John Ryder Scores A Minor Upset Over Daniel Jacobs in London,
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In a weekend dominated by two British professional boxing cards on Saturday, February 12, 2022, in London and Brentwood, United Kingdom, super middleweight John Ryder scored a minor upset winning a controversial 12 round split decision over Daniel Jacobs in a WBA 168 pounds eliminator, earning a world title shot at undefeated Cuban southpaw David Morrell, the regular World Boxing Association World Super Middleweight.
The upset win by Ryder, 31-5 with 17 knockouts, London, United Kingdom, suddenly positions Ryder, promoter Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing into contention or a possible shot at Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2022 or 2023. Alvarez, 57-1-2 with 39 knockouts, Guadalajara, Mexico, won the undisputed World Super Middleweight title by stopping Caleb Plant in eleven rounds at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, in November 2021. Canelo has been looking to fight 19-0 Russian World Boxing Association Super World Light Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol for Cinco de Mayo 2022, and Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin for a trilogy bout in the Fall of 2022. The name of Ilunga Junior Makabu, the 29-2 World Boxing Council World Cruiserweight champion from South Africa, has also been mentioned.
Jacobs appeared to win the first six rounds. Jacobs appeared to win the first five rounds by 10-9 scores. The sixth round appeared even. Jacobs landed good left and right hands, good jabs, and did a marvelous job outmaneuvering Ryder in the center ring and on the ropes, tying him up in clinches. Ryder’s game plan changed drastically in rounds seven, eight and nine, when he shook loose from all of Jacobs’ clinch attempts and attacked inside relentlessly with flurries, keeping Jacobs close and putting him under maximum pressure. Jacobs held on out of necessity for dear life. Jacobs, who tinkered several times with the southpaw stance, switched to southpaw in rounds eight and nine and it did nothing for him. Rounds 10 and 11 were close. Jacobs appeared to win them, but the judges could have been somewhat swayed by Ryder’s momentum in rounds seven, eight and nine, and felt inspired to give him all of the last six rounds. In an even round 12, both fighters appeared sloppy. Jacobs appeared to be breathing harder in the second half of the bout at age 35.
Ryder’s edge in the second half of the fight came from dominating the punch count volume Manny Pacquiao style. Ryder appeared busy, and Jacobs was not. Real Combat Media scored the last round even. To win on two scorecards, with no knockdowns in the bout, two judges had to have given Ryder the last seven rounds. Jacobs won at least seven or eight rounds. Jacobs’ trainer Andre Rozier knew better than to travel to England and hope to get a decision in a 12 round bout whereby the British fighter showed anything. Ryder certainly won the punch count and punches landed, and as such did better than he was supposed to do. Judges often go by punches thrown, and punches landed. In other words, aggression. Jacobs was holding too much. With the loss, Jacobs threw away the possibility of a 2023 multimillion-dollar rematch with Saul Alvarez at 168 pounds, to whom he lost a 12 round split decision previously.
Result: John Ryder Win Split Decision 12 Daniel Jacobs, Super Middleweights
Scoring: 115-113, 115-113 Ryder. 115-113 Jacobs. Referee: Steve Gray
Undercard Results
Felix Cash Win 10 Magomed Madiev, Middleweights
15-0 British prospect Cash won World Boxing Council International Middleweight title. Cash, cut over the left eye, was down in the first and tenth rounds. Cash was deducted one point for holding in round ten. First loss in 18 bouts for Russian prospect Madiev.
Ellie Scotney Win 10 Jorgelina Guanini, Female Super Bantamweights (2 Minute Rounds)
4-0 British female prospect Scotney cut over the left eye in round three. Scotney had a point deducted for holding in round 10.
Austin Williams TKO 6 Javier Francisco Maciel, Middleweights (1:02)
10-0 Texas prospect Williams had 49 bout vet Maciel down in first, twice in sixth round.
Johnny Fisher Win 6 Gabriel Enguema, Heavyweights
5-0 British prospect Fisher, cut over left eye in first, survived, and won the next five rounds to win the bout 59-55 over 21 bout vet Enguema on lone scorecard of referee Mark Bates.
Cyrus Pattinson Win 6 Evgenii Vazem, Welterweights
4-0 British southpaw prospect Pattison outpoints 31 bout Russian veteran Vazem 60-54.
Hopey Price TKO 4 Ricardo Roman, Super Bantamweights (1:09)
7-0 British prospect Price knocked 30 bout Mexican vet Roman down in first and fourth.
Shiloh Defreitas Win 6 Aleksey Tukhtarov, Welterweights
3-0 British prospect Defreitas outpoints 34 bout Russian veteran Tukhtarov 60-54.
At Brentwood Centre, Brentwood, Essex, United Kingdom, on Saturday, February 12, 2022, super lightweight prospect Billy Allington, 10-1-3, Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom, scored a 10 round split decision over Jamie Robinson, 11-5-2 with three knockouts, Bolsover, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, to win the vacant BBBofC English Super Lightweight title.
Result: Billy Allington Win Split decision 10 Jamie Robinson, Super Lightweights
Allington Wins vacant BBBofC English Super Lightweight title
Scoring: 97-93, 97-94 Allington. 97-94 Robinson. Referee: Bob Williams
Jack “Ginger” Martin TKO 3 Liam Wells, Middleweights (1:11)
5-0 British prospect Williams, with no previous career knockouts, stops Wells, now 7-2.
Lenny Fuller Win 6 Petar Aleksandrov, Welterweights
11-1 British prospect Fuller outpoints 19 bout Bulgarian vet Aleksandrov by 60-53 score.
Alfie Winter (Pro Debut) Win 4 Kevin McCauley, Super Welterweights
Successful pro debut for Guildford Surrey prospect Winter in the Winter of 2022 over British trial horse 15-222-12 McCauley, professional loser of 60 bouts in a row. 235 of McCauley’s 249 bouts have gone to a decision, to his survivor for a decent paycheck credit. McCauley, age 42, lost his professional debut in May 2008 to 0-2 Luke Gallear, then won three of his next six pro bouts, before embarking on his “career” as a journeyman. Kevin McCauley’s mysterious 249 bout record includes a four round decision win over undefeated Danny Mulhern, a 10 round decision win over 7-1 Craig Windsor, and a 10 round decision win over 9-2 Dave Ryan to win the BBBofC Midlands Welterweight title.
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