Zach Parker vs. John Ryder | BT Sport - 26 November 2022

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John Ryder Explains That Before He Trained To Make Weight, Pressure is Off at 168

"It just wasn't there to happen for me anymore, I'd get to 11st 10lbs and then it was just pure dehydration," explained Ryder to Dev Sahni in a compelling episode of the Unibet Lowdown. "I can't sit in a sauna even fully hydrated, not my cup of tea, so it was just working hard to get weight off, skipping, running... Moving up to super middleweight was the best thing I've ever done.

"The Nick Blackwell fight was the first where I really struggled. I'd been in America and had a bit of jetlag and I probably wasn't professional enough to say to Tony (trainer, Sims) about training a little bit later. I paid the price for it."

"I had another crack at middleweight against Jack Arnfield and he just got the better of me. In that Arnfield fight I was thinking 'please just put me out of my misery'. I wanted him to knock me out because there was no way I was going to quit.

"I wanted to be hit on the chin, put out of my misery and then look for something else to do. I just didn't have the fight in me anymore.

"I trained like a beast and I always trained hard. I am always fit but getting down to that weight just took something out of me. It just wasn't there and 24 hours wasn't enough to replenish it and come again.

"People probably think I am a bit sadistic for saying all this, but it was tough. You're in a fight and nothing is working for you, nothing is coming off and you are getting picked off. You think to yourself 'another four rounds of this... I'm not going to quit, so please put me out of my misery'.

"The move up to 168lbs took the pressure off and I enjoyed camps not having to worry about that last bit. Before I was purely training to make weight, not even to get fit."

[handsofstone]

Great fight, Ryder fortunate to get the decision over Jacobs but I suppose if anyone was due a gift on the cards it's him, a lot of people have had him beating Smith, Saunders, Fielding and Arnfield

Think Parker might be getting him at the right time though, too big , strong and fresh, have a sneaky feeling he'll put Ryder away fairly early

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Fight week!!

Seems like it’s come around quick.

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Ryder:" If I Beat Zach Parker - I Deserve Canelo Shot, I've Paid My Dues!"

“I think it makes perfect sense, really,” Ryder explained. “The winner will be in line for the WBO title, obviously it’s for the interim, and I know [David] Benavidez and [Caleb] Plant are fighting a final eliminator and he [Canelo]’s got options, but I’ve spent two years chasing him [Canelo] around the world, trying to be a backup fighter [if someone drops out], and if I beat Zach Parker next week, I deserve my shot at Canelo and I think I’ve paid my dues.

“Following him around the world to see if someone would pull out or fall ill obviously wasn’t the way to go about it, and I deserve a proper camp and proper notice and I’d love to get it on with Canelo, for sure.”

“I suppose he [Parker]’s looking at this as his breakout fight and seeing if he can do a number on me and it propels him on and opens doors for him, but I don’t feel like I’m an opponent just yet,” Ryder continued. “I feel I have a lot to give in this sport and at 168 I feel like I’m a different animal to my days at 160, they are well behind me. I can really perform at this weight and this is where I’m going to do the things I set out to do in this sport.”

“Obviously a lot has been made of it being on a Warren show and bridging the gap between Warren and Matchroom, but I think when the fight is right and the terms can be agreed, why shouldn’t they be?” Ryder asked. “You’ve got to be an away fighter sometime, and I’ve been an away fighter before. I’ve been an away fighter on Matchroom shows, so it’s not the be all and end all of being a home fighter. But it’s a great opportunity and I think it’s the right fight and the right time for me. There’s other fights I could have taken, but you can’t really pass up these opportunities.”

“That’s exactly it,” Ryder added. “I’m an away fighter on a show in London against a man from Derby, so it’s not that bad, is it?”

“I hope so. It’s not been ideal with Matchroom having a show on the same night at Wembley [featuring Dillian Whyte], but I think I’ll still have a good crowd to support me, as will Zach, but there’s a good couple of ticket sellers on the show as well, so I’m sure it will be a nice vibe in the arena.”

“He doesn’t lack confidence, he’s obviously a bit taller than I am, but so are most people I box,” Ryder continued. “He will see it as an advantage, I see it as a disadvantage [for Parker]. I tend to struggle when they’re a bit shorter, so I’m looking forward to it.”

“It was like suffering a death in the family,” John continued, saying he’d been in touch with Benn who is “keeping in shape, ticking over and keeping fit.”

“Joe Cordina got stripped of his world title after his emphatic win in Cardiff in April and we were all buzzing for that, and we were all buzzing in the build-up to [Chris] Eubank and Benn and the generational thing that came around again because we’d been lucky enough to see their dads fight, and we were all excited. Then that came about and it’s been a down-time for the gym, and not just the gym but boxing fans in general and Matchroom especially. We all know that we’re a team at heart but we are all on our own journeys so it was straight back to it [for Ryder and Sims] and you have to compartmentalize it and crack on with the task at hand. Hopefully in time he [Benn] can prove his innocence, get the apologies he deserves and have his name cleared.”

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[samwbr]

Parker will be the much bigger man in there tomorrow. Late rounds stoppage IMO. Ryders talk of not being an opponent 'yet' isn't confidence inspiring.

[Cent0089]

Parker will be the much bigger man in there tomorrow. Late rounds stoppage IMO. Ryders talk of not being an opponent 'yet' isn't confidence inspiring.

Ryder is shorter, but built by solid ripped muscles. He showed he can fight against taller guys against Smith. This fight is world level IMO ....very underrated match

[milpool]

Looking forward to this. If Ryder can bring his A-game, it's a fairly comfortable points win IMO.
However, he's been known to throw in a few stinkers and if he's not on his game tomorrow night, I see Parker winning wide.

[handsofstone]

Cracking card this like, quality main event and 3 Commonwealth title fights on the undercard, superb,

It's a weekend for the Sweaty Socks, we have Joe Ham and Calvin McCord fighting for Commonwealth tonight on this card and David Jamieson fighting for British tomorrow on the Azim card

All 3 will lose in convincing fashion but still....

[Cent0089]

Will there be live undercard on youtube? or undercard from Whyte fight ? Should be some good boxing there too

[handsofstone]

DAZN always stream their undercard on YouTube before main card starts

[cormack]

this could be a real battle of attrition and end up a close split decision .
Not sure Parker keeps Ryder at bay tho and could get mauled .

[My T Sharp]

Put some money on Ryder to win, so should be an easy night for Parker

[ShadrachSimmo]

Put some money on Ryder to win, so should be an easy night for Parker

I’m thinking Ryder doubled with Wardley by stoppage double. With my luck right now it’s bound to be the completely the other way

[skanksta]

BooBoo looks an absolute monster next to The Gorilla.

[skanksta]

That was some punch from "The Norfolk Nightmare" - he's got something....

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That was some punch from "The Norfolk Nightmare" - he's got something....

Jump on the RBR Skanks

[ShadrachSimmo]

Put some money on Ryder to win, so should be an easy night for Parker

I’m thinking Ryder doubled with Wardley by stoppage double. With my luck right now it’s bound to be the completely the other way

[Manchester Hitman]

Parker is a flat track bully. He was getting worked over by the Gorilla and wanted to get the hell out of there ASAP

[Cent0089]

Disapointed in result, those 4 rounds were pretty entertaining. But i am happy for Ryder. Btw why were there so many empty seats? :O :O :O

[My T Sharp]

Put some money on Ryder to win, so should be an easy night for Parker

I’m thinking Ryder doubled with Wardley by stoppage double. With my luck right now it’s bound to be the completely the other way

Well done.

Also the Boxrec poll tipped Ryder