Out of the ring, you could not wish to meet a nicer fella. So laid back too.
But stick Lewis Ritson inside some ropes and canvas and he becomes a different man.
Tonight, it’s time for the latter for ‘The Sandman’ who is back at his place of work almost six months to the day since he lost for only the second time in his career when he was beaten by Jeremias Ponce in a IBF world championship eliminator.
His rival tonight at the Rainton Arena, is another Latin opponent, Christian Uruzquieta, a very tough looking Mexican (aren’t they all?).
It’s the first step back in the journey for the 28-year-old and the first step with new promoters Probellum, who are hosting their maiden UK show, in association with Phil Jeffries, a show which also stars Lewis’s old Neil Fannan stablemate, Tommy Ward, and three-weight ex-world champion, Ricky Burns.
Ritson is a happy man, his fiancé Samantha recently gave birth to the couple’s second daughter, Darla, but that doesn’t mean the fighting side of him has been quelled.
“Jaffa will always say ‘if you blow on him he’ll fall over’, but that’s how I am in life, pretty much stress free,” he told punch-lines.
“I don’t really get worked up about anything, wor lass might come in panicking about something and I’ll be like ‘don’t worry about it’.
“But in the ring I am different, I do love a bit of a fight.”
A bit of a fight? That is some understatement.
A number of Ritson fights, especially those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it British lightweighttitle fights were assassination jobs.
But, first under the tutelage of Fannan and now under the direction of trainer and dad, Davy, there has been a bit more boxing and a little less violence.
“The more levels you go up the less you can just go forward face first with a take one to give one approach,” said Ritson who has prepared with extensive sessions with the great Scot, Burns, both in Forest Hall and up in Ricky’s HQ in Scotland.
“You change a little bit and hopefully that’s what you’ll see at Rainton.
“Ricky’s had loads of fights and tons of experience – he’s 38, not that you’d know it, he’s still as fresh as anything.
“We’ve had some great spars and I can see there’s lots of life left in Ricky so I’m hoping for two good wins for us and then kick on again in 2022 when Probellum have big plans for us.”
That is, of course, assuming Ritson accounts for Uruzquieta this evening.
The Mexican is the holder of the WBC’s Silver International lightweight belt and a recent challenger for the IBF North American light-welterweight title.
The 31-year-old has lost only four times in 26 bouts with seven of his 20 wins coming early.
“This lad’s strong, fresh and coming to win,” added Lewis. “I’m going to have to be on my game to win.”
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
