Jesse finds a way to legally punch his critics

[Flem274*]

Radio Sport host Mark Watson has agreed to fight New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder next month.

The pair will make their boxing debuts on the undercard of the KFC Godfather of all Fight Nights, featuring Shane Cameron v Monte Barrett, on July 5 at SkyCity in Auckland.

Watson hosts The Cauldron on Saturday mornings at Radio Sport and will fight over three two-minute rounds with the cricketer.

Ryder is using the bout to get fit in his drive to return to cricket in a healthy state. He aims to reduce his 106kg weight to 96kg during the training.

Watson says he is a keen sportsperson looking for a different challenge.

"I'm just a keen sportsperson looking for a challenge in a different sport," Watson says.

"Will I be terrified on the night? Hell yes.

"But I want to front up. I need to push myself in something. It's really about me versus me."

He has been guaranteed it won't be promoted as a grudge match.

"I have no personal issue with Jesse and have been guaranteed it will not be promoted as a grudge match.

"I thought hard about this but concluded it's easy for talkshow hosts to be accused of hiding behind the mike."

Watson, who formerly ran Triathlon New Zealand's European base, for several years, is renowned for hard-hitting opinions.

In the past he has accused New Zealand cricketers, including Ryder, of failing to meet the standards of physical fitness required at elite level in other sports.

Ryder takes critic into boxing ring - National - NZ Herald News

Allow me to introduce our international readers to Mark Watson's opinions, from just two test matches.

Gave a quick listen to him tonight to see what he had to say about the cricket.

Could only last 10 minutes. A few key highlights:

- Both teams are **** and only the fact that we played less **** than Aussie is the reason we won.
- The result proves that Vettori is not needed in the side.
- The players will let the result get to their ego's and will make them think they're unstoppable.

The first two are arguable, but the last point is his usual brand of misery he spouts when we aren't winning. See below.

A highlight from last week when I listened;

"I would drop McCullum, drop Ryder, sit down with Taylor and ask him some serious questions and then I would look at Vettori. The team culture needs to change (player power etc) and I think he plays a big part in that."

The same Vettori who had just scored 96 to save us from embarrassment for a few more days ftr.

A couple of Cricketwebbers on Mark Watson;

Mark Watson is an ignorant, arrogant, dense, dribbling troglodyte whose complete lack of insight into cricket is only rivalled by his lack of insight into the fatuousness of his own commentary.

... and those are only his best qualities.

He deserves the late shift with the glue sniffers and AA members ringing up slurring.

So yeah, this will be entertaining.

 

[Hurricane]

stevenz lol

 

[Mike5181]

FULL INTERVIEW: Jesse Ryder | News Video

 

[Athlai]

Hope Jesse knocks him out tbh.

 

[Adamc]

Haha wtf. Reminds me of when Uwe Boll (****house film maker extraordinaire) challenged several of his critics to boxing matches. He beat the **** out of all of them, but he's still a tool and his films are still ****.

 

[Scaly piscine]

106kg. Bloody hell.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Feck me, that's over 16 and a half stone. How tall is Ryder?

Angry young man in any event; I saw on cricinfo t'other day he'd "offered out" (as I believe you kids don't say) Craig McMillian for "dissing" him.

WAC tbh.

 

[thierry henry]

Ryder is about 6' or a fraction more. Big lad all over.

Honestly I'm pretty surprised he only weighs 106kg. I'm shorter than him and 100kg and maybe it's just my reverse-anorexia playing tricks on me, but I swear he's noticeably bigger than me.

 

[uvelocity]

I thought it said 160 at first and was like woah he's really let himself go

 

[SteveNZ]

stevenz lol

Haha, I like my work there. And I was right. No idea how he gets the Saturday morning shift.

And..

OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS. I will pay whatever Dean Lonegan wants me to for this fight.

And I know a fair few cricketers who will be lined up on the couch as well, and urging Jesse to kill him.

 

[theegyptian]

Ryder's career is just one big joke. No way he should be involved in boxing fights if he wants to be playing professional cricket again - no matter how amateur or small time the fight is. imo.

 

[NasserFan207]

From the sounds of it I hope Jesse smashes him.

 

[SteveNZ]

Ryder's career is just one big joke. No way he should be involved in boxing fights if he wants to be playing professional cricket again - no matter how amateur or small time the fight is. imo.

Disagree. It's a great way to get him fit - he's working towards something tangible. Trying to get fit via other methods hasn't worked in the past.

He won't get hurt. He'll get a lot fitter than he's ever been, he's got real motivation to do it and he's not sacrificing any cricket. He's not going to the Windies, nor probably India, so it's his off-season. His perogative now is to get fit and be ready to perform when summer comes around.

I honestly can't see a down side.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Disagree. It's a great way to get him fit - he's working towards something tangible. Trying to get fit via other methods hasn't worked in the past.

He won't get hurt. He'll get a lot fitter than he's ever been, he's got real motivation to do it and he's not sacrificing any cricket. He's not going to the Windies, nor probably India, so it's his off-season. His perogative now is to get fit and be ready to perform when summer comes around.

I honestly can't see a down side.

Well he could do an injury to his hand, but I doubt it's a great risk.

 

[Debris]

Disagree. It's a great way to get him fit - he's working towards something tangible. Trying to get fit via other methods hasn't worked in the past.

He won't get hurt. He'll get a lot fitter than he's ever been, he's got real motivation to do it and he's not sacrificing any cricket. He's not going to the Windies, nor probably India, so it's his off-season. His perogative now is to get fit and be ready to perform when summer comes around.

I honestly can't see a down side.

Don't know why you would assume he would get fit this way. He might but I have seen some really unfit guys in these charity matches. That is why they makes them 2 minute rounds.

 

[SteveNZ]

Don't know why you would assume he would get fit this way. He might but I have seen some really unfit guys in these charity matches. That is why they makes them 2 minute rounds.

You don't know why I'd assume that news stories showing him running, boxing, working out in the gym etc in preparation for a bout with a bit of personal feeling in it would get him fit?

I'm sure you have seen some unfit guys in these charity fights, but I doubt any of them were international sportsmen in their 20s. I know Jesse is perennially unfit but this can only be of benefit to him. Yes he could concievably break a hand but it's very rare for such a thing to happen in charity bouts where the guys aren't hitting as hard.

Good on the bloke. For all his failings, he's trying to do something positive. Embrace it. He's not a bad boy, as the tired old media continue to call him, he's just far from perfect.

 

[Debris]

You don't know why I'd assume that news stories showing him running, boxing, working out in the gym etc in preparation for a bout with a bit of personal feeling in it would get him fit?

I'm sure you have seen some unfit guys in these charity fights, but I doubt any of them were international sportsmen in their 20s. I know Jesse is perennially unfit but this can only be of benefit to him. Yes he could concievably break a hand but it's very rare for such a thing to happen in charity bouts where the guys aren't hitting as hard.

Good on the bloke. For all his failings, he's trying to do something positive. Embrace it. He's not a bad boy, as the tired old media continue to call him, he's just far from perfect.

There is a good why none of them are international sportsmen in their 20s - those guys were already fit. You would know better than I if Ryder is actually doing the training to get fit rather than just posing for the media. I really hope he is because NZ does not have enough of a talent pool to discard him. It is a bit of a concern, though, if he needs a boxing match to motivate him to get fit. Playing for NZ not enough?

 

[SteveNZ]

Unfortunately he does struggle for motivation, he's not made full fitness for any length of time in the past. Some have the intrinsic motivation, some don't. And cricket tends to be a lot more individual in terms of fitness programmes, not in a group as per rugby etc.

Although it's arguable that he's fashioned a pretty good set of numbers with a gut anyway. I can confirm he was a pretty large individual when he made 200 v India.