Crolla vs Linares: John Ryder says he will beat Jack Arnfield on Manchester debut
Thursday 7 November 2019 12:11, UK
John Ryder will make his Manchester debut against local Lancashire lad Jack Arnfield and believes an impressive win will kick on his career.
The Islington middleweight is on the undercard of Anthony Crolla's lightweight showdown with three-weight world champion Jorge Linares, live on Sky Sports 1, on Saturday night.
Arsenal fan Ryder (23-2-KO12) will be walking into the Manchester Arena for the first time but with Arnfield (20-2-KO5) coming from Blackpool, he is expecting a hostile welcome.
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But with the 28-year-old looking to build on a win over respected Sergey Khomitsky earlier this year, is looking for a win on the road.
"This a great chance to be on a really good Sky Sports bill, pretty much in Arnfield's own backyard so to speak, so I am happy to go to Manchester," he told Sky Sports.
"I've not actually been there to watch a fight but I watched a lot of Ricky Hatton's fights - staying up until whatever time to watch him beat Kostya Tszyu - so I know it is a great atmosphere.
"Just to be part of that on Saturday night will be great. I am fully prepared that I am going into Arnfield's backyard and get a bit of stick on my way to the ring, but that's boxing.
"It's no fun if you're always boxing on your own doorstep and you never get the credit you deserve. I don't want to hear 'he's good but he's never left London', so I am happy to go around and take people on."
This a great chance to be on a really good Sky Sports bill, pretty much in Arnfield's own backyard, so I am happy to go to Manchester.
Ryder's promising career has suffered two setbacks as he was out-pointed by current WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders in 2013, while he was stopped in seven by Nick Blackwell last May.
He bounced back with what he admits was a "make or break" fight with Belarusian Khomitsky in January, and has only had another six-rounder since.
Arnfield is not known for his knockout power, but Ryder is more than happy to take a cautious approach to ensure he takes another step up the middleweight ladder.
"I think Arnfield is a fighter who will respect my attributes and he might see some weaknesses, but I have a feeling he will keep it long and rangy and work on trying to break me down, but I am doing the very same," he said.
"I would like to have got a bit more momentum behind me on the back of the Khomitsky win, but I got a cut and you have to take a bit of time out, then an eight-rounder - which was cut to six - but I am here now with another 12-rounder in front of me.
"Arnfield's a good name on the record, and I am looking forward to winning and winning well. Then I can build from that and kick on.
"But I am boxing live on Sky Sports and I know lots of people who would do anything to be where I am. It will be a brilliant night in Manchester and I want to come back with that win on my record. And I will."
Watch Crolla v Linares, Conor Benn, John Ryder v Jack Arnfield, Callum Johnson v Willbeforce Shihepo and Hosea Burton v Fernando Castaneda, live on Sky Sports 2 from 7.30pm this Saturday.
