Boxing Preview: Prizefighter Series Part Two

By James Oakley September 12th, 2008 All Boxing Previews

Tonight, September 12, 2008, Barry Hearn's Prizefighter tournament will take off again. In the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England, eight heavyweight hopefuls will battle if out to win 25,000 pounds and become the new heavyweight prizefighter champion, succeeding the first champ, Martin Rogan, who won the initial tournament in April.

Prizefighter's catch line is 'eight heavyweights, seven fights, one winner. Modeled on Cricket's 20:20 series, the first installment of Prizefighter was a hit on Sky Sports television and certainly is expected to be once more.

The winner will have to go through three fights of three rounds each, winning all. The favorite appears to be undefeated Chris Burton. Burton, from Darlington, stands ix feet five inches tall and is 11-0-0 with six knockouts to his name.

He will start against David Ingleby, 5-21-1. Despite being a heavy favorite, if the fights are anything like Prizefighter one, being the best boxer in the tournament may not mean as much as it seems to on paper.

A dark horse in the championships is the veteran Pele Reid. His record of 19-5-0 with 17 knockouts shows he will certainly test the favorite Burton if they are drawn to fight.

Reid has fought names such as Micheal Sprott and most recently, John McDermott. He starts off against Norfolk's Sam Sexton. Sexton has one loss to his name and has previously beaten fellow Prizefighter contestant Luke Simpkin by knockout, so is no pushover.

Simpkin will start against another man with only one loss to his name, Dave Ferguson, who lost to last year's winner Martin Rogan in the semi finals. Ferguson will believe he can go all the way this year after winning his last fight over four rounds. More...

British Boxing: Truscott Wins Commonwealth Featherweight Title

By Jane Warburton May 11th, 2008 All Boxing Results

Friday night, in a Matchroom Sports promoted fightnight at Eston Sports Academy, Middlesbrough, England, homeboy - Paul Truscott defeated Ghanaian - Osumanu Akaba to take the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight title.

This was Truscottʼs 11th professional win in less than two years as a professional and heʼd never previously fought past eight rounds!

Face bloodied as he finished the twelfth and final round, Truscott - stood with his glove raised aloft, as did Akaba, whilst he listened for the result. Ringside judges scored the contest 116-112, 115-113 and 116-112, all in favour of the local lad, who was clearly emotional on hearing the decision.

Punch stats revealed that although Truscott threw less punches - he had a better success rate than his opponent, landing 26% of punches as opposed to 21% for Akaba.

Also on the ʽfight cardʼ - heavyweight Chris Burton of County Durham, gained a points victory over Lee Swaby of Lincoln in an eight round contest. Burton has won all eleven of his professional fights. Swaby has lost his last six.

Yorkshireman, Gavin Reid, knocked out not-so-ʽDangerousʼ - John Donnelly of Liverpool in round four of their scheduled eight round super bantamweight contest. It was Donnellyʼs first loss in seven fights, while Reidʼs record moves to five wins and two losses.

Liverpudlian Nathan Brough kept his perfect pro-record, scoring a points win over Polish Boxer, Arek Malek, in a six round light welterweight contest. Broughʼs record now stands at five wins and no losses.

Craig Denton of Hartlepool knocked out ʽGypsy Boyʼ - Ernie Smith, in round two of their four round middleweight contest. Denton improves to six wins (1 by KO).

Bob Ajisafe of Darlington scored a points win over Yanko Pavlov in their four round light heavyweight contest. This was Pavlovʼs pro-debut. Ajisafe now has four professional wins.