Joel Ryan picks up a win in Bedworth
Walsall's Joel Ryan believes he's back in business after returning to action with an eight-round win over Birmingham's Jason Nesbitt at Bedworth Civic Hall.
Walsall's Joel Ryan believes he's back in business after returning to action with an eight-round win over Birmingham's Jason Nesbitt at Bedworth Civic Hall.
Operating over the longest distance of his fledgling five-fight professional career, the 21-year-old returned to the scene of his best win yet and took a wide points call against the 37-year-old veteran.
In March, Ryan stunned Midlands welterweight champion Sean McKervey by dropping and beating him on points in a non-title affair and Saturday night was his first time back in the ring.
While he was way behind on referee John Keane's scorecard, there was no doubt Nesbitt, operating in his 147th professional outing, had come to fight.
Pressing forward behind a high guard having previously restricted his punches, Nesbitt had been routinely caught to the body but suddenly sprang to life in the third round.
A big right hook to the cheek and another that caught Ryan on the back of the head gave Nesbitt heart and he continued to look for the big shots as the fight wore on.
Ryan re-took command by getting his left jab working from the fifth round and tightened his defence, in a worthwhile run-out.
The youngster was awarded the fight by five rounds, 79-74, at the final bell and was happy to get another win under his belt.
He said: "I got a bit nervous and I wanted to get the rounds in, I knew Nesbitt has been in there with everyone and he raised his game.
"Everybody said he normally throws about 30 or 40 punches but he threw a lot more than that. I was over the moon and thanked him.
"I just wanted to get back in there and get the ring rust off."
Fellow Walsall fighters Steve Gethin and Delroy Spencer were not so lucky, both losing landslide points decisions at Bedworth Civic Hall.
Two-time Midlands super featherweight title challenger Gethin was defeated by hot prospect Troy James.
In another four-rounder, evergreen veteran Spencer, now 43, was beaten by Dougie Walton, who also took the win when the two met at Birmingham's Burlington Hotel in 2007.
Rookie referee Gareth Morris, from Wolverhampton, was also a part of Saturday night's show.
Morris was the man in the middle for both Gethin and Spencer's bouts.
Under British Boxing Board of Control rules, additional referee Shaun Messer, from Dudley, scored the Gethin contest, while Keane scored the Spencer fight.
