Ryan Rhodes..........The Test Of Time

Discussion in 'British Boxing Forum' started by FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008.


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  1. FLINT ISLAND

    FLINT ISLAND PENYRHEOL Full Member

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    Think back to 1997

    Naz was world champion - WBO Featherweight King and also unifying the IBF smashing out Tom Johnson in 8 rounds.

    Naz was being tipped as a great.

    Some were going well overboard - predicting he would be a World Champion from Featherweight all the way up to Light Middleweight.

    But it was just Naz

    Ryan Rhodes was coming along for the ride too

    One of the youngest British Champions ever he saw Naz's success and boldly decalred

    "I will be a World Champion at 3 different weights - and thats no lie"

    Rhodes also had hair back then - a middle patern

    Rhodes dubbed himself "Spice Boy" and jumped over the ropes.

    he was all flash

    but what about the substance.

    Over a decade later - the Naz bandweagon has gone.

    The flashy "Spice Boy" image has deserted him

    So has Ryans pretty hair cut - a bald coot now.

    So has Ryans undefeated record.

    So has Ryans dreams of being World Champion at

    Light Middleweight
    Middleweight
    Super Middleweight

    outboxed by a mediorce champion / part time School teacher in Otis Grant for WBO honours.

    And once again for WBO honours - Ryan Rhodes found out the hard way that Brendan Ingle methods can be a bit mad - basically he went in there with his hands down by his bollocks and his chin in the air and Jason Matthews steam rolled him in 2 rounds.

    Pele Reid done the same once - hands down by bollocks - chin in air - the Brendan Ingle way - World rated Orlin Norris had him out of there in the 1st round.

    So now in 2008 as Ryan ploughs his trade at British level - what are peoples thoughts on the promise and hype of this fighter?

    He he do well realistically?

    or was he a overhyped underachiever?
     
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
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  2. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    Rhoded got his world title chance against Grant (who was a solid, if unspectacular fighter) above his natural weight, if he'd have dropped back down to 154 I have no doubt he'd have picked up a world title at that weight. He had good skills and a solid punch at 154 but seemed to find the 160 lbers just too much for him.
     
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
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  3. KCD

    KCD All aboard. Full Member

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    He still has good skills and when he was young it seemed like he was going places but then just seemed to go off the boil after his defeat to Jason Matthews.

    I met Ryan Rhodes in a nightclub in Sheffield and he was a pretty sound bloke.
     
    KCD, Aug 20, 2008
    KCD, Aug 20, 2008
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  4. hitman_hatton1

    hitman_hatton1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    should never have bothered with 160.

    agreed on that.

    i've never seen the otis grant fight. :-(

    the jason matthews fight was a make or break fight in retrospect.

    he lost badly and was subsequently dumped by frank warren and left to work his way up again.

    probably lost a bit of motivation after that one.

    he had more potential than he's shown over the last 7 or 8 yrs.

    but that disjointed style and dodgy chin was always gonna cause problems for him.
     
    hitman_hatton1, Aug 20, 2008
    hitman_hatton1, Aug 20, 2008
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  5. FLINT ISLAND

    FLINT ISLAND PENYRHEOL Full Member

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    Ok even though he bragged about being world champion at 3 different weights

    lets say 160 was beyond him

    GAZ OC - do you think Ryan RHodes was good enough to be the no 1 at Light Middleweight?
     
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
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  6. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    Maybe not 'the man' but I think he would have picked up a belt and made a couple of defences if matched well. I just think he was on a hiding to nothing at 160, he was never going to achieve anything serious at that weight.
     
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
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  7. hitman_hatton1

    hitman_hatton1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    but light middle has been strong over the last 10 yrs in the main.

    the grant fight put things into perspective.

    always gonna be too disjointed to win a world title.
     
    hitman_hatton1, Aug 20, 2008
    hitman_hatton1, Aug 20, 2008
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  8. FLINT ISLAND

    FLINT ISLAND PENYRHEOL Full Member

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    so basically you saying Brendan Ingle was bad for him?
     
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
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  9. pelious

    pelious New Member Full Member

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    i was out that night and can verify kcd did meet ryan as we all had good laugh
     
    pelious, Aug 20, 2008
    pelious, Aug 20, 2008
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  10. FLINT ISLAND

    FLINT ISLAND PENYRHEOL Full Member

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    I wonder how Rhodes would have done at light middleweight against the impressive and frequent British vistor - Amercian - Ronald "Winky" Wright
     
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
    #10
  11. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    Don't underestimate Grant, he was a very good, technical fighter and Rhodes lost a close but clear decision. I can't remember who was the world titlists at 154 around that time (1997-1999) but thats where he should have stayed IMHO.
     
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
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  12. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    Different class. I saw him take apart Foster and Bingham, amazing fighter at 154. I won a lot of money on the Tito fight, I knew he's be too smart for Trinidad.
     
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
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  13. FLINT ISLAND

    FLINT ISLAND PENYRHEOL Full Member

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    World CHampions at Light Middleweight at around this time

    Ronald Wright

    Harry Simon - I think

    Fernardo Vargas - around 1999/ 2000 mark

    Yory Boy Campus
     
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
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  14. FLINT ISLAND

    FLINT ISLAND PENYRHEOL Full Member

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    Lets not forget he totally mashed up undefeated Adrian Dodson as well

    stuck a solid southpaw jab in his face for six rounds

    and Dodson was retired on his stool

    a very classy operator at 154LBS
     
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
    FLINT ISLAND, Aug 20, 2008
    #14
  15. GazOC

    GazOC Guest Star for Team Taff Full Member

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    He has a chance against Simon and Campas, Wright and Vargas were too good at 154.
     
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
    GazOC, Aug 20, 2008
    #15
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