'Didn't do his job': Ryan coach slams title eliminator refereeing

Syphers has coached Ryan for the duration of his decade-long professional career, and was unimpressed by the efforts of Ignatius Missailidis on Thursday night, who was the third man in the ring for the IBO title eliminator bout.

Hogan, an Irishman now living in Brisbane with a record of 30-4-1, is a veteran boxer of vast experience who has recently fought for multiple WBO titles.

But he caught Ryan off guard last week with his wrestle-heavy tactics in Brisbane's Nissan Arena.

Syphers, who had predicted a classical match with more boxing at range, said Hogan was well within his rights to use such an approach, but expected Missailidis to be more assertive in encouraging an active fight.

"The referee let them get away with too much holding. It should've been pulled up," Syphers said.

"He was trying to do what he could, trying to land shots, but every time he threw punches, Hogan came in and held him ... to me it wasn't clean, there was too much wrestling. I'll emphasize the referee didn't do his job."

As Hogan continually sought to tie up Ryan's arms out of wariness of his counter-punching prowess, it was the latter who eventually had a point deducted after both men were warned for blows to the back of the head.

By the end of the 12^th round, Hogan's evasiveness and clinching secured him a 120-108, 117-110, 116-111 win.

"[Ryan is] disappointed, but that's boxing," Syphers said.

"He hasn't got a mark on him, it looks like he hasn't fought."

Throughout late 2020 and 2021, Ryan put together a four-fight win streak to earn the shot at Hogan.

Looking ahead, Syphers believes that they are "only two or three fights" from getting another big opportunity.

"He's just fought a bloke number 14 in the world in Dennis Hogan. There wasn't that much in it really, at the end of the day he's good enough to win a world title, he's just got to prove it on the night."

For now, Syphers doesn't expect Hogan to fight again until July, during which time he will, rest, recuperate, and decide on his next opponent.

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