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John Joyce suggests Noely Murphy fight in New York


“I’m not calling him out or anything – it’s just a suggestion.”

John Joyce isn’t one for trash talk and even less so for ‘calling out’ his fellow fighters but some things have to be said.

The polite Lucan welterweight has raced to 7(4)-0 since debuting last year and he plans for 2019 to feature big all-Irish fights.

However, while plenty of other Irish 147lbers are going back and forth, Joyce has a different plan.

The Irish Army Corporal believes a big fight in New York with Cork’s Noely Murphy [12(2)-1(0)] could make sense for all involved.

“I want something massive and hopefully it comes off,” he explained to Irish-Boxing.com.

“March, maybe a Paddy’s Day show in New York, me and Noely Murphy.”

“He probably won’t take the fight, it probably means nothing to him, and he’ll say no, but I’m putting out there,” added the down-to-earth Dubliner before explaining why a fight with the red-haired Rebel makes sense.

“An Irish opponent for him in New York would be huge for him – and for Ireland as well.”

“It would be huge – Paddy’s Day, two Irish fighters, the fact that I’m an Irish soldier.”

“[there’s no bad blood], it’s more because it makes sense. I never really thought of Noely before until me and Tony were chatting about some different things and his name came up

Murphy last fought in February, losing his undefeated record in a tight WBC USA light welterweight [140lbs] title fight with Mikkel LesPierre.

The weight difference could be an issue but Joyce would suggest that he has a bit of wiggle room to offer and could meet Murphy at 145lbs.

The New York-based 24-year-old makes his return to the ring next weekend, fighting in a six rounder in Queens where he shares a bill with Monaghan’s Larry Fryers, another potential future opponent.

Joyce, too, is another that hopes to be boxing next month and ‘The Demogorgon’ admits that it could be a little while before he’s back in Ireland.

Going on the road, the 31-year-old outlined how his next fight “will be late December and, if not, it will be early January – although I’m really hoping late December because I want to enjoy Christmas.”

“I didn’t get to enjoy Christmas last year because I was training for a fight in Waterford, I did a run on Christmas morning!”

“My next two or three fights won’t be Ireland and that’s what I want. I don’t want to have another fight here unless it’s something crazy big.”

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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