Ryan makes debut on British title show

Ryan Griffiths…enters paid ranks from white collar background

A NEW pro makes his bow on Dudley Town Hall’s British title bill tomorrow (Friday).

It’s a grand entrance for lightweight Ryan Griffiths – a four rounder in his home town on a bill topped by Ijaz Ahmed’s bid to take the British super-flyweight belt.

And it’s a big step for 22-year-old Griffiths who has no traditional amateur experience. He was, however, a well-known face on the white collar/unlicenced circuit where he lost only two of 22.

The professional sport is very different and a lot less forgiving.

As the lightweight – by day a manager at Tesco Express, Cookley, Kidderminster – put it: “It’s a step in the unknown. There are levels in white collar, then there are levels as a professional.

“I’ve got mixed emotions. Errol (manager Errol Johnson) has got me a last minute opponent, I don’t know the name.

“I was originally fighting at lightweight, then I needed to be 9st 11lbs and now I’ve been told the fight’s at 10 stone.”

Griffiths is a southpaw who switch-hits and, importantly, has a solid fan base.

“I come from a boxing and kick-boxing background,” he said. I’m a left-hander with the ability to switch, to work from both stances.

“I’ve got a bit of backing and I’ve got myself a few sponsors.”

The plan is to move down to junior-lightweight, but Griffiths refuses to make bold predictions over what the future holds.

“Every boxers dream is to fight for a world title,” he said, “but it’s one step at a time, one fight at a time and see what comes.

“I decided to turn pro after a prize-fighter type tournament. I reached the final and my opponent’s trainer – someone who has been around the pro game – said I was too good for white collar.

“I emailed Black Country Boxing, they invited me down to a training session to take a look and signed me.

“I’d like to think I’ve got the power. Someone who took me on the pads said I hit like a super-middle, not a lightweight.

“I’ve been sparring Liam Davies and Macauley Owen.”

He added: “I’ve boxed an ex-pro before, in a four-man unlicensed Prizefighter tournament. It was against Les (Sharratt, formerly Byfield). I lost on points, but it was close (split decision). 

“I’d beaten a slick southpaw (Jay Ledbury) to reach the final and I gave a good account of myself against Les.

“I haven’t figured out exactly what will work for me yet and I think that it’s going to take time for me to develop my own style. That’s all part of the learning process.”