Ryan’s stock soars in world title defeat

Ryan Griffiths…”loved every second”. Pic: Manjit Narotra/BCB

RYAN Griffiths may today be nursing his bruised features, but the Dudley boxer can take solace from the fact his stock has risen following “world” title defeat.

In his first contest on a major, televised, London show, Griffiths fought tenaciously before dropping a 77-75 decision to heavily favoured Umar Khan, a member of Frank Warren’s star-studded Queensberry stable.

There are plenty of positives from Griffiths’ first loss in an eight bout career. He took Saturday’s bout against a talented fighter, now unbeaten in 11, at three weeks notice. He’d ran a marathon and returned from a Malta holiday just days before accepting the bout.

Yet, at York Hall, Bethnal Green, the 24-year-old made Khan – cousin of world class middleweight Hamzah Sheeraz – battle for every round.

And Griffiths, the current Midlands featherweight champ, had his moments.

At stake was a belt I’m not familiar with – the WBC youth world title. And it’s the first world championship I’ve known to be contested over eight rounds.

Perhaps of more significance is the fact Griffiths, guided by BCB Promotions, stepped up a level, walked the big stage and emerged with credit.

“I loved every second of it,” he told me, “the cameras, the fireworks. If you’d told me 22 months ago, when I made my debut at Dudley Town Hall, that I’d be headlining York Hall and fighting for a WBC world title, I would’ve told you to get a reality check.

“I went there with everything to gain and nothing to lose, apart from my unbeaten record. Everyone seems to have this delusional mindset that they’re going to be a (Floyd) Mayweather and stay undefeated.

“But you have to take big risks – that’s why I took part in a prize-fighter tournament after only two bouts, that’s why I fought for a Midlands title early.

“I have no expectations because, coming from a white-collar background, I didn’t expect to be where I am now.

 “I put in a good performance and won a lot of people over. I still have my Midlands title and can look at fighting for the English, then Commonwealth belts – do it that way.

“I’m not clutching at straws, I’m just grabbing the opportunities while they’re there.”

For a man who has fought as heavy as light-welter, making the 9st limit at short notice must have been no picnic for Griffiths.

“It was tough,” he said. “I’d run a marathon, went to Malta for a week, enjoyed the food, arrived back in the UK on Tuesday and on Friday my manager Errol (Johnson) told me about the fight. I sacrificed Christmas and my birthday, I sacrificed a lot but loved every second of it, I breathed it all in.”

Not many outside BCB gave Griffiths a prayer against a switch-hitting Ilford prospect blessed with blistering hand-speed. And the right man had his hand raised after a thoroughly entertaining battle.

“He won,” Griffiths admitted. “There’s no ‘it could have gone either way’ about it. I did watch him and knew he had very fast hands and was a switch-hitter, but the thing I didn’t expect was I was slightly bigger than him.

“He did give me a bit of a boxing lesson at times, I’m not embarrassed to say that. When we were in the ‘phone box’, slugging it out, sometimes I was getting the better of the exchanges. I went in the ring a stone heavier than what I weighed-in at. In the ‘phone box’ that did have an effect, but I slowed down in the later rounds.

“I went in there with expectations of his power being high. I respected him and his power, but I took the shots.

“I’ve shown that I can do a 10 rounder and do an eight rounder at short notice. The commentators were complimentary about my engine and that was after three weeks training. Imagine if I’d had 12.”

Defeat may have opened doors for Griffiths and possible future fights include a return with fellow BCB boxer Lewis Morris, outpointed by Ryan for the Midlands title in one of the best bouts of 2024.

“It’s up to Lewis Morris,” Griffiths added. “He’s posted that 2025 is going to be a good year, he’s looking to redeem himself by fighting me again for the title.

“I’m happy to share another 10 rounds with him in a cracking fight.”