GEORDIE British lightweight champion Lewis Ritson said sorry for disappointing in his bid to win the EBU European title after losing a split decision to Francesco Patera.

Patera, a Belgian, who went into the fight in Ritson’s home city of Newcastle as the outsider, finished the fight the stronger and won a European belt for a second time, with two judges scoring 116-112 in his favour.

Ritson was caught by a blow to the body in the fifth round, was hurt again at the end of the seventh and was hanging on in the final 20 seconds of the tenth.

“I want to apologise, it is not the performance I wanted tonight,” Ritson told Sky Sports. “I was hit with a body shot in the fifth round and I couldn’t recover from there.”

Ritson fell to the shock defeat in front of a raucous crowd at Newcastle’s Metro Arena, where the 25-year-old was expected to see off his more experienced challenger.

But he was given an education in European-level boxing, with Patera relentless in the latter rounds.

“It wasn’t the performance I wanted,” Ritson said. All three judges scored the fight 116-112, with one having Ritson as the winner and two siding with Patera.

“The better man won,” said Ritson. “After the first four rounds I was heading back to the corner almost laughing. I maybe got too complacent.”

The British champion started the stronger in front of a supportive home crowd, which included former Newcastle and England footballer Alan Shearer.

Ritson drew blood from Patera in the second round as the Belgian - who has never been stopped - struggled to match his opponent’s power.

But Ritson found it tough to recover from a flurry of body shots around the midway point of the fight, a huge shift in body language evident as Patera started to take control.

Defeat was the first of Ritson’s career after 17 successive victories.

“I got caught with a body shot in the fifth and I couldn’t recover. I’m gutted,” he said. “I got hurt and then I couldn’t get it back.”

Meanwhile, Tyson Fury has told Deontay Wilder it is “written in the stars” that he will beat the American in style when they clash in the ring.

Fury challenges Wilder for the WBC heavyweight title at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on December 1.

It will be only the third bout of Fury’s comeback - after defeating Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta - following a two-and-a-half-year absence.

The 30-year-old Briton (27-0, 19 KOs) said on BT Sport’s Face Off programme while sat at a table across from Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs): “The fact that I’ve chosen you after having two fights coming back, and that I want this fight, is a statement for the world to see.

“I want this to be one of the greatest comebacks in boxing history, similar to George Foreman, Muhammad Ali and the other great comeback fighters.

“If I can win this belt they’ll put me amongst the greats of the comebacks. All the controversy and stuff I’ve been through, adds to the flavour.

“I know for a fact deep down in my soul, it’s written in the stars for me to come back and wipe you out, in style, in America. And everyone is going to say ‘how did he do that?’ And I’m going to say ‘I told you so.’ I’m back.

“I’m beating you one million per cent.

“I have no doubts, even after all the time off - you cannot beat me. I know deep in my heart you can’t beat me.

“I know no-one can - I’ll retire unbeaten heavyweight champion of the world, like Rocky Marciano, the second man to do it in history. You can’t beat me and 10 more like you can’t beat me.”

Wilder told Fury “it’s not your time”, adding: “This is my time.

“It will forever be my time until I retire. Because I speak it, believe it, receive it, speak it, believe it, receive it, speak it, believe it, receive it.”

RESULTS from Newcastle: Francesco Patera bt Lewis Ritson via decision; Robbie Davies Jr bt Glenn Foot via decision; Joseph Laws bt Chris Truman TKO4; Joshua Buatsi bt Tony Averlant TKO1; Dave Allen bt Samir Nebo KO1; Craig Glover bt Simon Valley TKO8; John Docherty bt Jordan Latimer KO1; Anthony Fowler bt Gabor Gorbics KO5; Lawrence Osueke bt Charles Adamu via decision; Thomas Ward bt Tom Tran KO1; Hosea Burton bt Saidou Sall KO1; Chad Ellis bt Angel Emilov via decision.