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RINGSIDE

Reporters’ star ratings for main events and undercards are based on in-ring entertainment, competitiveness and whether overall expectation was met

MUSWELL HILL

FEBRUARY 12

FOR John Ryder, when he edged out Danny Jacobs on a split decision at Alexandra Palace on Saturday, it was the fairy-tale victory he’d been waiting for.

The Islington fighter was the underdog against an American star and for John this was a triumph against the odds. It comes after his long road through a hard career that’s seen him lose close fights with the likes of Billy Joe Saunders and Callum Smith but also rack up a sequence of impressive performances to earn a shot at a big-name opponent.