By James Bovington
West Leeds boxer Hamilton Patrick Joyce travelled to Essex to win a major boxing title defeating Londoner Louie Ward to secure victory in the National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs (NABGC) 60kg championship.
Ward had won their two previous bouts and Joyce switched tactics to win the title.
Joyce trains at Camp Detox on Oldfield Lane, Wortley, under coach Danny Thornton who explained:”We boxed him this time, instead of fighting him as such and Hammy used his skills.
“We outboxed the boxer. I’ve always urged him to use his skills and as he’s getting older, he’s listening to me better.”
Thornton himself won junior honours as an amateur before a 43-fight pro career and first welcomed Joyce to his England Boxing affiliated club when the Armley youngster was just seven.
Joyce’s unanimous points win over Ward was his 61st win in 67 bouts and is his fourth national title including having previously won an England Scotland Wales ‘tri-nations’ gold in June. In 2023 Joyce was a silver medallist at Berlin’s Brandenburg Box Cup.
Nineteen-year-old Joyce defeated competent opponents to reach the NAGBC final including Sam Morris from Sheffield and Ryan Jones from Worcester. Champion boxer Ricky Hatton won this title twice in the nineties during his 67-bout amateur apprenticeship.
“I’ll be entering all the major competitions I can in 2025,” said Joyce, “So as to prepare myself well for my goal of becoming a professional boxer.”
Anyone who would like to sponsor Joyce can message him or Camp Detox on Facebook or contact Joyce directly at hammyjoyce59@gmail.com.