(Travis Dickinson left and Jon-Lewis Dickinson right)
MATCHROOM SPORT PRESENTS……….THE PRIZEFIGHTER SERIES
By: Peter Mann
The first Prizefighter series event of 2012, and the 23rd in total since its inception back in 2008, will happen in Wolverhampton, England on 11th February. The event will see the second run out for the Light Welterweight division, the first being won by Gavin Ross back in 2009.
Participating in the new line-up of eight fighters are that of the unbeaten duo Dale Miles (12-9-0) and Tyrone Nurse (20-3-0), the former British champion in Barry Morrison (18-8-5), English Welterweight star Adil Anwar (13-7-1) and contenders in the form of John Watson (13-5-2), Young Mutley (29-14-6), Dean Harrison (16-5-6) and Mark Lloyd (15-3-4). Also fighting on the night are two unbeaten Matchroom Sport Prizefighter Prospects, Ryan Aston and Tommy Ghent. Aston is a Middleweight fighter (4-0) with Ghent at Welterweight (2-0) and will fight each other on the undercard.
Prizefighter 23 has already been deemed the most open card since the series began just four years ago. All participants are shown to have an equal opportunity of success in the 3 x 3 fights comprising of quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, and a prize fund of £32,000 (increased from the initial £25,000) Tournament promoter Barry Hearn told the prizefighter.co.uk website
I think this is the best line-up we’ve had in Prizefighter so far. Every one of the eight quality performers in the mix on February 11 will believe they can win and that promises to make it a special night in front of a packed crowd at the Civic Hall.
That first Prizefighter series, the brainchild of legendary boxing promoter, Barry Hearn, took place at York Hall in Bethnal Green in April 2008 with the Heavyweights taking centre stage. The victor in the debut tournament would be Martin Rogan, the Belfast-born boxer defeating Sunderland’s David Dolan in the final; 29-25, 29-27, 28-27. The Heavyweights division has featured a total of four times, the last being in October 2010.
The only International version of Prizefighter would come in May 2011 when Mike Perez defeated Tyler Fields in the International Heavyweights (Prizefighter 18). The other six boxers on the card that night would be Kerston Manswell, Gregory Tony, Evgeny Orlov, Michael Sprott, Konstantin Airich and Lucian Bot.
Michael Sprott is one of only a few, well known winners or the tournament when he won the fourteenth instalment (Heavyweights 4) in October 2010. In the final Sprott beat Michael Skelton. Other notable victors have been Ovill McKenzie in Prizefighter 7 (Cruiserweights) in May 2009; British Olympic medallist Audley Harrison in the following series (Heavyweights 3) in October 2009; Prince Arron emerged victorious in Prizefighter 10 (Light Middleweights) in February 2010 before the 40 year old ‘Mongolian Warrior’ Choi won the last (Featherweight) series in October 2011.
No one fighter has yet won the Prizefighter series more than once, even if several fighters have participated in more than one. However, there has been the occurrence of brothers appearing in, and winning, the Prizefighter series. Birtley, in the cold north-east of England, is the home of the Dickinson family and brothers Jon-Lewis and Travis. Jon-Lewis was to be the first victor of the two when he stormed to success in the second Cruiserweights tournament (April 2010), defeating Nick Okoth in the final. Nine months later it would be the turn of the younger Dickinson, Travis, in January 2011. Travis would beat Sam Couzens in the final of the second Light Heavyweights. Both fighters have their respective sights set on a golden 2012, with Jon-Lewis gearing up for an English title bout with Matty Askin in April. The Dickinson’s are most definitely a pair to look out for in the near future.
As for Prizefighter 23; what stars will be born from the event? Only Barry Hearn, Prizefighter, and of course Sky Sports will have the answer, and, come 11th February, the next Prizefighter victor will have been crowned.
Personally though, then it will be either John Watson or Tyrone Nurse that will emerge victorious. However, only time will tell.
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