“Bad” Thad Ridsdill (2-1-0, 1KOs) of Oshawa, Ontario, grows hungrier with each passing day. At the moment, he’s relentlessly training at the Motor City Boxing Club for a much anticipated all-Ontario, super-welterweight showdown with Mikhail Miller (2-4-1) of Toronto.
The men are scheduled for six rounds or less at the Children’s Arena in Oshawa on Friday, November 1. It’s not ordinary fight for the Oshawa prospect. In fact, Ridsdill has spent the better part of decade waiting for this fight to materialize.
“We faced each other in the amateurs,” says Ridsdill. “We met in the 2013 Ontario Silver Gloves, with me coming out on top. With six years between then and now, I can’t wait to test my skills against Miller again, this time in the pros. I’m built for the pro game. Let’s see how he feels when I crank up the pressure with those small gloves.”
Ridsdill thrilled his hometown fans at the Children’s Arena last April, knocking out Hector Luna of Mexico with a perfectly-timed left hook at the end of the second round. Miller has looked good in recent outings, staying the distance with Ajax standout Sukhdeep Singh (6-0-0, 2KOs) and losing a close split decision to Brantford power-puncher Karlton Hess (3-2-0, 2KOs). Both those fights were crowd pleasers and Miller believes November 1 will be no different.
“Miller is a counter puncher. He likes sitting on his back leg,” explained Ridsdill. “I like to think of myself as a pressure fighter. Put these styles together, and you should get a great, fan-friendly fight. We’ll keep the fans the edge of their seat. But make no mistake, I plan on using his strengths against him in this fight. I’ll be leaving with the win.”
Ridsdill-Miller is part of a six-fight Classic Boxing Promotions offering headlined by NABA and NCC Canadian super lightweight champion Steven “The Piranha” Wilcox (21-3-0, 5KOs) of Hamilton in a eight rounder against Gustavo Torres (9-7-1, 4KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico.
The undercard includes the return of amateur national champion and Oshawa favourite Evan Gillard (3-0-0, 1KOs) against once-defeated Brandon Gallardo (3-1-0, 1KOs) of Ciudad Neza, Mexico, in a light-flyweight six rounder; Hamilton featherweight Kylie Angel Fallis (3-0-0, 1KOs) against tough-as-nails Ana Ruth Castro (1-1-0, 1KOs).
Super lightweights Dylan Rushton of Hamilton and Kyle Marsh (0-3-0) of Peterborough in a provincial rematch; and national super middleweight contender Phil Rose (9-6-1, 5KOs) of Whitby against Kenny Chery (2-3-0, 1KOs) of Montreal for six rounds or less.