Lewis Ritson and Tommy Ward are “bang on track” and ready to make a statement on April 4.
That is the message from coach Neil Fannan as the clock ticks down to just less than three weeks to the huge show in Newcastle.
The Hartlepool camp have a tasty Mexican double at the Utilita Arena – Ritson is the headline act with a tough welterweight assignment against Miguel Vazquez while Ward faces world number 15 Jose Martin Garcia in a WBO inter-continental championship clash.
Throw in the fact that Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall takes on Geovana Peres for the Kiwi’s WBO world light-heavyweight title and Middlesbrough’s Simon Vallily tackles Fabio Wardley for the vacant English heavyweight crown and you can see this is some event.
Fannan is an intelligent man and he knows the odds are not looking good today while promoter Eddie Hearn in an interview with IFLTV rated the chances at 60-40.
With three quarters of the tickets already gone – and still selling – it is something the North-East craves.
“Matchroom are still positive,” Fannan told punch-lines.
“We are bang on track with the training.
“Lewis is boxing out of his skin at the moment.
“I can’t begin to say how much he has come on from where he was before the Robbie Davies fight.
“I don’t know whether Robbie still hankers after a re-match but if he couldn’t do it then and I don’t think he’ll ever beat him.
“Watching Lewis in training and sparring he looks levels above what he was.
“Lewis is looking the real deal and the same goes for Tommy.
“These are two good tests, proper fights, ones we’ll be looking to make a statement with.
“I do believe if we get two good wins on April 4 Lewis and Tommy will take some stopping.”
Ritson is certainly on a high, having out-boxed and out-fought light-welter rival Davies at the Utilita Arena in October, his unanimous points win thrusting him to number two in the WBA rankings and 14 with the WBC. The Forest Hall hero has a tricky hurdle to clear on April 4 – Vazquez spent four years as the IBF’s world lightweight champion and still looks full of ambition.
Ward has been up near or at the top of the WBO ratings for some time – the Dave Garside/ Fannan star has racked up 29 wins in a row ahead of a contest with Garcia, the World Boxing Organisation’s Latino champion.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Tom Collins/ Hartlepool Life
