Prizefighter "The Lightweights" Boxing Betting Tip
Published March 23, 2009 by Martin Bean
The latest instalment of the exciting Prizefighter series takes place on Tuesday 24th March 2009. A slot without any football matches on Sky TV (Soccer to our American visitors!) led to this taking place midweek for the first time, which is an excellent idea and a welcome break from the dire midweek TV – sorry to any Coronation Street or Eastenders fans out there!
For the time also, Prizefighter heads to Scotland and they will be well represented in this competition – 4 of the eight fighters will be on home turf inside Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall. Let’s first go to the line up and take a peek at the fighters and their records:
Ryan Brawley – 7/2
Age: 23.
Home town: Irvine, Scotland
Professional record: W9 (1 by KO), L0, D0. Total 9.
Stephen Burke – 5/1
Age: 29
Home town: Liverpool
Professional record: W8 (2 by KO), L0, D0. Total 8.
Stuart Green – 10/1
Age: 24.
Home town: Glenrothes, Scotland
Professional record: W11 (0 by KO), L9, D0. Total 20.
Paul Holborn 5/1
Age: 24
Home town: Sunderland
Professional record: W9 (0 by KO), L1, D1. Total 11.
Charlie King 7/1
Age: 26.
Home town: Motherwell, Scotland
Professional record: W14 (0 by KO), L0, D0. Total 14.
Gary McArthur – 7/1
Age: 26.
Home town: Clydebank, Scotland
Professional record: W11 (1 by KO), L0, D0. Total 14.
Ben Murphy – 7/1
Age: 28.
Home town: Hove, Sussex
Professional record: W6 (3 by KO), L1, D0. Total 7.
Name: Steve Saville – 9/2
Age: 32
Home town: Walsall
Professional record: W19 (8 by KO), L4, D0. Total 23.
As the odds demonstrate, this is a highly competitive tournament. Whilst it may lack the bigger names of previous Prizefighter instalments, all are evenly matched with, in my humble opinion, as many as 5 fighters capable of winning this competition – Brawley, Burke, Saville, Holborn and Murphy, in no particular order. The draw has been made and thrown up some excellent first round contests:
Quarter Finals
Ben Murphy v Ryan Brawley
Charlie King v Paul Holborn
Gary McArthur v Steve Saville
Stuart Green v Stephen Burke
Semi Finals
Winner of Murphy/Brawley v Winner of King/Holborn
Winner of McArthur/Saville v Winner of Green/Burke
So here’s our usual, bout by bout rundown.
Ben Murphy vs. Ryan Brawley
This is the bout of the opening round; Brawley the favourite against many people’s dark horse for the competition, Ben Murphy. Over three rounds, I see Brawley outboxing Murphy – had it been over a longer distance of 8 or 10 rounds though, Murphy may well have been able to wear the young Scot down. Expect a thriller. Tip – Brawley to win on points.
Charlie King vs. Paul Holborn
Here goes the easiest prediction of the night – this fight will go the distance! Neither man has stopped an opponent in a combined 23 victories so I won’t win any awards for that prediction. King is unbeaten in 14 compared to Holborn’s sole defeat in 11, but I see Holborn’s better amateur pedigree and Southpaw boxing taking him to a tight, possibly controversial victory over King. Tip – Holborn to win on points
Gary McArthur vs. Steve Saville
Young, unbeaten McArthur takes on experienced warhorse Saville, the oldest man in the field at 32. McArthur has talent but I think Saville will see this as his last big chance to get into title contention (trying to emulate the achievements of previous Prizefighter Champion Martin Rogan) and that desire will see him grind out a close points victory. Tip – Saville to win on points
Stuart Green vs. Stephen Burke
Burke is a real talent, a former amateur standout and unbeaten in 8 as a pro. Whilst he’s not been very active as a pro, he will still have way too much for Green here, who is the weak link in the bunch. Green will be give his all for the three rounds but Burke should coast to a comfortable victory, possibly even forcing a stoppage. Tip – Burke to Win
SEMI FINAL 1 – Ryan Brawley vs. Paul Holborn
Another excellent contest in store but this could be a tight, technical affair rather than the non stop action usually seen in Prizefighter. Holborn is talented but Brawley, urged on by the feverous home support, should have a little too much and book his place in the final. Tip – Brawley to Win
SEMI FINAL 2 – Steve Saville vs. Stephen Burke
An intriguing contest with the willing Saville desperate to make it to the final – but how much will he have left after working so hard to overcome Gary McArthur in the previous bout? Not enough in my opinion and Burke can see his way to another win here over three rounds. Tip – Burke to Win on Points
GRAND FINAL - Ryan Brawley vs. Stephen Burke
Can Ryan Brawley become the first pre tournament favourite to leave with the Prizefighter Title? I firmly expect this to be an extremely close bout, with both fighters having bags of boxing ability. Brawley will be out to please the home fans and have some early success but I see Stephen Burke, the more mature at 29, overcoming the gutsy young scot in a terrific bout. Tip – Burke to Win on Points
PUT YOUR MONEY ON STEPHEN BURKE TO WIN PRIZEFIGHTER ‘THE LIGHTWEIGHTS’ AT 5/1 (SKYBET – 23RD MARCH 2009)
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