Joe Joyce: 'It was a great moment'

Team GB boxer Joe Joyce has told Sports Mole that it was "a great moment" to be crowned a gold medallist at the 2015 European Games.

The 29-year-old beat inexperienced Russian Gasan Gimbatov in Friday's showpiece final to claim gold after coming from one round down in Baku.

"It feels quite heavy! It is a great medal and a great moment as well," said Joyce when asked how it felt to be crowned the first super-heavyweight gold medallist at the inaugural European Games.

"It was the usual to be honest – watching the shots over the top and trying to get a fast start. I was always watching out for those counters. I wanted to go to work early and get a good first round. I lost the first though, so it was a bit slower than I wanted," Joyce added when questioned on the fight with Gimbatov, who started well before succumbing to the Brit's immense power.

The experienced boxer revealed that his ultimate goal was to qualify for the World Championships this summer, and also believes that the first European Games have been an overwhelming success.

"Oh yeah definitely. [Qualification for the Worlds] is why I came to this tournament. I will be in Rio - that is my goal so I just need to follow that road.

"I think the Games have been a success. They have put on great facilities and venues, and the support has been great. The way everything has been run has gone well."

Joyce, who also beat Alexei Zavatin, Mantas Valavicius and Tony Yoka in Baku, was expected to meet Azerbaijan's Mahammadrasul Majidov in the final, but the home favourite failed a medical before his semi-final with Gimbatov.