Prizefighter returns to home on Saturday as the York Hall, Bethnal Green plays host to the 34th edition of a format showing signs of decline and in its 7th year in desperate need of a big night. The event will mark only the 2nd Prizefighter show of the year; a promotion that has averaged 5 shows a year since its inception in 2008.
Hoping to provide the fireworks will be our third installment of lightweights, hoping to lay their hands on the prizefighter trophy, ugly though it is, and more importantly the £32,000 prize money. Previously, there was a time when the winner would move onto the next level with a British title fight a very real possibility. Unfortunately for those on show this is a carrot that has been withdrawn as the Matchroom stable has grown over the past three years in particular, especially in the saturated domestic lightweight scene.
I don’t see any problem with this evolution; its indicative of organisational growth and Prizefighter for me has served its purpose. It has given us a glut of 50/50 fights, reminding us how saleable these are, provided fighters with exposure pushing them on to better thing and reached out to the casual fan. It might not be one for the purists, but it’s exciting and on occasion will expose a talent, Martin Murray, Mike Perez and most recently Chris Jenkins to name but a few.
One beneficiary of the exposure that Prizefighter can provide is previous Super Featherweight winner Gary Buckland who returns on Saturday in the hope of becoming the first person to reign at two separate weights. The former British champion is the experience and class in the field and will step into the ring as the red-hot favourite on Saturday and you’ll find it hard to back against him in a field that at it’s best includes Stephen Foster Jnr, 34, who Buckland holds a victory over in 2012.
If he has trained for the event, he will win handily.
When you talk about boxing, the Prizefighter tournament format and professional/amateur hybrid style is not something which always be met with the approval of the boxing fraternity. But, I tell you one thing it’s a format that once Matchroom set it aside, will be pursued by other promotional companies, because it will sell, especially on terrestrial television.
It might not be littered with star quality, but it is pure excitement, soaking with passion and above all competitive and competition sells. Unfortunately, as far as the mainstream boxing providers seemed to be concerned it is on its way out.
