Lewis Ritson is in line for a WBA world title shot after defeating Liverpool’s Robbie Davies Jr in what can only be described as a sensational 12 rounds of boxing.
A domestic clash that always promised fireworks certainly provided them on the night. Geordie fans favourite Ritson, proved he belongs with the elite at super Lightweight with a victory that sets him up for a world title shot next time out. All three judges sat ringside gave Ritson a unanimous decision, with the scorecards reading 117-112, 116-112, and 116-112.
An incredible opening three minutes saw Davies Jr on the receiving end of some huge left hooks, and uppercuts from ‘The Sandman’. The two fighters setting a ferocious pace in the early stages leaving fans on the edge of their seats straight from the first bell.
After a fairly neutral and hard to judge second round, sparks started to fly in the third with both men standing their ground and trading some big punches. Once again Ritson landing the more eye-catching shots.
The fourth round is one Davies Jr will want to forget, with Lewis landing cleanly and causing his nose to bleed. With the pace the fight was being fought at, any cuts or bloody noses would turn into a nightmare very quickly.
It took until the seventh round for fans to see both men stand and trade once again, however what a sight it was seeing the two warriors throw caution to the wind and land some massive blows. Ritson showed off some excellent head movement and throwing combination punches in bursts. Despite having the higher volume of punches, Newcastle’s Ritson was landing the better, more significant punches.
The Super-Lightweight’s began to feel the pace following their fast start and were more conservative with punches in the next couple of rounds before EXPLODING into action in the 11th. With Ritson backed up into the corner and 30 seconds left on the clock, he stood toe-to-toe with Davies and the exchange had the crowd on their feet. A flurry of punches from the hometown fighter saw Robbie drop his guard and fire back. Boxing at its finest!
The final round was always going to be the biggest of the fight as neither fighter knew whether they were winning on the scorecards or not. Ritson was forced to dig deep to find a second wind, and both tanks were emptied. Absolutely nothing was left in that ring and fans were treated to a wonderful night of boxing.
Ritson and Davies Jr put on a performance that matched the fans liveliness. Both fighters showed grit, determination, and heart to go the distance, both fighting like warriors. It was a certainly 12 rounds of boxing that will live long in the fans memories.
Photo – Franz Kohler – Creative Commons Licence
