Ellison gives Griffiths hardest career fight
Ryan Griffiths…first blemish on his pro career
RYAN Griffiths, Dudley’s Midlands featherweight champ, came perilously close to losing his unbeaten record last night.
The Black Country prospect was given all the trouble he could handle by quality operator Jordan Ellison at Wolverhampton’s Hangar. He shipped too many left hooks – very sweet left hooks – and was made to fight for every second of every one of the six rounds.
At the end, referee Ryan Churchill couldn’t separate the pair, scoring a 57-57 draw. I had County Durham’s Ellison one round up, but have no major beef with the stalemate.
It was a case of what you fancy – Griffiths’ industry or Ellison’s fluid, more powerful and eye-catching work. Mr Churchill favoured the busier boxer.
Both men believed they deserved victory.
What cannot be argued is the fact 28-year-old Ellison gave Ryan the toughest night of his seven bout career.
He is a known dangerman and I applaud BCB, who staged the show, for matching one of their own so competitively. In doing so they gave fans a sparkling contest, the best of the night.
Ellison may have a journeyman’s record – 55 losses in a 74 bout career (four draws), but he has far too much ambition and ability for that tag.
Referee Churchill raises both fighters’ hands. Pic: Jack Perry
If ever a record fails to show a fighting man’s true worth, it’s Ellison’s. He’s registered a string of upsets, including victory over Coventry golden boy Dylan Cheema, and showed why against Griffiths.
Ryan weighed 9st 13lbs last night, 13lbs above the featherweight limit. For me, the performance showed he is not a lightweight even though the bulk of his career has been conducted in the division. He simply couldn’t put a dent in Ellison who looked bigger and more solid.
I’m not sure he’s a true feather, either. Perhaps his best rests at junior lightweight (9st 4lbs).
Ellison put his finger on it after the contest: “I’ve fought welterweights and when they hit you to the body, you feel it. I could handle what he threw to the body. I didn’t feel that power.”
“I’ve had 74 contest, I know it’s coming to an end,” he added. “I’m not going to just move people around because when I pack it in I want my kids to say, ‘he was a very good fighter’. I lost the fourth, but I thought I won four of the six rounds and in the sixth I tried to put it on him.”
Griffiths said: “One hundred per cent that showed I’m not a lightweight, but I’m gutted not to get the win. I’m taking nothing away from Jordan, he’s a good fighter.”
He’s a very good fighter. Griffith attempted to keep Ellison (9st 13lbs) at bay with his jabs, but shipped too many left hooks. Jordan definitely had the better of inside exchanges, expertly employing uppercuts,
Griffiths asserted himself in the fourth with stabbing left hands and fast shots to the body, only for Ellison – his guard high and tight – to land hooks and uppercuts in the final minutes.
It was a nip-and-tuck affair – and a treat for the fans.
For Griffiths, it was a scare and a lesson learned. Fight almost a stone above your title winning class and you’re playing with fire. At the Hangar, he almost got burned.