These are the places Lewis Ritson belongs.
So declared the boss of the unbeaten British lightweight champion just 48 hours from his international bout on the Amir Khan v Samuel Vargas bill at Arena Birmingham on Saturday.
Ritson faces Nicaraguan tough guy Oscar Amador over eight rounds on the Sky Sports show.
The manager of ‘The Sandman’, Phil Jeffries, was at today’s media conference at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham ahead of Khan-Vargas.
“These are the places Lewis Ritson belongs,” Jeffries told punch-lines.
“He’s shown what he can do in Manchester, London and Newcastle and it’s great to see him on an Amir Khan bill.
“Lewis had the press conference today, the weigh-in tomorrow and the fight Saturday and it’s another great stage for him.
“When I signed Lewis two years ago I knew what he was capable of.
“I just knew he needed a chance and he took it against Robbie Barrett and he’s been even more brilliant ever since.”
Ritson has won all seven of his contests since signing for Jeffries, all inside the distance.
Saturday night’s match in the ‘second city’ is his first non-title fight after four British championship victories.
Amador will be no pushover – the Central American has a record of 10 wins and seven defeats – and that’s no bad thing with a European lightweight title challenge against Francesco Patera just five Saturdays away.
Ritson explained that he’s been grafting as much at the Forest Hall and Neil Fannan gyms as if it was a title fight.
“We’ve been training hard in the gym,” said Lewis. “If the rounds come, the rounds come.
“We’ve been training as hard for this fight as any other.
“We’re ready and we’ll be ready on October 13th as well.”
Words: Roy Kelly
