Fighting Talk: Punters must be patient with Lewis Ritson plus Savannah Marshall suffers fight night body blow

Disappointing news for North East fight fans this week with the cancellation of a big Gateshead show on Friday night.
Savannah Marshall in action.Savannah Marshall in action.
Savannah Marshall in action.

The ‘Battle of the Toon’ at Dunston’s Lancastrian Suite, headlined by former Olympian Savannah Marshall, has been pulled from the fighting schedule less than 72 hours before first bell.

It’s bad news to those who’d bought tickets and even more so for those boxers who’d trained their backside off to be fighting fit for the evening.

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The news comes as a bitter body blow to Hartlepool star Marshall, who was looking to get back into action ahead of what she herself has described as a big 12 months in her career.

Marshall’s needs to be in the big fights on the big stage and it just feels like she’s being left behind a little bit.

Women’s boxing is a real growth sport, with more ladies than ever lacing up to trade leather.

But it seems unless you are part of a big promotional machine the fights aren’t quite there.

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Not naming names but we’ve seen a lot less talented female fighters live on TV, beamed across the world, just because they have the backing one of one of the promotional big boys.

Marshall must look on frustrated when she sees others getting opportunities on the biggest stage, while she continues to fight the small hall scene.

Marshall has all the talent and pedigree to be right up there with the best at the middle weights in women’s boxing - and some of those are pound-for-pound contenders.

She just needs a break - hopefully luck will fall her way before the end of the calendar year.

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*Newcastle’s Lewis Ritson won on his light-welterweight debut at the weekend - it was not the straight-forward end many, including this columnist, thought it might be.

I’ve seen the criticism on social media coming Ritson’s way. People have very short memories.

This lad is talented and will prove that, just be patient.

He’s at a new weight class, fighting a tough South American. This proved to be no easy match, but that’s no bad thing - at has to be remembered Forest Hall fighter Ritson is still learning his trade as professional on the British, European and world stage.

With his all-action style, whatever the result, you know his career is going to be well worth watching.