Ryan Rhodes beats Luca Messi
Ryan Rhodes was a hometown hero on Friday night in Sheffield as he continued down his path for international recognition by destroying Italian Luca Messi, in the first defence of his European light-middleweight belt.
It was a comprehensive victory and Rhodes exerted his class over “The Bergamo Bomber” from the off.
The challenger looked out of his depth and was under the cosh from the opening bell. He bravely came forward the entire fight, but ended up just walking into shots from “Spice Boy” who looked classy and controlled the whole bout.
It didn’t take Rhodes long to find a way through Messi’s gloves and the Italian was on the canvas with a crisp left hook in the opening round.
Rhodes likes to fight his way in from the outside of the ring and Messi marauding round the centre trying to close it off was almost perfect for the local boy. It was like the Italian’s camp watched videos of Rhodes and decided on a style ideal for their man to be picked off.
At times it was punch bag stuff for the European champion, who was frequently finding his target with solid shots to the head and ribs as Messi struggled to get to grips with the southpaw. The challenger tried hard to force his shots through but Rhodes dealt with them comfortably before accurately landing his left jab and following it up with a solid right time and time again.
Messi looked shattered going into the third and was down again early on as Rhodes, who looked fit as a butcher’s dog in comparison threw a leisurely combination that sent the challenger down for a second time. As he did first time round, Messi sprang back up from the canvas like a drunken Zebedee, but it was clear that this was not going to be his night.
In the fourth round Messi showed his durability by continuing to come forward but taking more punishment from Rhodes’ tight left jab which contrasted with The Bomber’s who just couldn’t get it going while he weaved around looking for an opening. To be fair, Messi caught Rhodes in a corner with a minute to go in the fourth stanza and he unloaded a decent combination to the head of the European champion. However the champ went toe-to-toe and battled his way out the situation, answering the only question that was asked of him all night.
The fifth was all Rhodes as he nipped in and opened his opponent up with his excellent jab once again. Messi appeared to be tiring and was taking heavy shots as the European champion kept him frustrated and out of reach with his straights and hooks.
The end was nigh as Messi was down once again in the sixth feeling the full force of a strong right to the ribs. Referee Manuel Oliver Palomo, sporting a superb Pat Sharp mullet, called it a day soon after when Rhodes got his opponent caught on the ropes and delivered a devastating uppercut.
This was an excellent performance by Rhodes who really looks like he has turned the corner from his slightly inconstant past and is now very much in line for a world title shot. Fair play to Messi though he was outclassed but gritty throughout, his priest brother’s prayers in the corner weren’t enough for divine intervention, but the world number 10-ranked light-middleweight can be proud of his efforts despite being thoroughly out-boxed
It’s a tough division and anyone from Julio Caesar Chavez Jnr, Antonio Margerito and Sergi Dzinziruk are potential opponents as Rhodes eyes up what will surely be his final ever title shot. Spice Boy might be tempted by one more European defence and let the chips fall within the weight class before launching his own assault on a world championship belt.
The Spice Boy is now very much a Spice Man and within the next year he should get his world title shot.
He had no problem cleaning up Messi and now all Rhodes lead to big time boxing.
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