On September 11th 2010 Ryan ‘Mr Attitude’ Barrett comprehensively destroyed Mark ‘The Flash’ Alexander, in just one minute and thirty six seconds, to be crowned the International Masters Lightweight Champion.
Ryan was clinical in his approach and within that 96 seconds sent the highly rated Alexander to the canvas no less than three times.
This coming Saturday Ryan will return to the York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, to defend his title, against former Kenyan Super Featherweight Champion Geoffrey ‘The Tiger’ Munika, at the Olivia Goodwin Main Events promoted ‘Search & Destroy’ super show.
Ryan’s opponent on Saturday is no mug either, in his career Munika has challenged for various titles, including the WBF World crown. he’s traveled the World challenging many well known stars, include some here in the UK.
A couple of years ago Munika traveled to London, more specifically York Hall, where he challenged current British Light Welterweight Champion Ashley Theopane. Munika may have lost but he took the heavy hitting Theopane the full fight distance.
Just two weeks later Munika was back in action at York Hall, this time against the current British Welterweight Champion Lee Purdy. Munika went one step further this time, holding Purdy to a 57-57 draw.
Three months later Munika returned to the UK to face two-time British Lightweight title challenger John Watson. However this time Munika was less successful and was stopped in the first round.
Out of his last six fights Munika has won four, three by stoppage, had one technical draw, after his opponent was injured, and just the single loss, which is not that different from Ryan, who in his last six outings has five wins, with just the one by stoppage, and a single loss.
Munika’s not the only one to have fought some big British names in his career. Besides Alexander, Ryan has fought Willie Limond, for the WBU Lightweight World title – and if you see that fight you already know some good old home cooking, in Limond’s favour, took place to rob Ryan of that title. Ryan also fought British and Commonwealth champion John Simpson and more famously current WBA Light Welterweight World Champion Amir ‘King’ Khan.
That’s all history now though as, on June 4th, these two battle hardened warriors will go to war on twenty foot by twenty foot of canvas at York Hall, for ten rounds, or less, after which one of them will be crowned the International Masters Lightweight Champion as well as catapult up the rankings to compete for further championship honours.
Earlier today Ryan explained how the fight with Munika came about, “He (Geoffrey Munika) said he wanted a crack at a big fight, so I spoke to Steve and Olivia and we made the fight.
he doesn’t seem to travel too well, he got stopped by John Watson and lost to Ashley Theopane on points, so I think it’ll be a sturdy test for maybe a few rounds, like when I fought the Croatian and I think it’ll be a middle, late rounds stoppage for me really.
I am certain I will still be Champion on Saturday”
Ryan then went on to talk about his career since the victory over Mark Alexander to lift the coveted International Masters belt, as well as his future aspirations, “It seems that before the Mark Alexander fight everyone was prepared to fight me, but now the phone don’t ring and I just get lumbered with odds and ends really. It was a bad move by me, it definitely scared them all off.
I think that fight made me realise I’d played around for a few years and messed about with it. I’d not trained properly, I’m always fit just never sparred or did my training how it should have been done.
Once Steve (Goodwin) arranged the Alexander fight, it was a meaningful fight, and since then made me realise if I put my mind to it I can do it.
I’d only ever been given half a chance, they’d call me in at two weeks or so notice. The Khan one was five or six days. I never really got to have a fair crack at it. Under Steve I always get a fair crack, sometimes ten weeks to prepare for a fight, like a championship fight.
I’d get to go away, I might go abroad for a couple of weeks and run in the mountains or I get proper sparring in and I get time to prepare for a fight and one opponent, not a chop and change of opponents. It makes a big difference.
At the 9-9 limit I’d fight any of them really, I’d really like the winner of Murray-Rees or Mitchell-Murray or Alex Arthur doesn’t seem to be doing nothing. Any of those guys I’d fight for the British title.
But before that I have the fight on Saturday, once I win that then we can look at one of those other fights.”
Ryan Barrett versus Geoffrey Munika for the International Masters lightweight Title headlines the Olivia Goodwin Main Events promoted ‘Search & Destroy’ event at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London on Saturday 4th June 2011.
Tickets, priced £35 (Standard seated) and £50 (Ringside) for the ‘Search and Destroy’ event are available on-line now at www.tkoboxoffice.com, in person at The TKO Boxing Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16 4SA or from any boxer appearing on the show. For further information call: 07960 850645
