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: Ryan Rhodes Reclaims Past Glory

By Jane Warburton April 22nd, 2008 All Boxing Results

Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

On Friday night, in a Frank Maloney promoted fight night at the famous York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, Gary Woolcombe made his first defence of the British Middlweight Title against Ryan Rhodes.

Taller, younger, ʽHot Stuffʼ Woolcombe of Kent faced the more experienced ʽSpice Boyʼ Rhodes of Sheffield. Ironically, Rhodes won this same title - eleven years ago.

Rhodes seems to be having trouble getting a grip on the canvas as he slips two or three times in the opening minute of the first round. But despite being the ʽolderʼ guy - Rhodes looks in fantastic physical shape.

Rhodes looks sharper, quicker and more stylish than the younger Woolcombe. More...

Boxing In Britain: Rhodes KO’s Woolcombe, Regains British Title

By Ricky Jones April 19th, 2008 All Boxing Results

Last night at London's historic York Hall, Ryan Rhodes kept his unbeaten streak at light middle intact by knocking out reigning British titleholder Gary Woolcombe in nine rounds on a Frank Maloney promotion.

31 year old Rhodes regained the British title despite not having actually fought at 12 stone/154 lb since 1997!

Against Woolcombe, the long experience of the tricky Sheffield southpaw came to the fore. In the early rounds, Rhodes lay back and was content to let Woolcombe set the tone, choosing his spots carefully and hammering the British champion with educated counter shots that Woolcombe rarely saw coming.

As Woolcombe started to run out of gas midway throughout the bout, Rhodes began to go on the offensive and scored effectively with power shots that had the Londoner in some difficulty.

Woolcombe was floored in the sixth but the big hearted 25 year old beat the count and managed to box on until he was caught with a perfect right hook to the temple in the ninth round was counted out. More...

Boxing Showdown Nears For Woolcombe vs. Rhodes

By Boxing Press April 14th, 2008 All Press Releases

With only a few days to go before popular south Londoner Gary Woolcombe's first British light middleweight title defense against former champion Ryan "Spice Boy" Rhodes, the spiritual home of English boxing, York Hall, looks set for another thriller this Friday, April 18, 2008.

This highly anticipated light middleweight clash is the classic contrast of youth against experience. More...