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Lewis Ritson was aiming to get a European title shot on October 13 in Newcastle, and now he will. The 24-year-old will face Belgium’s Francesco Patera for the vacant lightweight title on that date.
Ritson (16-0, 10 KO) is feeling confident:
“I’ve dealt with all the top operators at domestic level and now it’s time to announce myself on the European stage. I’m feeling unstoppable right now and I’m ready to take on anyone that gets put in front of me.”
It was already known Ritson would be fighting on that date for the European title, as well as a tune-up set for the Khan-Vargas card on September 8, but it wasn’t clear until now whom he’d face on October 13.
But it’ll be Patera (19-3, 7 KO), a 25-year-old who has held the title before, beating Edis Tatli in May 2017 before dropping the title back to Tatli in December of last year. Tatli last defended the title on August 11 against Frank Urquiaga in Finland, and vacated the belt this week.