North East’s best getting their chance in spotlight

HUGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STARS KELLY AND RITSON

THE North East, a boom area for boxing in the thirties headlined by Seaman Tommy Watson, last had a bevy of superstars when Glenn McCrory, Billy Hardy and John Davison were all fighting for world titles.

Now, the area is threatening to break into the big time once again through Lewis Ritson and Josh Kelly, who are backed by the likes of Tom Ward. The trio are all unbeaten and two are already British champions.

And in the last week both Ritson and Kelly were announced in significant bouts on the big stage.

Ritson, from Forest Hall, will defend his British lightweight title against Scotty Cardle at the O2 in London on March 24.

Houghton’s Kelly (above) takes on former IBF world champion Carlos Molina for the WBA International welterweight title at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on March 31 as part of the Anthony Joshua bill.

“Boxing up here is booming again which is great,” said McCrory. “North East lads are getting big fights and I’m well pleased about that. This has always been a boxing area and we need to keep a tradition alive.”

Ritson (inset right) put in a stunning performance in his first defence of his British title at the end of February destroying Joe Murray in the first round in Manchester to move to 14-0 with an eighth stoppage.

Now a victory over Cardle would see him headline in his own city of Newcastle to win the Lonsdale Belt outright – his first great aim.

The ‘Sandman’ landed the title in October stopping Robbie Barrett in the seventh round. Bartett himself actually inflicted Cardle’s first professional defeat to take the British title off him.

“I’ve been on small hall shows in the past and now I’m headlining on Sky Sports and heading to the O2 on a big show – it’s amazing and I’m working hard to make sure that this is just the beginning,” said Lewis.

Josh Kelly will be fighting for his first title in just his sixth pro bout. The Rio Olympian has not gone further than six rounds so far with his last appearance an impressive sixth-round stoppage win in his first scheduled tenrounder in London last December.

Kelly, who turned 24 last week, now faces a huge step-up in class as he targets former superwelterweight king Molina.

The Mexican won his world crown in September 2013 beating Ishe Smith in his Las Vegas backyard and will provide Kelly with a stiff examination of the promise he’s shown in his first year in the paid ranks. “Molina has never been stopped which says a lot,” admitted Kelly. “Just look at the names on his record that he’s been in with, I know how tough he will be.” Kelly’s clash with Molina is part of a huge night of action in Cardiff as Anthony Joshua confronts Joseph Parker in a world heavyweight title unification blockbuster. Ritson and Kelly have a long way to go to match the final records of McCrory, Hardy and Davison but they are on the right track. Their next bouts will tell us so much more about the possibility of them making it.