NEW Commonwealth light-welterweight champion John Wayne Hibbert has hit back at his critics after the biggest win of his career on Saturday.

Hibbert stopped old rival Dave Ryan in the 10th round of their bout at London’s 02 Arena, after the Derby man complained of back trouble, leaving the referee with no choice but to call a halt to the fight as Hibbert went on the offensive.

Many had Ryan ahead on their scorecards at the time of the stoppage but it was the Horndon boxer, who had been knocked to the floor in the sixth round, who brought the rainbow commonwealth and WBC International championship belts back to Essex.

However, since the fight, Hibbert has been targeted by some on social media, condemning him for celebrating the victory.

He has since announced he will be taking a break from Twitter, while reminiscing about his victory over Ryan.

“I have had a lot of stick on social media and I don’t think it is fair,” said the 30-year-old. “The first fight we had I was stitched up (losing controversially on a split points decision) but I congratulated him as it wasn’t his fault the way it went.

“But it wasn’t my fault what happened on Saturday. It is not nice to see as I have worked hard for this and my family and I don’t deserve it.

“I know I wasn’t winning the fight but that is credit to Dave Ryan. My team had got me in the best possible shape and I was 100 per cent ready when I got in the ring but they had a game plan and it worked very well. He stayed away from my right arm and I wasn’t able to get any combinations going.

“Dave Ryan was feeling it in there. He was boxing well but I was getting stronger and I think his old legs were going. I don’t know if he hurt his back because of a punch or whether something just went but I had to capitalise on it, in the same way he would have done if it had been me.”

It looked as though the fight would be over in the sixth round, when a fierce body shot from Ryan saw Hibbert fall to the canvas.

And he says he is still bearing the bruises from the punch days after the fight.

“It still hurts,” admitted the Horndon fighter, who trains at the Gateway Amateur Boxing Club in Corringham. “It was a hard punch but it was more about where he got me than anything else. But when I was down I thought of my kids Lexie and Connor and knew I had to get up.

“I could hear my team shouting ‘10 seconds, 10 seconds’ and I just thought ‘run’. That said, if I hadn’t been in the shape I was in, I wouldn’t have been able to get up from that. It was a great punch.”

Hibbert has not decided whether he will get back in the ring for a fourth bout with Ryan yet, although the Derby man’s camp is pushing for a third re-match.

Hibbert has just come to the end of his current deal with boxing magnate Eddie Hearn’s company Matchroom Sport, but says he will be sitting down in the coming weeks to talk about his future.

“If it makes financial sense I will look at it,” he said. “A few people have been asking what my next fight will be but we will have to wait and see. I need to speak to Eddie (Hearn) but we will go from there. For now I am going to take a little break and enjoy spending time with my family.

“It has been a bit mad. I turned my phone off for a few days as I just wanted to take it all in with my family. But I guess you have to expect this when you are a champion.

“I haven’t seen the belt since I got home,” he laughed. “My daughter has kept it in her bedroom and I am just pleased to see the smiles on their faces.”

 

THE VIEW FROM THE OTHER CAMP

THE defeated Dave Ryan was quick to tweet he felt “robbed” hours after the fight and his management are also targeting a re-match.

The Derby boxer’s manager Clifton Mitchell told the Derby Telegraph, Hibbert should be thankful he got the stoppage.

“John Wayne Hibbert should take those belts straight to church and turn into a Christian because somebody up there looked down on him and took pity on him,” he said.

“He (Ryan) was head and shoulders above that kid.

“There was a gulf between them in terms of talent, strength and everything.”