quite remarkable and should be lauded for everything he has done to date considering how and why this incredible journey began. With an impressive start to his professional career, Joyce has five wins from five, with three coming from knockouts. The 31-one-year old has the hunger of young and raw fighter, but the maturity of a seasoned campaigner. In his company, you are immediately drawn to that innate drive and steely competitive- ness. Every punch it seems, brings Joyce back, and you can sense that visceral connection to why this all started. Coming into this sport mid 20's would be a daunting experience to so many, but the fearless Joyce has an unquenchable thirst for hard work, "I want to stay as busy as possible, I want to make a name for myself. I want to be the best in Ireland." Ironically, the thing Joyce hates the most about boxing, he also loves the most - in sparring. While he recognises that it is difficult to continually adapt to varying styles and other sparring opponents, in the same light he loves the challenge. Cpl Joyce is being trained daily by his coach, but he was moulded within the confines of the military and attributes his toughness to army life, "The army has made me a hard person. When I was younger I was getting beaten well by some guys. Now, I've turned it around and I've progressed and now I'm beating them." Fighting in June in his sixth professional fight in the Good Council GAA grounds, Joyce will hope to maintain his unblem- ished record and continue his startling rise and further his reputation. An ambassador for firstly boxing and then sport within the DF, Joyce wants to do his upmost to fulfil his dreams for everyone he is representing in the DF, "I've got the backing of the army, they're great, they're helping me out and the Director of Sport is following my progress." To see an individual, have a goal and go after it, is truly a fascinating thing to see. Joyce embodies all the characteristics of a soldier - bravery, discipline and courage are a constant within his being. A journey that started with im- mense pain, has turned into a message that anything is possible when your desire is strong enough.

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