Matchroom Boxing: Prizefighter Light Heavyweight Lineup Announced

The first Prizefighter tournament of 2011 sees the light-heavyweights take over Olympia in London on Saturday January 29 – with Sky Sports showing it in 3D for the first time.

The 16th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight-man one-night tournament breaks new ground again as just the second boxing show to be broadcast in 3D – with some of Britain’s hottest light-heavyweights enter the Kensington venue in the second outing for the division in the format.

Four young unbeaten fighters are aiming to grab their big chance to leap to the top of the queue for title shots in the division. 22 year-old Travis Dickinson – younger brother of Cruiserweights II winner Jon-Lewis – has three knockouts under his belt from his seven wins so far, with his first victory coming against Super-Middleweights champ Patrick Mendy when the pair made their debuts back in March 2009.

Former Wales amateur captain Llewellyn Davies has five wins to his name with three KOs, 26 year-old Kent fighter Menay Edwards has four wins from his first four fights with one knockout and popular Romford man Billy Slate in undefeated after his opening two fights as he kicks off his career at 28.

Former British super-middleweight champion Tony Dodson returns to the fray on the back of two high-profile tilts at retaining the title in Liverpool against local rivals Paul Smith and Tony Quigley.

St. Albans boxer Joe Smyth will be aiming to build on a 7-1 record and is joined by Surrey fighter Michael Banbula, the Pole who enters in the best run of form in his 40 fight career, currently unbeaten in his last five fights including a win over previous Light-Heavyweights champ Tony Oakey and a draw against Tony Jeffries that halted the Sunderland Olympic bronze medallists winning streak. The final fighter in the line-up will be announced soon.

The Light-Heavyweights II follows Gary Buckland’s shock victory in the Super-Featherweights in November in arguably the finest night of the series to date after the Welshman stunned British champion Gary Sykes with a semi-final knockout before lifting the trophy with a second KO against Derry Mathews.

“After the last cracking Prizefighter, we’re excited to kick-start the year with the light-heavyweights division,” said Matchroom Sport’s managing director Eddie Hearn. “As always, there’s an interesting mix of hungry fighters looking to use the series to catapult them to a title shot as we’ve seen so many times before.

“We’re also delighted that this will be the first ever Prizefighter event to be broadcast in 3D – which will literally add another dimension to another thrilling night of action.”

It’s the second time the event has graced Olympia, after Gavin Rees’ claimed victory in the Prizefighter Light-Welterweights in December 2009 – a triumph that propelled the Welshman to fight for the British lightweight belt he claimed in November with victory over John Watson.

Tickets for the Prizefighter Light-Heavyweights II are on sale now, with tickets starting at £20 and £30, ringside tickets at £50 and £60, and VIP packages at £120 – call Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.