Prizefighter Super-Featherweights By Sean Pollock As the doors opened to York Hall in Bethnal Green on a typically cold November night, crowds flooded in and were met by event mastermind Barry Hearn. Little did they know they had just entered what would be the site of a brilliant exhibition of boxing. In the aftermath of a heavyweight disappointment for the British fight scene it would take eight small warriors to produce something special. Leading into the tournament Gary Sykes held the bookmakers favour and also that of columnist Steve Bunce who tipped the Dewsbury champion claiming he (Sykes) will be a tough fight for anyone, but in the three round format its anyones. The line-up was the strongest ever produced, but the majority reckoned the £32,000 prize fund would be heading home with Sykes or Choi, the night was laced with surprises Quarter-finals The arena was filled and the stage was set. A chorus of boos and Hoves Ben Murphy (7-3-1) entered the ring as the adversary of crowd favourite Choi Tseveenpurev (29-4). Choi fans were out in their numbers with many wearing the Mongolians trademark headband and they made their voices heard for the fearless 39 year old. London based Tseveenpurev did not fail to impress in his first fight and edged past the aggressive Murphy to win on points in a hard-hitting war. Liverpudlian Derry Mathews (23-4) strolled to the ring looking focused amidst a flurry of support from travelling fans. Opponent, Gary McArthur (15-1), a previous Prizefighter semi-finalist, started confidently on the front foot forcing Dirty Derry to jab and move. The Liverpool man settled magnificently into his back pedalling roll landing with hard straight shots and began countering wisely with the left hook. Clydebanks southpaw soon found himself on wobbly legs and was dropped in the first and second. The one sided bout was stopped in the 3rd round and Mathews had set up a mouth-watering clash with old rival Choi. Read More at... http://www.undisputedfightmag.com/2010/11/21/prizefighter-super-featherweights-ringside/ I'd appriciate anyone who could check it out, hope yous enjoyed the action. Thanks.
