Rear View Mirror – A look back at the career of the “The Sandman” Lewis Ritson
In 2017 I was reporting that Tyson Fury had retired… It looked like Tony Bellew would not be facing Andre Ward… Ryan Burnett, having won an IBF title, was up for a unification fight with a guy being trained by his former trainer who was himself a world champion… and Derrick Chisora was chasing Dillian Whyte relentlessly…
Has the world changed THAT much in 8 years?
And on the horizon was a fighter looking like he was about to make waves domestically and dash across the pond at some point; to prove he is world level. Who? Lewis Ritson, 23-5, 13 KOs, that’s who.
Having started boxing when he was only 8 years old, Ritson won, as an amateur, a 2012 ABA finalist where he lost to Tamuka Mucha but made a few friends along the way with his style and commitment. With a reported 97 amateur fights, an alleged 72 victories amongst them, in 2017, Ritson had turned professional under the gaze of former Ricky Burns confidant and coach Billy Nelson.
Ritson sparred with Burns in preparation for Burns’ Raymondo Beltran fight and he also got some valuable spars in with Commonwealth Champion David Brophy.
Moving to pro, having been fighting at welterweight in the amateurs, Ritson found himself, thanks to a fitter and more intense regime, settled at lightweight. One of the reasons he lost the weight was the amount of running he was doing as a pro which trimmed him considerably. Ironically had he managed to make that weight in his amateur career then he would have added some titles to his name before turning professional, but he was a stubborn lad.
Ritson experienced valuable times at Nelson’s gym but ultimately a Northeast Englishman and a gruff Scots trainer was not to be a long-term relationship and Ritson went back to the Northeast whilst Nelson continued with his band of prospects in Glasgow.
For some, that may have played a role in his undoing. His rise in the ranks came as a Newcastle hero led to manty believing he was the next big thing. Expectation grew exponentially at every appearance on a Sky bill, under Matchroom. But then came the downfall and now we are looking at a guy we thought had it and scratching our heads at whether it was he or us who got it all wrong.
3rd of December 2016, in Houghton-le-Spring, Ritson won the Northern Area belt and got his shot at the British title. Knocking Jordan Ellison out in the 7th round, he had already won the WBC Youth Silver title in a fight at Bellahouston in Glasgow that I saw. There was a buzz around him as Geordies pilled into the venue to see their man – he didn’t disappoint with a 10 round wide points win over Bence Molnar. Next was Robbie Barrett for the British title.
Once again Ritson was not going to disappoint – on the Anthony Crolla/Ricky Burns undercard, Ritson stopped Barrett in the 7th round, on the 7th of October 2017. Straight after, knowing a good thing when he sees one, Eddie Hearn signed him up for Matchroom.
What happened next was hard to believe. Including the 7 rounds he fought against Barrett, Ritson then went on to defend the belt three times and win the Lonsdale Belt outright in 11 rounds – less than the number of scheduled rounds for one British title fight. And it was against quality fighters domestically as he dispatched first, Joe Murray – round one knockout, NXTGEN show headline, Manchester – Scott Cardle, who had lost his title to Barrett – round two stoppage, Dillian Whyte/Lucas Browne undercard, 02 London – and finally Paul Hyland Jr. – first round stoppage, co-main event headline on same bill as Ricky Burns’ 50th fight, Newcastle.
The hype was real.
“Lewis Ritson has fast become one of the most popular and exciting fighters in British boxing and now he gets an opportunity to challenge for a European title. He has cleared up domestically and this is the next step.”
So said Eddie Hearn, and he knows a good thing when he sees it…
Ritson had a style that he likened to his heroes, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran and most did not disagree. People, including me, were convinced that he had the ability to go much further but lightweight then was a tough division in the UK.
The wheels then spun off.
Back in Newcastle, on the 13th of October in 2018 Ritson faced Francesco Patera for the European lightweight belt. It was a tough watch as Ritson suffered his first defeat. Afterwards he was to claim that a 5th round body shot did him in and even though one judge gave him the win, the other two scored it for Pantera, meaning that the vacant title would return to former holder of the belt, Pantera.
Ritson, who was struggling to make the weight, relinquished his British title and moved up to super lightweight. Much of the soul searching after the Pantera went on behind closed doors, but for the rest of the boxing world, questions began to arise over whether he had been overhyped or if the opponents at British level had been over hyped too…
Having had a couple of wins at his new weight his first stern test came against Robbie Davies Jr. in Newcastle, on the 19th of October 2019, Ritson won convincingly on points.
Now, he was back. Next was moving towards another belt.
Jeremias Nicolas Ponce, Newcastle 12th June 2021. At stake, an IBF world title shot. Unbeaten Ponce was ranked at number 5 by the IBF. Ritson was stopped in the 10th round, his corner having thrown in the towel to stop the fight, Steve Gray, referee had thrown it back out the ring! That caused as much debate as whether Ritson falling short again was due to us getting over excited over his limiting ability. Ritson was clear about what Dave Caldwell had called “an error of judgment” on the referee’s part. “I was hurt but the referee made the right decision to throw the towel back out of the ring.”
Interviewed by John Dennan in The Boxing News, Ritson was both honest and reflective, “To be fair I thought he was going to finish us in the first round. He hit us quite early with a left hook to the body and nearly crippled us. He poured it on, and I thought to myself if I can just survive the first couple of rounds maybe he’ll tire himself out. Because the second round he tried to finish us as well. He just didn’t seem to tire. He kept coming and coming and coming. It just wasn’t to be.”
it wasn’t all quite down hill from here. A notable 10 round win against Dejan Zlaticanin in 2022 was encouraging, especially as it was a shut out for the Geordie. Thereafter he found it tough. Three high profile fights – Ohara Davies, knocked out in the 9th round; Paddy Donovan – stopped in the 9th; and Conah Walker – lost on points have followed. Each time people have thought, this is it, he must retire.
It’s now been 7 months since the Walker fight and as Walker himself looks to have fought his way onto a glorious pathway, former opponent Ritson might well be contemplating the final hurrah ore just simply calling it a day.
If he does, I don’t care if he was over hyped – each step of that journey, as a fan was worth it. But be prepared, there is every likelihood he might go again. Before the Walker fight he told Boxing News, “I’m only 31,” Ritson said. “It feels like I’ve been going for more, so roll back the years on Saturday and get the career back going.”
Maybe not that night, maybe not tomorrow, but some day…
More articles by Donald “Braveheart” Stewart