New kid on the international block Joe Tyers can’t wait to take his gifts onto the big tournament stage for the first time.
But the 21-year-old is not putting too much pressure on himself for the European Championships in Armenia, which get under way on Monday.
Tyers, from a great Co Durham fighting family, is part of the fresh wave of talent in GB Boxing’s Podium squad following the post-Olympic surge to the professional ranks of the Tokyo boxers.
Much, of course, will depend on the draw, but Joe has already displayed great promise in his opening season at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield and should be confident.
“It’s my first major tournament and I can’t wait,” said the light-welterweight.
“My aim is to go there and perform and do my best – if I can come home with a medal that will be brilliant.
“I feel good and I feel I am as good as anyone on my day.
“But it’s my first major and there are a lot of factors, like getting the luck of the draw, so I’m just looking too take things one step at a time.
“I’ve not been that long at this [international senior] level so there is no point in putting too much pressure on myself.
“I’m just looking to perform well and seeing where that gets me.”
Tyers shone at domestic level pre-Covid19, the teenager reaching the lightweight final of the National Amateur Championship in 2019 before winning the GB Championship later that year in Sheffield.
Last June he lost a very close quarter-final of the European U22 Championships in Italy to home fighter Matteo Are and this season he has been in terrific form.
The stylish boxer, from Trimdon, has medalled in two international senior competitions.
First, he struck gold at the delightfully-named Golden Gong tournament in North Macedonia, taking a split-decision victory over Ireland’s Dean Clancy.
Last month the Billingham Boxing Academy talent was in the Czech Republic, where he was on the podium again.
Joe collected silver in the Czech Grand Prix tournament with only injury preventing him going for gold.
He defeated Czech representative Petr Novak in his first bout, David Gevorgyan in the last eight and Greece’s Konstantino Kalogeridis in the semi-final.
“I got cut in the last five seconds of the final round of my semi,” said the ex-Darlington ABC man.
“I was unable to box in the final, but I took a lot of confidence from the tournament.
“It was only a few weeks ago so it was perfect preparation for this.”
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: GB Boxing
