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© Lawrence Lustig
Barrie Jones has an added incentive to win Friday’s Prizefighter Light Welterweights – family pride.
Jones, 24, stepped into the Prizefighter line-up as a short-notice replacement after Barry Morrison had to withdraw due to illness.
Three of the eight contenders – Jones, Gavin Rees and Jason Cook – are Welsh and Jones would love to fight Rees, a former WBA World Champion, in the final.
“I’ve known Gavin and Jason for years and always watched them and respected them,” said Jones. “They’re good boys, have fought at a very high level and will be a tough fight for anyone.
“If you see someone like Gavin win a world title then you think you can do it as well. I won just as much as him in my amateur career and early on as a professional I was undefeated for a long time so it shows you can achieve anything.
“I never fought Gavin as an amateur but my brother Robert did. He lost to Gavin a couple of times but there wasn’t much in it.
“It was a long time ago but it would be nice to get one over Gavin so I can tease my brother.
“But I have to concentrate fully on my first fight and I can’t look past Young Muttley.
“Any fight is going to be hard but I know if I box to my ability then I can win Prizefighter quite comfortably but I have to turn up.”
Jones won his first 15 professional bouts but then suffered three successive defeats, including a loss against Kell Brook with the British Welterweight Championship on the line.
No Welsh fighter has ever won a Prizefighter contest with Darren Morgan (heavyweights one and two), Paul Samuels (middleweights), Shon Davies (light-heavyweights) and Scott Gammer (heavyweights 3) all failing at the quarter-final phase.
However, Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn believes that run will come to an end on Friday. He said: “This is Wales’ big chance to make a big noise in Prizefighter Light-Welterweights.
“With three Welsh fighters in the line-up, I would be astonished if at least one of them is not in the final and I wouldn’t be surprised if a Welshman wins it.
“We haven’t had a Welshman in the final before so national pride is at stake. One thing Gavin Rees, Jason Cook and Barrie Jones all have in common is they all have the heart and desire for a fight.”
Prizefighter Light-Welterweights takes place at London’s Olympia on Friday and tickets are still available. They cost £40 (unreserved) and £80 (reserved) and are available from See Tickets on 0870 903 9033, www.seetickets.com or from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900. All the action will also be screened live on Sky Sports.
The full list of competitors is: Ted Bami (Brixton, London), David Barnes (Manchester), Jason Cook (Maesteg, Wales), Michael Grant (Tottenham, London), Barry Jones (Ferndale, Wales), Colin Lynes (Hornchurch, Essex), Young Mutley (West Bromwich, West Midlands), Gavin Rees (Newbridge, Wales).
Prizefighter Light-Welterweights
Friday, December 4
National Hall, Olympia, London
Quarter-final draw
1. Michael Grant v Jason Cook
2. Ted Bami v Gavin Rees
3. Colin Lynes v David Barnes
4. Young Muttley v Barrie Jones
Semi-final draw
1. Michael Grant or Jason Cook v Ted Bami or Gavin Rees
2. Colin Lynes or David Barnes v Young Muttley or Barrie Jones
