Fowler and Joyce lead GB squad

06 May 2015 12:01

Antony Fowler and Joe Joyce will head a nine-strong Great Britain men's boxing team at next month's inaugural European Games in Baku.

The Commonwealth Games gold medallists will hope success at the event can earn qualification slots for the World Championships in Qatar later this year - which is itself a qualifier for the Rio Olympics.

The four-strong women's team - including Olympic champion Nicola Adams and former world champion Savannah Marshall - was announced last month.

Joyce said: "It is a great achievement to be selected to be part of Team GB and I am really looking forward to competing at the European Games.

"It is part of the pathway for Olympic qualification so it is an important tournament and all of us in the boxing team will be looking to do our best and making a good start on the road to Rio."

The announcement of the boxing team takes the total number of athletes selected to represent Great Britain in the Azeri capital to 162.

As well as Adams, London 2012 gold medallists Jade Jones and Ed McKeever will compete in taekwondo and canoeing respectively.

Great Britain men's boxing team for European Games in Baku: Harvey Horn; Muhammad Ali; Qais Ashfaq; Luke McCormack; Sam Maxwell; Josh Kelly, Antony Fowler; Joshua Buatsi; Joe Joyce.

Source: PA