Joyce blasts ‘inconsistent’ scoring system

JOHN JOE JOYCE had to settle for a bronze medal at the European boxing championships in Liverpool last night when he was outpointed by his old adversary, Gyula Kate (Hungary), 8-2 in what turned out to be a disappointingly untidy contest.

A public warning for Joyce in the fourth round put a one-sided look on what was a close affair but even at that point the scoring had provided no indication of the Mullingar man’s contribution.

It was their fifth time to touch gloves at major championships but it bore no relationship to the 32-17 contest won by the Hungarian at the world championships in Chicago or the thriller in Beijing when Joyce beat Kate 9-5.

The first round failed to produce a single point despite the fact that Joyce got through with some direct jabs and solid hooks to the body. Kate, too, had difficulty getting his trademark right hook to the head on the target.

The Hungarian eventually got a point from a right hook and then, a quick left hook, earned him a second.

Joyce pulled a point back when Kate missed with the right hook and he caught him with a solid left to the rib cage to leave just a point in it — 2-1 to the Hungarian, at the end of the round.

When Joyce scored from a left hook in the third round Kate caught him coming in with a left of his own and a right to the body put him 4-2 ahead at the end of the round.

Combinations have been scoring points but they did not score for Joyce who was coming forward with both hands. Kate covered up and held him down but it was Joyce who got the public warning that increased the Hungarian’s lead to four points and he went on to win the contest 8-2.

“He was very strong and very scrappy today,” Joyce said. “They (the judges) were not scoring the jab and I needed to get scores from my jabs. I got through with a lot of jabs. I was waiting on the hook but he got through with a right hook and took the lead.

“If I had got the lead I could have relaxed a bit and I would have used my hook better — allowed him to come on to me and turn him and hook him. We spent the first two rounds trying to draw each other out.

“When I fell behind I had to go for it and that suited him. He was actually pulling out of me in the corner when I got the public warning and I just did not need that at that point.

“The warning played a big part in the outcome but I thought I got through with enough shots in the first two rounds to be in the lead but, like I said, they were not scoring.

“Today they were not scoring the jab and yesterday the hook to the body worked wonders for me but today they were not scoring that either.

“The scoring has been very inconsistent out there — very hard to judge how it is going to go — I don’t like the way they are scoring. I was hitting the target with a lot of shots but got nothing from them in return.

“In the past he (Kate) hammered me with that right hook to the head but today he got just one point from it. I caught him with the left hook to the body several times but it was not scoring. I am not saying I won the fight or anything like that. He definitely won the fight but it is so frustrating. I feel I should have been in front after the first two rounds.’’

He added: “I have a bronze medal but I would have liked to take home a gold. Having said that, I am happy with the medal. It’s a great way to end the year. It has been a long year, the body is a bit sore and I am looking forward to a rest. I have well over 20 fights behind me this year and that takes a lot out of the body along with all the travel. I am glad I came over here although it is always disappointing when you lose a contest.”