No show without punch.
You know the expression, so it’s sad to report that there will be no punches thrown by one of our most thrilling fighters, Lewis Ritson.
The Sandman, scheduled to meet former world title challenger Henry Lundy, has been ruled out with illness and while not a catastrophic blow, it’s a bad one.
Ritson was just part of an exciting line-up in his home Toon with Boxxer and Sky Sports staging a huge show at the Utilita Arena.
Chris Eubank, Hughie Fury and Savannah Marshall all remain on the card, alongside some top drawer North East talent, so there is still plenty for fight fans to enjoy.
Alarm bells began ringing early on when there was so sign of Team Ritson at St James’s Park for the media conference where no mention was made of the Forest Hall hero.
Whispers quickly went around the Magpie Suite and official confirmation only came later as part of a Boxxer press release promoting the event.
It read: “Lewis Ritson was scheduled to face American Hank Lundy on the show in his first fight back following his loss to Jeremias Ponce in June this year, but has today been forced to withdraw from the card due to illness.”
What a pity. It had the makings of a decent fight but hopefully Ritson will recover quickly and be back inside the square ring before the end of the year.
The 28-year-old this week signed a promotional deal with new organisation, Probellum, who vowed to lift the former WBA number two back up the rankings. He remain rated in the top 15 with the IBF at 11.
“He’s been on the cusp of a world title shot before, and Probellum will now be on hand to steer him back towards that level as we help him achieve his dream of one day becoming world champion,” said the Probellum statement.
While Ritson is lost to the show, there is no shortage of North-East boxers.
Mark Dickinson’s debut sees him take on Croatia’s Ivica Gogosevic, April Hunter is involved in an all-English affair with Midlands fighter, Kirstie Bavington, Georgia O’Connor makes her debut against Ester Konecna from the Czech Republic, Steve ‘USSR’ Robinson tackles Manchester’s Reece Barlow while Michael Webster has a new opponent in Gennadi Stserbin, from Estonia.
Marshall tops the bill against unbeaten African Lolita Muzeya in the second defence of her WBO world middleweight title.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
