Prizefighter Ringside Boxing Report

Prizefighter Ringside Boxing Report - York Hall

By Iain Dolan at ringside for Doghouse Boxing (March 3, 2010)

This past Friday, Droylsdon’s Prince Arron captured the Light Middle Weight crown of the latest instalment of Matchroom’s Prizefighter series in front of another sell out crowd at York Hall. Standing at 6’ 3” Arron used his height and reach to good effect all night and also found the punching power when it was needed.

In the final, fighting against Brett Flournoy of Birkenhead, Aaron struggled, as had the others, to come to terms with Flournoy’s elusive southpaw style. A cagey opener saw both fighter prodding with single jabs as

both looked for an opening that neither was offering. In previous rounds Arron had landed his jab almost at will, but found Brett’s tight guard, a sign of his good amateur pedigree, (2005 ABA champ)much harder to penetrate. It was a hard round to call. Brett landed the more eye catching jabs but Prince (real name Arron Jones) was the aggressor.

The 2nd round was much the same only this time Flournoy connected with a crowd pleasing long, straight right hand and continued to frustrate Aaron. The Droylsdon man did connect with a few jabs of his own but he was struggling to impose himself despite continuing to be the one pressing the action.

The final round looked to be much of the same and it looked for all the world as though Flournoy was going to capture the title with possibly the smallest punch output of the night! However, a left jab, straight right combination forced Brett to a knee and turned the fight on it’s head. Brett rallied and came back immediately but the damage had been done. A 10-8 round in a three rounder is crippling and so it proved as the judges awarded the contest to Arron 29-28, 29-28 and 28-27. Arron dropped to his knees with relief and joy upon hearing the result and although he scraped through the final by the skin of his teeth, I felt he was the most impressive boxer on the night and a worthy winner of the tournament.

Arron had a much easier time of it in his semi final against Newbridge banger, and former commonwealth champ, Bradley Pryce. Establishing his jab early, Prince picked off Bradley from range and followed up with occasional right hands. Bradley looked to unload his bombs but didn’t get any success until the 2nd round when he scored with a big right hand. Arron came back with an uppercut of his own and continued to score freely with the jab. Pryce grew more reckless in the 3rd as he looked for the big shot but Aaron stayed out of range and continued to score with both hands. Arron took the contest with scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Brett Flournoy earned his place in the final with a split decision over Steve O’Meara of West Drayton. A tentative and technical encounter was not exactly action packed as both fighter struggled with the elusiveness of the other. O’Meara connecting with a right cross, to the delight of his large support was the highlight of the opening round. Flournoy started to score more in the 2nd round despite Steve being the fighter on the front foot. It was a hard round to score and divided opinion amongst the assembled scribes. The 3rd was definitely Flournoy’s as he connected with a couple of eye catching straight right hands, beating O’Meara to the punch. The convincing final round enough to secure the win with scores of 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28.

In the quarter finals, Prince Arron upset the large support for Canning Town’s George Hillyard. Arron consistently beat Hillyard to the punch and used his height and reach to good effect and scored with combinations when George tried to come after him. A convincing final round including a couple of eye catching uppercuts, helped to secure a 30-27 scoreline on all cards.

Bradley Pryce avenged a previous loss with a split decision over Belfast’s Neil Sinclair. There was plenty of action over the three rounds as both men looked for the chance to exploit their power. A clash of heads in the 2nd cut Sinclair but it was the more hurtful punches of Pryce that earned him the nod in a split decision of 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28.

Finalist Brett Flournoy beat another crowd favourite in Bristol’s Danny Butler who never came to terms with Brett’s elusive southpaw style and tight defence. Flournoy’s awkward style and occasional jab being enough to secure a decision of 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27.

Steve O’Meara earned his semi final spot by outboxing Leicester’s Martin Concepcion. The upright Conception was always busy but too easy to hit for the slicker O’Meara who took a comfortable 30-27 verdict from all the judges.

Officials for the evening were Dave Parris, John Keane, Richie Davies and Howard John Foster.

Another success for Matchroom as the Prizefighter series goes from strength to strength. The majority of the action was in the opening bouts as things tighter end up in the latter stages of the competition, but another sell out crowd and coverage by Sky Sports means that what looked like a novelty idea originally now has a firm place on the map of UK boxing.