The Piranha Strikes in Bournemouth

Ryan Garner, our snappy little Piranha from Southampton, is now ready to hunt in much deeper waters.

Ryan did the business and then some with his comprehensive, shutout defeat of the previously unbeaten Salvador Jimenez on Saturday to add the European title to his WBC International belt and now we can really start thinking big for him in the super featherweight division.

As I have mentioned many times before, I have always had a soft spot for the formerly cheeky cherub, since he signed up with us at the age of 18 with barely a whisker on his face. It was obvious straight away that he was a talented operator and his amateur accomplishments told us as much too.

It has been a bit of a slog to get to where we are, with youthful growing pains getting in the way, but he is all grown up now and completely dedicated to his craft and providing for his young family.

I simply couldn’t be any happier for him and his performance on Saturday vindicates the faith we have always had in him from over nine years ago.

He was just too good for the confident Jimenez and I don’t think he lost a second of any round. It was his first 12-rounder, but you wouldn’t have guessed it from the way he kept up the pace.

It was a special night in more ways than one because we wanted to increase the magnitude of the occasion by headlining Ryan as close to his home in Southampton as possible.

It ended up being the excellent Bournemouth International Centre and, even though I couldn’t be there myself due to being struck with an annoying bout of flu, I know from our team on the ground that the venue was perfect and delivered in every aspect.

What was noticeable, even from my vantage point, was just how early everyone was in their seats enjoying the boxing. It can often be the case that people just want to be in for the last few fights, but not here. The BIC was bustling from 6pm in the bar areas and the place looked full from near enough 7pm when the TV fights started.

It shows the appetite for boxing in a relatively new territory and also the popularity of Ryan, who sold a big proportion of the tickets personally. I commend his efforts in this respect because it is hard work, but also his trainer-manager Wayne Batten, who always shares the load and they always work as a true partnership.

I am thrilled for Wayne to get this success with Ryan because he has put his heart and soul into developing him into a champion over many years now. It hasn’t always been easy and Ryan has given him more than a few sleepless nights, but I think Wayne always believed this time would come.

If ever a trainer deserves some plaudits, it is Wayne. He works quietly and without fanfare and has to graft long hours to keep a gym over the heads of his professionals. I hope and believe this is the start of a glorious chapter for Wayne too. And it couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke.

What’s next for Ryan? Well, we will assess the super featherweight landscape now he has this title in his safekeeping and work out the next best move. A world title shot is always a possibility but I do want to make sure the timing is right.

It wouldn’t be the hardest job in the world to secure him a shot, but we also want to make sure he is in the best position possible to win it. A couple of high-level fights back in Bournemouth could well be the answer, so we will wait and see.

For now though, my congratulations to Ryan and Wayne. We’ve got a new headliner with a massive following and a style made for television. He has got a big future in front of him.