Feeding time for the Piranha? Ryan fills his boots!

Our little snapper Piranha, Ryan Garner, continues to feast on the prey placed in front of him and is plotting a route for his short swim from Bournemouth back to his native Southampton for his biggest battle of all.

Ryan was excellent on Saturday in taking the British and Commonwealth super featherweight titles from the dangerous Reece Bellotti to add the European championship he won in style earlier this year.

I feel that Ryan dominated from the start and got his game plan just about right to overcome Reece and the showstopping finish was a deserved one and fitting for another special night down on the South Coast.

It was pleasing that Ryan got his distance right and didn’t just engage in an all-out war, as he sometimes likes to do. He emerged pretty much without a mark on him, which tells its own story. He hasn’t always shown it, but Ryan has got all the skills from being a highly successful amateur, which he can bring more into play as he climbs the levels and the jeopardy increases.

I think what is reassuring for us is that there is so much more to show from Ryan. He is delivering the goods, make no mistake, but there is major scope for improvement and bringing out his natural ability.

Ryan likes to rely on his strength and fitness and there is nothing wrong with that. He takes his confidence from it, but the closer he can come to being the complete package we know he can be, the better.

There is a bit of pressure on Ryan these days, not that he shows any signs of it. He is headlining his own shows now fairly close to home after building his reputation on undercards, mostly in London.

We wanted to showcase him down south, with Bournemouth being the closest option with a suitable venue, but it has all been done with the intention of getting him back to Southampton.

The only place in Southampton is the football stadium at St Mary’s and staging a show there represents the dream of Ryan and his trainer-mentor Wayne Batten. To get to this dream Ryan obviously has to keep winning and keep collecting titles, which he is doing, but there is a lot riding on it.

Ryan, typically, seems to take it all in his stride and does it with a smile on his face. Even though he is fighting outside of his city, he is really building himself up there and making himself known.

Southampton FC are playing a big part in this and they have him appear in the Fanzones and on the pitch whenever the opportunity presents itself. He is really becoming a local favourite and more than doing his bit for the younger generation through work with the Southampton Foundation, for whom he is an ambassador now.

By the time we, all things going to plan, get to St Mary’s next summer it will be a huge occasion, which will hopefully result in Southampton having its first world champion.

Ryan will have another fight before then and his belt collection is already building nicely, with four won in his last five fights.

Ryan winning a world title on the pitch at Southampton FC next year would certainly make my summer and be one of those perfect scenarios for us of turning a young talent professional at 18 and taking him to a world title.

I have always had a big soft spot for Ryan and him fulfilling his dream would make me a very happy old geezer!