SEÁN McCOMB admits he had mixed emotions after Irish team-mate David Oliver Joyce’s bid to nail down the lightweight spot at next year’s Rio Olympics fell at the penultimate hurdle.
Victory over Uzbekistan’s Hurshid Tojabaev in last Friday’s AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) showdown would have left the five-time Irish champion just one win away from booking his ticket to Brazil. The decision went against the 2008 Olympian and he must now go back to the drawing board to attempt to secure qualification.
McComb could have been forgiven for leaping around the room when news filtered through from Tashkent. The door to next summer’s Games has been left wide open for the Holy Trinity stylist, but he insists that, while there was an obvious sense of personal relief, he wasn’t initially sure how to react to Joyce’s defeat.
He said: “It’s hard – we’re team-mates, we get along well. We’re friends. I don’t know how I felt... I can’t even explain it. I didn’t even think about it because it was one of those ones where whatever happens, happens.
“Davy Oliver’s been knocking on the door for so long now, he’s just missed out and no more. He’s hit the crossbar twice before and he’s hit it again in APB. It gives me that opportunity to go and qualify myself, so I was relieved I suppose.
“I’m in the driver’s seat – it’s all in front of me whereas his APB run is nearly over and he has to come back to the start again. It’s unfortunate for him, but that’s boxing for you. I’m sure there’ll be a lot more ups and downs for both of us along the way.”
In recent times, McComb has been far too focused on his own preparations for this month’s inaugural European Games to pay too much attention to Joyce’s fortunes in the APB. He jets out to Baku this morning with the other 11 members of the Irish team, as well as coaches Billy Walsh, Zaur Antia, Pete Taylor and Gerry Storey. A gruelling 10-day training camp lies ahead before the boxing gets under way on June 16.
Compared to the Ireland team that travelled to Kazakhstan for the World Championships in 2013 – McComb’s first and only major international competition – the current crop is a highly talented but inexperienced bunch. Although only 22, McComb is now one of the senior voices on the team. He believes this is his time to shine and, crucially, lay down a major marker for Rio.
“In 2013, I didn’t know about where I was going, what I was up against. It was all new,” said the west Belfast man, who impressed when reaching the last 16 of the Worlds two years ago.
“I didn’t know how good people would be, whether I was on the same level or not," he said.
"But now I’ve been there, I’ve seen what’s in front of me, I’ve sparred with the best in the world in Kazakhstan, so I know what I’m up against. I know now that I’m good enough to beat anybody else in my weight class on my day. I know that. If my tactics are right, I can beat anybody.
“I’ve been preparing for this since the night of the Irish seniors. Since the final bell of that contest, I’ve been gearing towards this. It’s been on my mind from then.
“Right now, going into these European Games, I’m going to be the one that people are hoping not to draw first. That gives me a lot of confidence.”
