Ryan vs Watson Predictions: Can Shannon cause ‘Kaos’ on Chloe’s road back?

Shannon Ryan and Chloe Watson meet at an intriguing point in their respective careers this Friday, October 17. York Hall in Bethnal Green, the spiritual home of British boxing, will host the 10-rounder. The IBF inter-continental super flyweight belt is on the line with DAZN broadcasting live.

Here are my Ryan vs Watson predictions ahead of this well-matched bout.

Shannon Ryan vs Chloe Watson Odds

Ryan is priced at 2/5 to get the job done. Watson comes in at 21/10 while the draw is priced at 12/1.

Shannon Ryan vs Chloe Watson Fight Preview

There is a certain symmetry in this match-up. Both boxers are at slightly different stages of a comeback from big upset defeats. Each woman lost a title fight they were expected to win and now their roads to redemption converge. Only one can proceed towards world titles.

After conquering kickboxing and making Team GB in taekwondo, Ryan shifted her focus to boxing in 2016. Signing with Anthony Joshua’s 258 management stable ensured plenty of attention. Six wins earned Ryan a crack at Commonwealth super flyweight queen Emma Dolan, in a fight which would also see an inaugural British champion crowned.

When the champion withdrew due to illness, Ryan out-scored Jasmina Zapotoczna to lift the WBA international title instead. More on that opponent later. Read on, dear friend.

Ryan would get her crack at Dolan in June 2024. With history on the line, it was Dolan who held her nerve to take a split decision. The upset was the result of a close fight. Dolan scored a much-debated knockdown but ultimately, even if that second round had been scored 10-9 instead of 10-8, Dolan would have won.

Boxing fans love a bit of schadenfreude and Ryan was dismissed unfairly as a “hype job” in some quarters. But Ryan got right back to it, rolling over reliable trial-horse Kate Radomska in three rounds. 

A fight with decent Spaniard Fara El Bousairi did not quite go to plan. Ryan hit the deck in the third round before rallying for a points win. It was a flash knockdown, but ‘Kaos’ allowed herself to be consumed by exactly that during a rock’em-sock’em exchange.

Watson is facing her own uncertainty at the moment, after a battle with one of her and Ryan’s mutual foes. Zapotoczna stunned Chloe last time out to dethrone her as European flyweight champion. The bout took place at the iconic Royal Albert Hall as part of BOXXER’s all-female card in the building. 

That fight saw Watson split with her trainer, the late legend Ricky Hatton. She is now working with Paul Stevenson over at Everton Red Triangle. It will be interesting to see the changes in Watson, after a hard-fought loss to the spirited Zapotoczna in March, particularly as Watson moves up in weight for this clash.

Ryan is 28 and Watson is 25. This is not the last chance saloon for these gifted boxers. The IBF ranking bauble on the line will open up opportunities down the line for the victor. But even the loser is not out of the running completely.

But there is a caveat. An aberration can become a reputation very quickly in this game. The loser of Friday’s clash will be labelled as someone who fails to win their big fights. That sort of tag is tough to shake. Not necessarily an indelible tattoo, but definitely a well-chained millstone. 

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Shannon Ryan vs Chloe Watson Prediction

We are flying a little blind on Watson here. The 25-year-old was a pressure fighter down at flyweight. Now she is facing stronger, bigger opponents, will we see Ryan ease off on this strategy? What changes will Stevenson introduce in her corner?

Ryan might be strong, but she is actually three inches shorter than Chloe. Like Watson, she does seem to box most effectively on the front foot. Could we see centre-ring fireworks? 

The pair have little to fear regarding each other’s power. Ryan’s knockout over Radomska (who has been the distance with Watson) is the only stoppage on either boxer’s pro record.

I think that will make for a good fight. Ryan and Watson should mesh well and throw with abandon for the most part. In that sort of fight, I make this a bit of a pick’em. But being as I am supposed to be the one who picks ‘em, I’ll edge towards Watson on points at 12/5. Ryan is tidy and determined, but I think Watson has a higher ceiling and this fresh start might help her reach it.

Image: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

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