SANDY Ryan returned to the win column with a confidence-building 10-round points victory over Jade Grierson. Opening the main portion of Matchroom Boxing’s DAZN offering in the Sunderland Live Arena, Ryan was pushed by a game Grierson, who could not quite match the experience and talent of the Derby woman.
After 10 honest rounds, edged by Ryan’s classier moves, the three judges totalled 98-92 (John Latham), 99-91 (Reece Carter) and 100-90 (Terry O’Connor), securing a unanimous decision victory.
Grierson was seeking to prove she belonged at this kind of level, while Ryan was out to show her levels as a former world champion. Ryan’s judgement of distance, mixed with a solid left jab, kept her a step ahead in the early rounds.
Brave and fit, Newark’s Grierson lobbed in the occasional right hand when she was able to get inside. Referee Bob Williams had a little word in the fourth as Ryan got into the habit of pushing her foe down. Grierson exited that round with a bloodied nose.
Ryan’s extra class told at the close of the fifth in the form of a whipping left hook to the body. Either respectful of Grierson’s prowess or keen to take no risks and grab the rounds, Ryan boxed her way home, improving to 8-3-1 (3 KOs) while Jade Grierson suffered her first pro defeat, dropping to 5-1-1 (2 KOs).
“I had to get the fight back in me, and throughout camp I got that back in me,” the winner said.
“I enjoyed it in there. The enjoyment, the aggression, that’s me. She’s a tough girl [Grierson], respect to her. She only lives like 20 minutes away from me! Any big fight next, honestly, you all know what I’m about.”
