John Ryder wants shot at WBA champion Tyron Zeuge

John Ryder believes that his destructive knockout of Patrick Nielsen should lead to a shot at WBA 'regular' world champion Tyron Zeuge.

Ryder produced a career-best display as he crushed Nielsen across five rounds at Wembley Arena in London on Saturday night, finishing the fight with three huge blows.

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Having beaten the WBA's number one and WBO's number three-ranked fighter in Nielsen, 'The Gorilla' hopes to seize on the opportunity and the 29-year-old has made Germany's Zeuge his priority.

"The victory over Nielsen was massive for me," Ryder began. "I went in with the mind-set that I had to win and I won well.

"I love boxing, but in a way it shows how shallow the sport can be. I had a few razor thin decisions go against me and then suddenly I'm fighting for my career.

"I knew I had to win and for a fight that was potentially meant to be my hardest, I came out feeling surprised how easy it was.

"Tony Sims gave me the strategy, he told me that I would be too good for this lad. I got that into my head and believed in myself. At super-middle he said I've hurt everyone I've been in with and never finished it off - this time I got it right.

"I've never been one to call people out, but now, with how highly ranked Nielsen was, I would love to fight Zeuge, that's the natural progression."

I've never been one to call people out, but now, with how highly ranked Nielsen was, I would love to fight Zeuge, that's the natural progression

Zeuge, 25, has made two defences of the title he won a year ago, a unanimous decision verdict over Liverpool's Paul Smith the most recent of those.

Ryder insists that it is a position that he needs to make the most of, something he has failed to do so in the past.

"I don't really want to step back now, I have this ranking and I want to make it count.

"There have been times before at middleweight when I've been highly ranked and I've stepped back to take a British title fight and come unstuck, then you're left even further back.

"I'm just going to be patient and take the right fight when it comes, I'll even happily face WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez from Mexico."

Ryder's victory was the chief support to George Groves' World Boxing Super Series victory over Jamie Cox and Islington's Ryder is coy on whether a fight with Cox is a possibility.

"It was good fight," he continued, "I do feel that Groves might be on the slide a bit after a long, hard career but he still had enough to win.

"It was all a bit too soon for Cox. At the moment, I am focused on taking my chance with the ranking for Zeuge or Ramirez, but you never know, in boxing you end up fighting the strangest people.

"I like Cox as a person and as a fighter, it shows his mentality that as he got out the ring following defeat, he congratulated me on my win - he's a classy operator."