If Jake hadn't had injured ribs - possibly some impressive writing?

I watched this film again the other day and looked it up on wikipedia and read the following: ' While he and Baja attempt to leave, Ryan confronts him and the two finally fight outside. Jake is still limited by his ribs, and Ryan—at first—gains the upper hand, applying a choke on Jake.'

After watching that scene it got me wondering why the writers had to write that into the script considering he was already - presumably - the underdog. But then I realised that perhaps by the end it was intended that Ryan was the inferior fighter. The scene at Ryan's house in which they are discussing Jake pulling out of the beatdown and Ryan's friend said 'That's not the word on the street, man' when it was suggested that Jake was scared. Then Ryan says something like 'well tell me then, what is the word on the street?' and that girl says 'I heard that it's he can kick your ass'.

In the last fight, is it therefore implied that without an injury Jake would have beaten him pretty easily? If so that's actually some pretty damn good writing.