Ryan Garner has experienced top-level sparring with Irish stars Michael Conlan and Carl Frampton
AFTER A MEDICAL mishap resulted in him missing out on a June date, Ryan Garner has been keeping good company as he prepares for a return to the ring at the Morningside Arena in Leicester on Saturday.
The featherweight prospect – who faces Elvis Guillen in his eighth professional contest – after sparring Carl Frampton in the build-up to the Jackal's huge Windsor Park occasion against Luke Jackson, has maintained the Northern Irish theme by trading friendly fire against Michael Conlan.
The 20-year-old also embarked on a week-long camp to join British featherweight champion Ryan Walsh for sparring over in Tenerife.
"Obviously I was supposed to fight in June but on the Thursday before the fight we got a call to say that my brain scan was out of date and we couldn't get it done in time," reflected Ryan on being absent from the 02 Arena show.
"I was gutted but it was just a mistake from us. It won't happen again, don't worry, we've all got it written down now – my mum, my dad, all of us.
"For this fight now I have sparred Michael Conlan for my last spar of camp and before that we were over in Tenerife sparring Ryan Walsh. That was a really good week and we did an eight and ten round spar together.
"It was just the whole different thing training out there and I really enjoyed it. All your focus on is solely on training and resting, so it made a really good camp for me.
"Conlan is technically very good and a real tricky customer. He gets you thinking and that is what you need."
Exchanging blows with British champion Walsh and blue chip prospect Conlan provides Ryan with a useful measuring stick when it comes to charting his own progress in the pro game.
"I'm getting closer and closer every day, I feel. With every camp I'm having I am getting better and better all the time," he stated, before adding that he is banking on his promoter Frank Warren steering him towards title contention next year now the pair have renewed their promotional pact.
"We have signed a new contract just to show we are both committed to each other and I owe him massively because he has been there for me through thick and thin.
"We are putting our futures together and I am happy about that because he has stuck by me and I truly believe that he can take me to where I want to be.
"We've got a good relationship and he rates me, so why would I want to go anywhere else?
"I look forward to getting a title next year."
'The Time Is Now’ is headlined by Jack Catterall v Ohara Davies. Leicester’s own, Lyon Woodstock defends his WBO European Super-Featherweight title against Archie Sharp. Heavyweight prospect Daniel Dubois takes on former world title challenger Kevin Johnson. Olympian and double gold medallist Nicola Adams will be fighting Isabel Millan for the Interim WBO World Female Flyweight Title and Leicester’s British Super-Featherweight champion Sam Bowen also feature on a major night of boxing televised live on BT Sport.
Tickets are priced at £40, £60, £100, £150, £200 and are available to purchase from Eventbrite and Ticketmaster.