By Terence Dooley
Mick Hennessy, the promoter of newly-minted British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell, has revealed that he had complete and utter faith in his fighter going into last weekend’s showdown against John Ryder for the vacant belt.
Blackwell stopped Ryder in the seventh round to pick up the Lonsdale belt on a Eddie Hearn-promoted show at London's O2 Arena. Hennessy came close to securing the rights to stage the fight himself, but was outbid by Hearn. Despite this, he took his fighter into the lion’s den and his faith was rewarded with the win.
“I expected big things from Nick,” stated Hennessy when speaking to the Wiltshire Times. “It was a very close purse bid. There wasn't much between us and Matchroom to put the show on. I fancied this fight strongly. I really, really fancied it in a big way and I'm pleased I did because I expected that sort of outcome. I thought John Ryder fought a very smart fight early. He was fighting a good fight for about three or four rounds. But as soon as Nick got his range, his timing and his speed, and he started getting those uppercuts and right hooks to the body off, I knew it was going to be one-way traffic.”
He added “(Early on) I thought Nick was over-eager. He really wanted this in a big way. But as soon as he adjusted, which great fighters do, he started getting his timing, picking his shots and using his feet in timing with his hands.”
The win moved Blackwell to 17-3-1 (7); Ryder fell to 20-2 (12); both men have lost to Billy Joe Saunders, but bounced back to earn their British title tilt. Blackwell can now move forward with a title defence, Ryder will have to get back amongst the Ws if he wants another crack at the domestic crown.
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