★★★☆☆UNDERCARD
TAKING HIS CHANCE: Ryder’s left hurtles towards Akkaway
Photo: JOE CAMPOREALE/USA TODAY SPORTS
JOHN RYDER has lost to four of his countrymen yet stands on the brink of securing a world title shot after claiming the WBA’s spurious interim strap at super-middleweight. Admittedly, his newfound status a world contender says plenty about the multiple titles and opportunities on offer today, but to write off his rejuvenation simply as a symptom of the modern era would be ignoring the development of the Islington man. In fact, his desire to rebuild and not let defeat ruin him provides a knowing nod to eras of the past when losses did not mean the end of the road.