John Ryder’s trainer Tony Sims will be writing to WBA President Gilberto Mendoza to voice his opinion after Saturday’s controversial scorecards in Liverpool.
Ryder challenged WBA Super Middleweight champion Callum Smith, in his backyard, at the Echo Arena, and despite the performance of his career, and many observers believing he won the fight, Ryder was beaten by unanimous decision with scorecards of 116-112 (twice) and 117-111 for the champion.
There are picks for both champion and challenger as to who won their bout at the weekend but there is a widening opinion that Ryder beat Smith. Amidst the aftermath of unusual scorecards there is the usual controversy and strong opinions but Ryder, speaking to Boxing Scene today (Monday), just wants to right the wrong and move on to an even better 2020.
“Tony had already written to (British Boxing Board of Control General Secretary) Robert Smith yesterday on the train journey home and I believe he’s going to get a letter written up to Gilberto Mendoza. He’s going to go down the right channels. Tony hates social media so he’s not going to jump all over that. He’s an old school fella so he’ll get his pen and paper out or get on the laptop and start writing a letter.”
Ryder says opinions were voiced to promoter Eddie Hearn in the dressing room afterwards and the team will be sitting down this week with Hearn to have further discussions about where Ryder goes from here.
“I know that Tony will be on his case and things will get done,” Ryder said. “I know there’s still big fights out there for me in 2020, I don’t doubt that. I will fight for another world title, so on the bright side there’s that. But I’ve gone in there on Saturday night against the world number one and out boxed him and out punched the puncher at times and bullied him all over the ring at times. I can take a lot from it but at the end of the day I’ve not got them belts around my waist.”
Ryder does not feel annoyed about Saturday night, and says he’s not wallowing in self-pity. Instead he is glad to be back home with his young family preferring to look ahead than behind. But that still doesn’t mask the fact that he believes he was hard done by on the scorecards that were turned in by judges Francisco Alloza Rosa, Terry O’Connor and Jose Roberto Torres.
“What could I have done?” he asked. “The only thing is knock him out. I didn’t do it. One of them things. You feel like boxing lately… with the Ted Cheeseman-Scott Fitzgerald fight there was no talk about what Ted (Ryder’s team-mate at Tony Sims’ gym) was going to do next. It was all about Fitzgerald-Fowler 2 next year and in my fight it wasn’t what’s Ryder’s next fight, it’s Anfield or it’s Canelo for Smith. I don’t want to start accusing judges of anything, but there does seem like there is a plan far greater than what’s set out at the time.”
