BAKER THE HEAVIEST FOR PRIZEFIGHTER HEAVYWEIGHTS III

Posted on | October 1, 2009 | No Comments

WEIGH-IN MADE / BELSHAW CONFIDENT OF DEFEATING BEATING AUDLEY HARRISON

CARL BAKER is the heaviest fighter for Friday’s PartyCasino.com Prizefighter Heavyweights III event.

Baker, 27, weighted in at 20st 7lb more than four stone heavier than Coleman Barrett, who, at 15st, 13lb, is the lightest man of the eight.

Prizefighter has caught the imagination of fight fans with 5,000 people expected to be at the ExCel Arena in London’s Docklands.

The competition features current British Champion Danny Williams and arch rival Audley Harrison, who could meet in a mouth-watering final.

However, both fighters have to win two fights to get to that stage. Harrison take on Scott Belshaw in one of the quarter-finals and both fighters have a point to prove after underachieving recently.

Former Olympic Games gold medalist Harrison has lost four of his last eight contests, while Belshaw suffered an embarrassing second round stoppage defeat against Tyson Fury last time out.

“It’s a great draw for me and I’m really happy with it,” said 24-year-old Belshaw, who has won ten of his 12 professional fights.

“I have one of the favourite to win the competition and I’m not expected to win the fight but I have a nine-minute window to change my life.

“I wanted to fight either Danny Williams or Audley Harrison so can’t wait.

“If I had fought someone like Danny Hughes or one of the underdogs then it wouldn’t mean anything but if I beat Harrison it could turn my career around.

“I’ve been training really hard at the TKO Gym in east London and it’s been fantastic – I’ve not trained so hard in a long time.

“Harrison’s professional career has been a bit of an anti-climax from someone that won an Olympic gold medal.

“He’s a very talented boxer but just not delivered the goods. He’s delivered more with his mouth than in the ring but I will be expecting the best Audley Harrison on the night.

“I could finish his career and I’d be more than happy if I did – it would be a bit of history on my part.”

Prizefighter tickets are going fast but some are still available at £40 or £80 from See Tickets on 0871 220 0260, www.seetickets.com or from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900. All the action will also be screened live on Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports HD 2 from 9pm on Friday.

The quarter-final draw is: 1. Scott Gammer (Pembroke Dock, Wales) v Coleman Barrett (Galway, Ireland), 2. Danny Williams (Brixton) v Carl Baker (Sheffield), 3. Audley Harrison (London / California) v Scott Belshaw (Lisburn, Northern Ireland), 4. Neil Perkins (Birmingham) v Danny Hughes (Sunderland).

PARTYCASINO.COM PRIZEFIGHTER HEAVYWEIGHTS ODDS

(Odds to win the event – as on Skybet)

11/10 Danny Williams

6/5 Audley Harrison

9/1 Scott Gammer

20/1 Danny Hughes

25/1 Coleman Barrett

33/1 Scott Belshaw, Neil Perkins

40/1 Carl Baker

FIGHTER WEIGHTS

20st 7lb Carl Baker

19st 3lb Danny Williams

18st 11lb Danny Hughes

18st 1/2lb Audley Harrison

17st 11lb Scott Gammer

17st 9lb Scott Belshaw

16st 7lb Neil Perkins

15st 13lb Coleman Barrett

NOTES ABOUT THE PARTYCASINO.COM PRIZEFIGHTER HEAVYWEIGHTS III EVENT

– 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.

– 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).

– If one of the fighters wins a bout but is unable to compete in the next round (ie a bad cut) then one of two reserves will step into their place for the rest of the tournament. The two reserves are Paul Butlin (Melton Mowbray) and Lee Swaby (Lincoln).

– The event website is www.theprizefighterseries.com