If there is one sport Hartlepool NEVER seems to struggle at, it’s the noble art.
Whether it’s the amateur game or professional action, boxing has proved a real success story for the town.
Hartlepool has had a stream of British, Commonwealth, European, World and junior champions since the turn of the century.
Big-time boxing comes to the region on Saturday when Eddie Hearn hosts a Sky Sports televised event in Newcastle and one of the stars at the Metro Radio Arena has been put through his paces in Hartlepool by a man who has been central to some of the town’s success.
Hard-hitting Lewis Ritson will make the third defence of his British lightweight title in the co-headline contest when he tackles unbeaten Belfast fighter, Paul Hyland Jnr.
The 24-year-old is trained in the town by Neil Fannan, the coach who guided Hartlepool’s greatest fighter, Michael Hunter, to British, Commonwealth and European glory in the noughties, not to mention a crack at the IBF world super-bantamweight championship.
And he has the current British super-bantamweight belt holder under his wing, Tommy Ward, the unbeaten 24-year-old who is rated number four in the World Boxing Organisation rankings.
These are happy times for Fannan, who just six months ago told punch-lines was contemplating his very future in boxing, upset at the politics in the sport and the commitment of his boxers to training.
“I am still frustrated with the politics but Lewis is getting well looked after [by Matchroom],” he told Hartlepool Life.
“Even though I did talk about packing in, I still believe I have a lot to offer and I’m still learning about all aspects of boxing.
“I’d still like to win a world title and I think I have two good chances with Lewis and Tommy Ward.”
Expect fireworks given his two previous defences have gone a combined total of six minutes.
When Ritson hits an opponent they tend to stay hit, he is, as they say, the real deal.
Lewis had previously been trained solely by Davy Ritson, in his father’s Forest Hall ABC gym in Newcastle, a highly-successful alliance between two men who are extremely close, as you would hope.
But Lewis and Davy decided they needed added expertise to take him to the next level and Fannan was an obvious choice.
“A few years back I would not have shared a boxer, I’d have said ‘it’s me or nothing’,” Fannan said in an interview with Hartlepool Life.
“It started with me helping out in the corner at Lewis’s first British title fight and, you know me, I can be a bit outspoken and I mentioned where I thought he was going wrong.
“Davy then asked if we could make our arrangement more than just for fight weekends, and I’m glad I did, I’ve really enjoyed it.
“I’ve had the chance to work with other fighters over the years and I’ve refused.
“Lewis is not just a good boxer, the Ritsons are real nice people so it’s a privilege to work with them and Lewis’s manager is my good friend, Phil Jeffries.
“Three days a week Lewis comes to my gym and it’s gone very well.”
There is an old saying about ‘two’s company and three’s a crowd’ but that is not the case in this instance in the gym.
“Lewis is happy working with me and his dad,” added Neil.
“Davy leaves the sparring for me to arrange.
“He’s a good man, he’s let me take over a little bit but when we go to the shows and someone says ‘who’s in charge?’ I always tell them that it’s Davy.”
Words: Roy Kelly
