All the details you need to watch the Lewis Ritson vs Jeremias Ponce eliminator contest
'The Sandman' vs 'Jere'
BBN have provided viewers with all the details needed to tune in and watch IBF #6 Lewis Ritson (21-1, 12KOs) clash with IBF #5 Jeremias Nicolas Ponce (27-0, 17KOs) on the 163rd day of the year.
All the details you could possibly need to watch the Ritson-Ponce event below:
Date
The bout takes place on Saturday, June 12, which is the same day in history that both Al Capone (1931) and Nelson Madela (1964) were sentenced to life in prison.
Venue
Eagles Community Arena, Newcastle.
Rounds scheduled
12x three-minute rounds at super-lightweight (140lbs).
Titles
The pair will fight in an IBF Final Eliminator.
Ringwalks
The ringwalks for the main event are expected from 10pm UK time, but that will depend on the undercard results.
TV Coverage
Coverage starts live on the Sky Sports Boxing Facebook Page from 5:15pm, then Sky Sports Action (Sky Channel 407) from 7pm and finishes at 11pm, which is immediately followed by the Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul eight-round exhibition fight highlights.
It's also shown on DAZN in the US and everywhere except for the UK, Ireland and Australia, and you can sign up here
Live Stream
You can watch online via the Sky Sports website here: https://www.skysports.com/watch
BBN are providing LIVE updates on the night HERE
Price
The event is free to view for Sky Sports and DAZN subscribers.
Undercard Highlights
Unbeaten North East star Thomas Patrick Ward (29-0-1, 4KOs) is looking for win no.30 against the reigning Mexican featherweight champion Edy Valencia Mercado (17-5-6, 5KOs).
Related Articles
Everything you ever need to know about Ritson-Ponce can be found HERE
Background
‘The Sandman’ won a controversial split decision against Miguel Vazquez behind closed doors at the East of England Arena in Peterborough last time out in October to claim the vacant WBA Intercontinental super-lightweight title and improve his record to 21 wins in 22 contests. After the underwhelming performance, the 27-year-old from Forest Hall is now back training with his dad, Dave, after being butally told that he was "gifted the decision".
However, in his last fight preceding that, he produced a career-best performance to beat bitter rival Robbie Davies Jr in an enthralling Fight of the Year candidate.
He goes into this IBF Eliminator contest ranked in the top 15 of all five governing bodies! This will be the biggest fight of his career and could set him up with a dream world title shot next.
However, the 24-year-old, visiting fighter from Buenos Aires, has his own ambitions. Ponce won the South American title in 2019 by outpointing fellow Argentine Leonardo Amitrano, and became IBO Champion later that year with a points win in Berlin over Germany’s Rico Muller on his debut outside the Americas.
He boxed twice in late 2020, both all-Argentinian confrontations, firstly stopping Ruben Lopez in 90 seconds before being pushed all the way by southpaw Jonathan Eniz over 10 tough rounds, and heads into his showdown with Geordie favourite Ritson on the back of a 27-fight winning streak.
'Jere' has expressed his delight at fighting in the away corner in hostile territories, so will revel in Newcastle on Saturday night with Ritson's raucous supporters roaring him on.
Quotes
Lewis Ritson: “I haven’t really watched it [Vazquez fight] back but a couple of days later I went to my dad’s house and asked him if he’d watched the fight. He was honest and said we got the rub of the green, we got very lucky and we got gifted a decision, but that it is up to me whether to dwell on it or improve on it.
"That’s what we’ve done, we’ve gone away and made a few changes in camp. It was just a clash of styles. I think I was probably Vazquez’ best performance in a few years and it was one of my worst to be fair. You live and you learn, there was maybe a few things that we could have done differently in that fight. We know that now and we’ve got the experience in the bank.
“I’m back with my old man. I had a little bit of thinking to do after my last fight. It was the right move for me and we’ve been flying in camp. A happy fighter is a dangerous fighter, it’s probably the first time in a while that I’ve been quite happy.
“It’s just a buzz to be back, especially with the crowds. Even with 1,000 in there, the place will be jumping for the ring walk. That’s what I need to get me up for these fights. Before the Vazquez fight I was saying that it wouldn’t make much of a difference, but you actually don’t really know that until you get in there. I missed my fans massively, so I’m glad that they’ll be back. They’ll give me that extra push.
"I'm fully focused on Ponce. We’ve got to make sure that we beat him and beat him well. We know what he’s coming to do and he’s coming to win. Stylistically he’s a bit like me – good jab, throws to the body and stands in front of you. If it goes like we think, then it’s going to be a very crowd-pleasing fight and a hard night.
"I’m only 27 but I feel like I’m a bit of a veteran now, I’ve had like 12 fights on Sky and with Matchroom. I’m still young and I’m still fresh. I haven’t really taken any punishment and I’ve still got a lot to give. The journey is still young – win this next fight and then hopefully the next fight after that will be what every young boy dreams of.
"We’ve grown into the weight now. For a while I was up at light-welter but still in a lightweight's body. Now I’m a fully-fledged light-welter. I’m bang on 10 stone, fit and strong. You’re going to see a bit more explosiveness in the punches."
Jeremias Ponce: “I go all out for the win. I try and leave nothing to chance. I always look for the knockout. This is a huge opportunity for me, if not the biggest in my career. I’ve trained with that mindset, thinking about this being the biggest moment in my career.
“I think it’s a dream for any boxer to go on and win a World Title, and to face a fighter like Josh Taylor would be a dream come true. I’m 100% confident that I can add myself to the list of South Americans that have caused upsets in the UK.
“I think Lewis Ritson is a very good boxer. He’s very quick and he has a very high output. We’ve worked hard looking for ways to counter that. I think we’ll be able to do that. Both styles will definitely clash which will mean it will be a great fight.
“I think the Miguel Vazquez fight was just a really bad night for him. I have also had bad nights before. I don’t think it takes anything away from him. I think he’s still a really good boxer and it will be a very tough night for the both of us.
“Having a crowd in the arena will motivate me even more. I’m used to these types of fights and being the away fighter. I’ve been the away fighter in Germany when the whole of the crowd was against me. I was the away fighter in Naples, Italy when all the fans were against me. I’m used to that and it really will spur me on even more."
Predictions
Tim Rickson,BBN Editor: “Lewis Ritson blew everyone away during the start of his career, that's opponents and fans included. He won the British lightweight title in October 2017 and had won it for keeps by June 2018! The three defences went as KO1, KO2, KO1. So, it was huge shock to everyone when he was easily outboxed by Belgian Francesco Patera when stepping up to European level. To be fair, his one and only conqueror still holds that belt after three successful defences.
He has rebuilt with four straight wins, including that scintillating scrap with Robbie Davies Jr. But then in his last fight, he showed complacency again and was outboxed by former long-reigning world champion Miguel Vazquez, who has terrible luck with UK scorecards.
So, for me, it's difficult to predict the winner because who knows what version of Lewis Ritson is going to show up? I think with the roar of the crowd behind him, the home corner factor, this occasion being the biggest of his career – just one fight away from a world title – that he will turn up and give his best performance to win on points.
That said, Ponce has a high KO count and has already stated that he is always looking for the knockout, so with him opening up and aggressively coming forward, an early ending could also a very likely scenario. However, Ritson has only scored one knockout in four fights since moving up to 140lbs, so I do think this contest is set to go the distance."
Rankings
Ritson: WBC #11; WBA #2; IBF #6; WBO #11; IBO #13; BoxRec #22
Ponce: IBF #5; BoxRec #37
Stats
Ritson
Age: 27
Bouts: 22
Rounds: 116
KOs: 54.55%
Height: 5' 10"
Ponce
Age: 24
Bouts: 27
Rounds: 135
KOs: 62.96%
Height: 5' 10"
Official Weights
Check back here on Friday 11
Betting Odds
Lewis Ritson: 4/9
Jeremias Ponce: 27/14
Draw: 20/1
Running Order
#1 Cyrus Pattinson vs Yoncho Markov
6×2 Super-welterweight contest
#2 Ellie Scotney vs TBA
4×2 Super-bantamweight contest
#3 Solomon Dacres vs Alvaro Terrero
6×3 Heavyweight contest
#4 April Hunter vs Klaudia Vigh
4×2 Welterweight contest
#5 Joe Laws vs Chris Adaway
6×3 Welterweight contest
#6 Alen Babic vs Damian Chambers
6×3 Heavyweight contest
Chief Support
Thomas P Ward vs Edy Valencia Mercado
10×3 Super-bantamweight contest
Main Event
Joshua Buatsi vs Daniel Dos Santos
10×2 WBA International light-heavyweight title
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