TYSON PERFORMS DRAW FOR PRIZEFIGHTER HEAVYWEIGHTS III

Posted on | September 11, 2009 | No Comments

BOXING LEGEND IRON MIKE EXCITED ABOUT EVENT ON OCTOBER 2

THE draw for Prizefighter Heavyweights III has been made – by boxing legend Mike Tyson.

Iron Mike conducted the draw at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas earlier today, alongside Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn.

“I’m looking forward to it and this is going to be very exciting – I hope I get to watch it,” said Tyson, the former undisputed Heavyweight World Champion.

“The Prizefighter is an exciting format and British fight fans are in for a big treat on October 2nd”

The first fight was drawn as Scott Gammer v Coleman Barrett with the second quarter-final being Danny Williams versus Carl Baker, who steps into the competition at short notice after Michael Holden was refused permission to fight by the British Boxing Board of Control.

That leaves the potential of a Gammer v Williams semi-final, in what would be a rematch after the pair met in March 2007 which Williams won to claim the British title – a belt he still holds today.

Each fight will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and the third quarter-final sees two fighters who have a great deal to prove meet each other.

Former Olympic Games gold medalist Audley Harrison, who still believes he can become a World Champion, meets Scott Belshaw, a fighter looking to get his career back on track after a shock defeat against Tyson Fury in May.

Ex British and Commonwealth Champion Michael Sprott is scheduled to be in the fourth quarter-final where he would meet undefeated Danny Hughes.

If Harrison and Sprott both win that would give Harrison a chance for revenge in the semi-final after suffering a crushing third round defeat against Sprott in February 2007.

A number of potential finals could see Williams and Harrison meet for the third time or Williams and Sprott fight for the fourth occasion.

Prizefighter Heavyweights III had originally been scheduled to take place at the York Hall in Bethnal Green but a huge demand for tickets saw it relocated to the ExCel, where it is expected to be a 5,000 sell-out on Friday, October 2.

The all-in-one-night event features eight heavyweights including current British Champion Danny Williams, former Olympic Games gold medalist Audley Harrison and two former British Champions, all vying for the £32,000 top prize.

Dancing group Nemisis, who reached the 2008 final of popular ITV programme Britain’s Got Talent, will be performing as part of the pre-show fun in what will be a thrilling night’s entertainment in and out of the ring.

Tickets cost £40 and £80 and are available from See Tickets on 0871 220 0260, www.seetickets.com or from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.

The full list of competitors is Carl Baker (Sheffield), Coleman Barrett (Galway, Ireland), Scott Belshaw (Lisburn, Northern Ireland), Scott Gammer (Pembroke Dock, Wales), Audley Harrison (London / California), Danny Hughes (Sunderland), Michael Sprott (Reading) and Danny Williams (Brixton).

PartyCasino.com Prizefighter Heavyweights III draw.

Quarter-finals: QF 1. Scott Gammer v Coleman Barrett, QF 2. Danny Williams v Carl Baker, QF 3. Audley Harrison v Scott Belshaw, QF 4. Michael Sprott v Danny Hughes.

Semi-finals: SF1: Gammer or Barrett v Williams or Baker, SF 2: Harrison or Belshaw v Sprott or Danny Hughes

BAKER STEPS IN AT SHORT-NOTICE

CARL Baker has been handed a Prizefighter opportunity after the British Boxing Board of Control refused permission for Michael Holden to fight.

Holden, 41, had made an unconvincing return to the ring last Friday after six years out of the ring when he was floored against Czech fighter Tomas Mrazek.

Despite grabbing a draw from the four-round contest, the board did not sanction Holden being in Prizefighter Heavyweights III.

It means Sheffield-based 27-year-old Baker, who is known as The Fridge and is a former British Masters Champion, comes into the Prizefighter competition on October 2.

THE EIGHT PRIZEFIGHTER CONTENDERS
Name: Danny Williams
Age: 36
Home town: Brixton, London
Professional record: W41 (31 by KO), L7, D0, No Contest 1. Total 49 fights
Achievement: Current British Champion, fought for WBC title, defeated Mike Tyson

Name: Michael Sprott
Age: 34
Home town: Reading
Professional record: W31 (16 by KO), L14, D0. Total 45 fights
Achievement: Former British Champion

Name: Audley Harrison
Age: 37
Home town: London / Las Vegas
Professional record: W23 (17 by KO), L4, D0. Total 27 fights
Achievement: Olympic Games gold medalist

Name: Scott Gammer
Age: 32
Home town: Pembroke, Wales
Professional record: 18 (9 by KO), L4, D1. Total 23 fights
Achievement: Former British Champion

Name: Scott Belshaw
Age: 24
Home town: Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Professional record: W10 (7 by KO), L2, D0. Total 12 fights
Achievement: Former Irish Amateur Champion

Name: Coleman Barrett
Age: 26
Home town: Galway, Ireland
Professional record: W8 (2 by KO), L0, D0. Total: 8 fights
Achievement: Undefeated

Name: Danny Hughes
Age: 23
Home town: Sunderland
Professional record: W6 (1 by KO), L0, D1. Total 7 fights
Achievement: Undefeated

Name: Carl Baker
Age: 27
Home town: Sheffield
Professional record: W8 (6 by KO), L3, D0. Total 11 fights.
Achievement: Former British Masters Champion

NOTES ABOUT PRIZEFIGHTER

– Eight competitors in the same weight fight in four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and the final with all the action happening in one exciting night of boxing.

– Each contest lasts a maximum of three rounds with standard boxing rules applied.

– If there has not been a knockout or stoppage then the winner will be decided by three scoring judges at ringside.

– The winner of Prizefighter – Heavyweights III will receive £32,000, the runner-up gets £16,000, losing semi-finalists receive £8,000 and beaten quarter-finalists collect £4,000. The total prize fund is £80,000 – £11,000 more than for previous Prizefighter tournaments.

– A draw will be held before the event to find out which boxers will fight each other in the four quarter-finals.

– This will be the eighth Prizefighter competition. The first – Heavyweights I – was held in April 2008. The others staged were Heavyweights II (September), Welterweights (October), Middleweights (November), Light-heavyweights (February), Lightweights (March) and Cruiserweights (May)

The event website is www.theprizefighterseries.com