Arron survives weigh-in scare ahead of Prizefighter - 25/02/2010

PRINCE Arron survived a scare at the weigh-in ahead of Friday’s Prizefighter Light-Middleweights tournament.

Arron, 22, originally scaled 1lb 7oz more than the championship weight of 11st 2lb before a quick exercise session saw him make the weight at the second attempt an hour later.

If he had failed to make the weight then he would have lost his place in Barry Hearn’s latest eight-man, one-night tournament where the winner picks up £32,000.

The prizefighter contenders

“I thought I’d done the weight, going on the scales at my home,” said a relieved Arron. “I thought it was right but obviously it was wrong so I had to go back to the hotel and get it off.

“It wasn’t a problem but just a mistake and a lesson learnt - I will use proper scales in the future.

“I’ve never had that in my career and it’s not ideal preparation but it was only a pound and a half and I could’ve done it easily. In the end I got three pounds off just to make sure.

“I went back to the hotel room and I was just skipping in my sweat suit.”
This will be the tenth Prizefighter competition and it gives former champions and ambitious prospects the chance for a career-changing night.

Many former Prizefighter winners have gone on to title contests, including Heavyweights 3 champion Audley Harrison, who meets Poland’s Albert Sosnowski on April 9 for the European Championship.

Arron fights betting outsider George Hillyard in the first fight of the night and is confident of defeating Hillyard before winning the tournament.

“I’m 100 per cent here to win the competition. Hillyard is a game, tough boy but the sort of fighter that is made for me and I’m going to box his head off.
“Winning Prizefighter will open doors with hopefully a British eliminator after I win.”

PartyCasino.com Prizefighter Light-Middleweights
Weights (competition set at 11st 2lb)
11st 1lb 15oz Neil Sinclair
11st 1lb 5oz Martin Concepcion
11st 15oz Brett Flournoy
11st 13oz Prince Arron (second attempt)
11st 13oz Steve O’Meara
11st 13oz Bradley Pryce
11st 12oz Danny Butler
11st 6oz George Hillyard

Quarter-Finals
1. George Hillyard v Prince Arron
2. Neil Sinclair v Bradley Pryce
3. Brett Flournoy v Danny Butler
4. Steve O'Meara v Martin Concepcion

Semi-Finals
5. Hillyard/Arron v Sinclair/Pryce
6. Flournoy/Butler v O'Meara/Concepcion

Followed by Final
Prizefighter Light-Middleweights takes place at the York Hall, Bethnal Green, London on Friday, February 26. The full line-up is Prince Arron (Droylsden, Manchester), Danny Butler (Bristol), Martin Concepcion (Leicester), Brett Flournoy (Birkenhead, Merseyside), George Hillyard (Canning Town), Steve O'Meara (West Drayton, Middlesex), Bradley Pryce (Newbridge, Wales) and Neil Sinclair (Belfast).

Due to increased demand, tickets for Prizefighter Light-Middleweights have sold out. But you can still see all the action live on Sky Sports HD from 8pm next Friday.

Odds to win Prizefighter (as on SkyBet on Thursday, February 25)
3/1 Bradley Pryce
4/1 Neil Sinclair
5/1 Prince Arron, Danny Butler and Steve O’Meara
15/2 Martin Concepcion
11/1 Brett Flournoy
25/1 George Hillyard