So it was the turn of the light middles in Barry Hearn’s Prize Fighter series.
However this particular tournament turned out to be more one for the purists, as no particular bout failed to produce a inside schedule win.
As I walked into the York Hall, I could’nt find a spare seat in the press row, so I noticed over the other side a couple of empty seats, on finding them I noticed an athletic looking chap sitting there, it was…..Anthony Small the current reigning British and Commonwealth champion, it seemed the King was here to keep an eye on his hopeful predecessors!!!!
Quarter finals….
George Hillyard {Canning Town} v Prince Arron {Manchester}
Result: Arron won points
In the first fight of the evening, George Hillyard coming back after a devastating kayo loss last time out, certainly did’nt look damaged pyschologically from that bad experience, as he came out throwing big rights as he made Arron retreat, However the second saw Prince begin to get into the contest as he began scoring as he used his natural advantages in reach, the third was no different as Arron kept Hillyard at bay with good boxing to take a fairly conclusive decison of 30-27 on all three judges scorecards, both weighed 154 lbs.
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Bradley Pryce {Newbridge} v Neil Sinclair {Belfast}
Result: Pryce won points
In what many in the trade would have considered more fitting a match up for the final ended up due to the luck or should that be bad luck of the draw a one of the opening contests, Irishman Sinclair won the opener fairly easily as he did more work as Pryce {154lbs} did very little, the second saw a change in the tide as Pryce began to land with some solid shots as he began to stamp his authority, Sinclair {155lbs} for the remainder of the bout never was allowed back in the running and Pryce sealed victory with the heavier punches to take a well earned decision winning on two judges scorecards of identical scores of 29-28, however one judge leant in favour surprisingly of the Belfast man by 29-28.
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Danny Butler {Bristol} v Bret Flourney {Birkenhead}
Result: Flourney won points
Bristol’s Danny Butler showed a lot of fighting spirit as he continuosly attacked Flourney, who contented himself by boxing on the back foot, Butler coming back from the loss to Darren Barker for the vacant British middle title, showed plenty of ticker as he had done against Barker on this night, though at times his tactics were a little kamikaze, both {154lbs} worked hard in the second though I did however think Flourney did enough to shade the second, but rounds one and three Butler seemed to be getting through the more but sadly the judges unbelievably voted in favour of Flourney 30-27 twice and 29-28.
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Martin Concepcion {Leicester} v Steve O’Meara {Wembley}
Result: O’Meara won points
Jim Mcdonnell trained O’Meara ticked all the boxes for me in this one as he did a paint job on the robust, mechanical looking Concepcion {155lbs} who for the best part of the nine minutes was looking to land the big shot, instead of looking to maintain a good workrate to possibly present those mathematicians, the prizefighter judges with a bit more of a sterner tally up afterwards, however it was O’Meara {154lbs} who was doing all the scoring through out and this reflected in the wide scoring at the bout’s conclusion as he was voted a unaminous winner 30-27 twice and 30-28 by the three wise men!
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Semi Finals…..
Prince Arron {Manchester} v Bradley Pryce {Newbridge}
Result: Arron won points
In the opener, Arron used his obvious reach and height advantage’s over the Welshman, keeping Pryce at bay as Bradley tried to get inside but was finding the target a very elusive one.
Second round action saw Pryce desparatley try to bridge the gap, but did find the target at last as he managed to get through a couple of times with big rights, one even managing to rock the gangly Arron, who did well to survive, Pryce had pulled even on my scorecard going into the final session.
The third saw Pryce tiring badly as father time seemingly was catching up with the Welshman, mother nature too has he could’nt evade the longer arms of Prince, who throughly outboxed Bradley and took his place in the final by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28.
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Bret Flourney {Birkenhead} v Steve O’Meara {Wembley}
Result: Flourney won points
O’Meara came out looking slick, as he seemed to outbox the Birkenhead man for the first couple of rounds, and in my view there was no way O’Meara lost the first couple of rounds, that said the third was a lot closer and possibly Flourney did enough to win the session.
However it was to my surprise when Flourney was adjudged the winner as I had O’Meara one round the better man, I should be a judge perhaps I don’t know, what do you think? answers on a postcard, or better still drop me an email!!!!!!
For the record scores were 29-28 twice in favour of, and 28-29 in favour against, confused I was?
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THE FINAL…..
Prince Arron {Manchester} v Bret Flourney {Birkenhead}
Result: Arron won points
In the first round Arron looked rather decidedly tired, and it was Flourney who looked fortunate to even be in the final, took the chance with both hands, looking rejuvenated he had possibly due to a lack of effort from his previous two efforts this evening, with something left in the tank as he took control, a little like Audley Harrison had done back last October in stealing the show with a workrate that was for the best part non existent in the last Prize Fighter, Flourney was’nt about to change such a trend, until now that is in the final!!!!!
The Second saw Arron make a better argument of it as he showed a big heart as he dug in and started to mount a fight back as he boxed his way back into the contest, doing enough to shade the session, in the third though, finally there was a knockdown, not that I was looking for any real drama, I’m a self confessed sad git who today’s fight fan could’nt bear to sit there and witness what I would deem a classic, Mike McCallum v Carl Jones is one, as I prefer an exhibition of boxing as opposed to the slam, bang fanfare that today’s fight fan get’s off on, hence the Prize Fighter series, sorry Baz!!!! whoops!!!! almost forgot back to the knockdown which seemed a little harsh on the Birkenhead man as it looked as if he was bundled over more than floored by a legitimate enough punch or punches, still the third man took up the count and it counted!!!!
It seemed the bow Flourney took in the form of a knockdown to the man fittingly known as Prince, proved a crowning moment for the Manchester man, as the knockdown had proved decisive in the scorecards, well after the kindness via the judges in favour of Flourney beforehand it was in true cockney idiom poetic justice, innit!!!!
Scores were 29-28 twice and 28-27 all in favour of the Prince, who could face off against the King who was ringside in a rematch for what that’s worth as Small destroyed Arron inside of two rounds back in 2006, and surely it would be a case of ‘good night sweet Prince’ again should a rematch materialise, remember there’s an old saying in boxing that goe’s ‘uneasy lie’s the head, that wears the crown’ on this night the King will sleep peacefully.
Michael Angelo Serra reporting with the King sat one seat but one, next to himself….
Any views or emails to mickyserra@aol.com if you can be bothered….????? {only kidding guys, seriously}
