Saturday 30 May 2015 21:23, UK
Nick Blackwell won the vacant British middleweight title with a stunning stoppage victory over John Ryder.
Southpaw Ryder was well clear on the scorecards after an impressive start but Blackwell (now 17-3-1) caught the Londoner with a stiff right and unleashed a flurry of head shots in the seventh, sparking an intervention from Howard Foster.
The referee caused controversy when he stopped George Groves against Carl Froch in 2013, but his decision to step in this time appeared to be the correct the call, with Ryder sustaining a series of unanswered blows.
There’s no question Blackwell had Ryder in serious trouble - a remarkable turnaround, after the latter had taken charge of the majority of the bout.
Ryder exhibited skills up close and at range, landing a crisp uppercut in the first before going to work on Blackwell’s body and then drawing blood from his nose with sharp right jabs in the third.
Blackwell stepped up in the fourth, cutting his opponent under the left eye and then landing a powerful bodyshot in the fifth.
However, there was more good work from Ryder in the sixth, as the hometown man looked to step inside at every opportunity.
It all unravelled for Ryder in the seventh, though, as he dipped his head Blackwell caught Ryder with a short right and followed up with a left hook. Stunned, Ryder was unable to hold or retreat and Blackwell unleashed with both hands.
Ryder eventually back-tracked to the ropes, just moving out of range of several shots from Blackwell in the process, but Foster had seen enough and threw himself between the fighters.
The new champion screamed in delight and was soon moved to tears as he received the Lonsdale belt.
