Big things are expected of Clifton’s super welterweight ‘King Punisher,’ Ryan Amos this year, the 7-0, undefeated fighter getting back into the swing of things after time away due to a global pandemic.
Debuting back in 2018, defeating Dale Arrowsmith on points at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village, Amos’ ticket was punched for the bright lights, big cities, and now, as we motor through 2022, it’s becoming time for him to make those first, tentative steps towards championship contention.
Quick-fire successes at the back end of last year, against Seamus Devlin and Luke Middleton, ensure that Amos was ready to make the next step, and he’s looking at doing so later this month when he takes his first, six-rounder, against at the Harvey Hadden.
“I’d previously been training for your ten and twelve round tight fights as it is,” Amos told the Nottingham Sport.
“However, things didn’t quite work out, but I’ve got six and eight rounders lined up and I can’t wait to get in there, and fight the longer rounds.
“That’s how I’ve always trained, and I understand the training and expenditure more that way.”
With the past couple of years having knocked many-a-fighter back in the progression, sometimes even with their respective training schedules, it quickly became a case of how each individual dealt with the matter at hand.
The two fights at the end of 2021 helped Amos shake off any possible ring-rust that could have gathered between the win over Nathan Hardy at the start of 2020, and seeing off Devlin at the end of 2021.
“The break, it kind of made things, well, the not knowing as to what was going to happen,” added the Clifton fighter.
“What did happen though, and for all of us really, didn’t make sense, and, with fights continually falling through, progression was hampered.
“Time though, it waits for no man, and I just had to keep on training the best I could, and doing lots of road work, which quickly became quite frustrating really.”
Now though, it’s all about his next outing, and his third in six months, his team looking at pushing the undefeated star towards, maybe an overdue, Midlands title opportunity, then onto the English eliminators, contention.
With the Midlands strap currently held by Leicester’s Kyle Haywood, 9-1(1), who won it at the second time of asking, against Alex Fearon in September last year; and the English with Walthamstowe’s Sam Gilley, 13-1(6), which’ll be defended in April against the undefeated Drew Brown, Amos’ focus is, understandably right now, best served on his own, next opponent.
“There’s not been any problems, and they (previous opponents) have all had different styles and challenges which to deal with,” admits Amos, looking back on previous outings.
“You have to know how to, and when to adapt, what body parts to use, and when, and you have to be aware early on as to what style and skill level your opponent possesses.
“I’m all for, and been asking for this (longer contests) for a while really, and I’ve not been out the gym.
“I was straight back in training after the last fight, you have to do that, keep yourself active, doing everything really.
“But now, I want to break into that top twenty, hover around there a little, and know what you can do, what you can produce, and manage each challenge as they’re put in front of me.”
Ryan ‘King Punisher’ Amos appears on the Scott Calow/Boxing Connected card at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village on Saturday 26 March; more information on this, and other shows via scottcalow.com.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @Ryan_Amos_Official Ryan in the gym looking forward to his next fight.
