South African boxer looks to pack a punch
A SOUTH African boxer has moved to Thurso to help realise his dream of becoming a world boxing champion.
Chris Ryder felt there was little chance of him becoming the best in the world while he was based in Johannesburg.
So he left the Southern Hemisphere six months ago and emigrated more than 14,000 kilometres to live with his family in the Springpark area of the town in a bid to improve his career.
Middleweight boxer Ryder along with Wick based welterweight fighter Liall Mackenzie from Wick have both gained their pro licences from the Boxing Control of Scotland.
Ryder (25) was previously named as the welterweight boxer of the year in South Africa and was seen as one of the country’s top prospects.
However, he said boxing is not seen as a major sport in South Africa and felt there was no opportunity of him ever competing on the international stage back home.
“I have been boxing for about 10 years and I was professional in South Africa,” he said.
But I always had problems taking part in professional fights back home.
I believe I have a better chance excelling in my professional career in Scotland than I would ever have done back in South Africa.
So I moved to Thurso, where my family now stay in a bid to improve my professional career.”
Ryder and Mackenzie went under tests before being granted their pro licences including MRI scans, blood tests and also attended meetings with representatives from the Boxing Control of Scotland.
Ryder is now a member of the Inverness City Amateur Boxing Club where he travels over 100 miles to train at the club every week.
In-between, he takes part in sparring sessions with Mackenzie in Caithness and trains at Naver Gym in Thurso which he says has been vital in maintaining his boxing and fitness levels.
He said it is hard being based so far away from the boxing club in Inverness but he is committed to travelling from Caithness when he can.
“Me and Liall meet up during the week to do sparring and do our training regimes together,” he said. I also do a 10k run every day and then do six rounds of hitting the bag followed by power and stomach exercises.
But that is about it in terms of training in Caithness.
The training facilities are a lot better in South Africa than here as I had a bigger variety of gyms to go to.
But you don’t see boxing world champions coming out of South Africa, but you do in the UK.
It is difficult travelling from Thurso to Inverness as I prefer to do my training everyday in the boxing club.
But I can only do with what I can get at the moment.”
Ryder is set to make his professional debut in Scotland in a fight in February against an unconfirmed opponent in Inverness.
He hopes it is the next step in his ambition to become a world champion which he is confident he has the ability to achieve.
“You don’t see world champions coming out of South Africa but you do in the UK as boxing here is taken far more seriously. I want to achieve world titles and that is why I have moved to Scotland.
I want to go all the way.”