‘Ryan, be ready’ – Dangerous Dutch fighter sends Ryan O’Rourke a message

‘Ryan, be ready’ is the short and almost eerie message Wilson Sanchez Mendes [2(2)-1(0)] has for Ryan O’Rourke [7(1)-0] ahead of their now eagerly anticipated eight-rounder this weekend.

The Dublin prospect takes on the powerful kickboxing convert, who was initially scheduled to fight Tiernan Bradley, on the All Eyez on Brussels 2 card.

The Dutch fighter’s record makes for interesting reading and his threat levels increase the more you dig into his past.

Mendes has been plying his trade in Germany and has been causing upsets away from home since he turned over.

Mendes has yet to fight a journeyman and holds stoppage wins over two previously undefeated Germans. Mendes also has a German away corner draw on his slate after going the distance with an 8-1-1 middleweight.

His duck egg was burst last time out but that defeat came against former Elite Turkish amateur Volcan Gockek. Add the fact the Rotterdam native is coming motivated and gunning for an upset win and 22-year-old O’Rourke faces a test akin to a BUI Celtic title fight.

Indeed having done his homework Irish-boxing.com’s Joe O’Neill believes the undefeated Dub heads into 50-50 action on a card that also see’s testing bouts for Keane McMahon, Tony Browne and John Cooney, as well as less dangerous bouts for Paddy Nevin and debutant Christian Preston.

Speaking on the Irish Boxing Insiders Podcast, O’Neill, an away fighter specialist, said: “This guy has an iron chin, has fought from super featherweight all the way up to middleweight, has an unbelievable tank. I have seen him knock out a 5-0 Austrian, I’ve seen him draw with a German middleweight who was 8-1, I saw him fight Volkan Gokcek, who fought David Oliver Joyce in an Olympic Box Off, he got battered but just kept on coming. Ryan O’Rourke has a real fight on his hands.”