Boxing Preview Analysis: Jamie Moore vs. Ryan Rhodes

A mouthwatering and fascinating clash takes this place this tonight at the Bolton Arena in Bolton, England when Salford’s Jamie Moore defends his European 154 pound title against Sheffield’s Ryan Rhodes.

As well as being a clash for European honours, it is also probable that the winner will fight an official eliminator for the WBC title currently held by Sergio Martinez.

Rhodes is a 14 year veteran of the squared circle. Beginning his career as a light middleweight, he won the British title at only 20 years of age, defeating the equally prodigious Paul Silky Jones in eight back in 1996.

Just one year later, Rhodes moved up to middleweight and came so close to winning the WBO title in December 1997, losing a narrow 12 round decision against Otis Grant. This is the same Grant who would go on to challenge a peak Roy Jones Jnr a year later for the light heavyweight crown.

After such a promising start to his pro career, things went downhill for the Spice Boy when he was KO’d in two rounds by Jason Matthews in another bid for WBO honours in July, 1999.

After that, Rhodes seemed to have disappeared altogether from the world scene. In reality, the next six years were largely spent fighting four and six rounders either on undercards or small boxing shows.

Defeat in a WBU middleweight title bid against Welshman Gary Lockett in 2006 seemed to have spelled the end for Rhodes.

However, turning back the clock he would regain his old British Light Middleweight title 11 and a half years after first winning it when he stopped tough Gary Woolcombe in nine last year.

After three more wins comes the chance against another tough southpaw in Jamie Moore.

Moore at 30 is only two years younger than Rhodes but has been a pro for four years less. His career has followed the early path of Rhodes, winning the British title first of all in his first four years as a pro.

Three losses over the course of 2003 and 2004 seemed to have slowed Moore’s progress and as is true with his foe tonight, has stated he seems to have been treading water in his professional career, staying at British title level

Moore knows though that now is the time to strike and is currently on a roll after winning the vacant European title in March this year. A win tonight will finally let the world boxing scene know of his presence and with an eliminator on the cards for the winner, it’s now or never.

Rhodes will no doubt prove a tricky adversary but I think Moore has waited too long to let this slip. Rhodes may take the early rounds but my view is that the Salford man will grind his opponent down in the later rounds for a points win.