SYKES AIMING TO WIN “BEST EVER PRIZEFIGHTER”

Posted on | November 19, 2010 | No Comments

Unbeaten British champion Gary Sykes says he won’t “hide behind title”
Gary Sykes will turning on the Christmas lights in his home town of Dewsbury next weekend – a week after he hopes to light up the York Hall by winning Prizefighter Super Featherweights.

The unbeaten British champion faces a hectic few weeks in the spotlight – entering Prizefighter live on Sky Sports on Saturday as favourite, heading home to Dewsbury to kick-off the season’s celebrations the following Saturday then returning back to the capital the next day for the British Boxing Board of Control 2010 awards lunch, where he is up for fight of the year after his terrific title tussle with Andy Morris in March.
Prizefighter could be the icing on the cake of a fantastic year for the 26 year-old, but rather than sit back and take the plaudits, Sykes is eager to test himself against the strongest line-up to date in the 15 editions of Barry Hearn’s eight-man, one night tournaments.

“I was a split-second decision to enter – I’m usually a slow-starter so this is a real challenge for me and I have to turn that upside down,” said Sykes. “But it’s a good challenge – I’m undefeated and I’m not shying away from fights, I’m not hiding behind my title.

“When my trainer Julian McGowan tells me to do something I do it, he’s clever guy and has my best interests at heart and we’re friends. He said this is a great chance, and that I can win it. I’ve got it all to lose in many ways as if I win people might say ‘well he should win because he’s British champion, he’s supposed to win’. But I reckon I will get going after a couple of rounds and I’m well up for it.”

Sykes faces former British and European title challenger Scott Lawton in the third quarter-final of the night, and is on the opposite half of the draw to the Mongolian Warrior Choi Tseveenpurev who kicks-off the evening against Hove fighter Ben Murphy. A Choi/Sykes final is the favourite with the odds compilers but the Dewsbury man is not thinking about facing the exciting 39 year-old.

“I’m not overly worried about Choi to be honest, he’s explosive but I think he’d be better over a longer distance,” said Sykes. “It’s a great line-up though so if I win it, I’ll have won the best ever Prizefighter.”
The action starts at 8pm on Sky Sports 1 but for fans who are unable to watch the action on TV or at York Hall, Boxing News will be reporting live from east London and can be followed through this link:

http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/live/

Quarter-Final 1 – Choi Tseveenpurev v Ben Murphy
Quarter-Final 2 – Gary McArthur v Derry Matthews
Quarter Final 3 – Gary Sykes v Scott Lawton
Quarter-Final 4 – Steve Bell v Gary Buckland

Tickets for Prizefighter Super Featherweights are available now at £35 (unreserved), £60 (ringside) and £100 (VIP) – call Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.