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Billi Godoy targets John Ryder scalp and rise in rankings

John Ryder, middleweight
Image: John Ryder: Faces experienced opponent in Billi Godoy

Billi Godoy will draw on the experience of beating a former world champion when he takes on John Ryder on Saturday night.

The Argentine stands in the way of Ryder's charge towards a major title shot, and the two middleweights meet over 10 rounds on Sky Sports 1 as part of this weekend's live bill from the O2 Arena.

Godoy counts former welterweight champ and Floyd Mayweather opponent Carlos Baldomir among his 31 victims, and Jorge Sebastian Heiland - last seen stopping Matthew Macklin - is another notable scalp on his record.

The 28-year-old has been beaten three times since that 2012 win over Baldomir, but he sees Saturday's fight as a route back to the top.

"I am in good shape for this fight because I've had some good wins," he said. "I had a high ranking when I beat Carlos Baldomir and Heiland. I have belief that if I win on Saturday I'll be up there in the rankings again. 

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"I was already training for a fight in Argentina but they called me to fight over in England for a title (Ryder's WBO inter-continental belt), which interested me. So we accepted the fight. I know John is a southpaw, he has good technique and he's a good boxer so I'll have to be very intelligent in the way that I fight him.

"Fights are fights. I always respect my rivals. I have my experience and a lot of confidence. I'm sure it's going to be a great fight, I'm going to win as I always do.

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"It was a very strange sensation being in the ring with Baldomir who was like an idol to me. He's fought the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Arturo Gatti and Zab Judah so I never thought I'd be facing him in the ring in my life! Anyway, I had to fight him, he was my rival and I had to treat him as such."

The Godoy-Ryder contest will take second billing to the main event: Kevin Mitchell's WBC lightweight title eliminator against Daniel Estrada.

Watch this Saturday's Capital Punishment bill live on Sky Sports 1 from 7pm.

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