LEWIS RITSON set his Newcastle fans off something alarming with a firefight-of-the-year contender win over Robbie Davies Jr.
The long-running grudge between the British super-lightweights heated up on Friday night when a Ritson supporter triggered the fire alarm at Davies’ Newcastle hotel at 2.45am
Luckily for Davies Jr he had got wind of the prank and switched lodgings but he could not hide from Ritson once they got inside the ring, on his home turf.
After 12 magnificent and breathless rounds of boxing, the referees scored it 117-112, 116-112 and 116-112 to the local hero who had suffered agony in the same ring almost exactly a year ago.
Ritson bid for the lightweight European crown on October 13, with childhood hero Alan Shearer ringside, but was outboxed and suffered the only defeat of his career before stepping up to 10st where he has now been rewarded with a career-defining fight.
The first round was sensational, Ritson arrived with a banger’s reputation having finished 12 of his 19 fights inside the distance but he pinged out a brilliant jab in the opener.
The left-hook from close-range was also an early honey shot as he rattled Davies Jr’s skull with it a handful of times inside the first three minutes.
Davies was regarded as the more technical points-scoring fighter but he went toe-to-toe in the brutally one-sided Newcastle arena, as the deafening crowd bellowed against him.
The sequel had a lot to live up to and gave it a great go. Jabbing and moving went out of the window as the warring rivals slugged it out for an eventual shot at the WBA world title, currently around the waist of American Regis Prograis.
Ritson’s insomniac eyes and brutal haircut made him a ringer for iconic Taxi Driver character Travis Bickle and some of his third-round attacks were as X-rated as the controversial film.
Proud Scouser Davies shipped some severe punishment, especially a series of left hooks to the ribs and a right uppercut that sent spit or blood spewing across the ring as the session ended.
But the 30-year-old was not shying away from the battle and was dishing out almost as good as he got up against not only the black-and-white striped brute but the sold-out arena surrounding him.
As early as the fourth it was difficult to work out where Ritson ended and Davies Jr began, so entwined were their butting heads and swinging arms.
Davies Jr was bloodsoaked by the fifth, the claret from his nose and mouth dribbling down his torso but Ritson was no oil painting and every time they clashed it seemed, from ringside, that someone lost some teeth, flesh or sinew.
The sixth ended with Ritson glaring at Davies Jr, trying to stare through him after he had landed a flush one-two moments earlier.
England and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford could not hide his excitement in the VIP seats but it was spoiled when the audience caught him on the big screen and sang repeatedly about him being “just a sad Mackem b******”.
The frantic pace dropped in the eighth but Ritson's accurate shots were just as punishing and the grit on show was even more impressive as the time dragged brilliantly on.
In round nine, a fight in the crowd broke but, in an extremely rare occurrence, all eyes stayed on the in-ring action as the ticket buyers got far more than their money’s worth.
At the end of the tenth, Ritson caught Davies caught off balance with a right hand and then piled in with a string of straight shots to the face. Davies Jr grinned. He grinned.
The penultimate term was a gift from the boxing gods, where they found the energy to stand and trade 30 minutes deep into a relentless barnstormer will remain a mystery.
Ritson, sensing he was edging close to a sensational victory, stared Davies back into his corner once again and raised his arms aloft sending the crowd wild all over again.
Somehow the 12th was better, these maniacs stood firm and swang with everything they had. Ritson was on the verge of a wide points win but was walking into a minefield with a beaming smile.
Until the very final second they battered and abused each other with every ounce of energy they had. And then they hugged.
The second the bell went they cuddled and congratulated each other and waited for the judges to make the call.
It was beautiful boxing at its best.
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