REA’S ODDS TUMBLE AS BETFAIR PRIZEFIGHTER BELL DRAWS CLOSE

Joe all the rage with punters as King’s Hall showdown approaches

Bookies are running scared of Joe Rea in the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights on Saturday night live on Sky Sports 1HD.

Rea says that a strict training regime under new trainer Kevin Maree has him in the best shape of his life, sparring with the likes of Kenny Anderson, Tony Bellew and Joe Selkirk as he bids to claim the title in 24^th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight man, one night tournament.

The 28 year old faces Simon O’Donnell in the fourth quarter final in the King’s Hall in Belfast and he was as big as 25/1 with some bookmakers and punters piled into him to win the event, taking his price down closer to the 5/2 he started at with official sponsors Betfair.

“My price is going to keep falling because I’ve got a lot of fans who believe in me,” said Rea. “My training has been great, teaming up with Kevin Maree has changed everything and it’s a new Joe Rea in the King’s Hall on Saturday night.

“I haven’t looked at the betting much really as I’ve been focussing on the job in hand, but people told me that I was a big price and I will be going out there to make some people a nice few quid, as I am here to win this.”

The winner of Rea and O’Donnell will face either Darren Cruise or JJ McDonagh in the second semi final, with bookies’ favourite Eamonn O’Kane kicking off the night against Anthony Fitzgerald in the opening quarter final, for the right to face either Ciaran Healy or Ryan Greene in the first semi final.

On the stacked bill in Belfast, Paul McCloskey faces ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley after the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights in a 12 round welterweight clash as Dudey aims to get back into World title contention, and former British featherweight champion Martin Lindsay kicks off the night against Mickey Coveney.

Outright odds with Betfair (correct at 5pm):

Eamonn O’Kane 11/8

Anthony Fitzgerald 5/1

JJ McDonagh 5/1

Joe Rea 13/2

Simon O’Donnell 7/1

Ryan Greene 12/1

Darren Cruise 33/1

Ciaran Healy 66/1

Any other fighter 29/1

Fight betting:

QF1: Eamonn O’Kane 8/13 v Anthony Fitzgerald 7/5

QF2: Ciaran Healy 3/1 v Ryan Greene 1/3

QF3: Darren Cruise 15/8 v JJ McDonagh 40/85

QF4: Simon O’Donnell evens v Joe Rea 4/5

EAMONN O’KANE TO FACE WAYNE REED ON MARCH 17 Irishman faces Sheffield man to complete exciting ‘War of the Roses’ undercard

Matchroom Sport have announced that Eamonn O’Kane will face Wayne Reed at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield to complete the fantastic undercard of Kell Brook’s welterweight showdown with Matthew Hatton.

It is the fourth professional contest for ‘King Kane’, who had a long and successful amateur record culminating with him winning gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. If he wins it could be a triple celebration for the Irish boxer, with the fight being held on St. Patrick’s Day and it will be his 30^th birthday the day after.

The unbeaten Dungiven fighter will be making his English debut, having boxed in Cardiff once and his native Northern Ireland twice. O’Kane’s first two fights in the paid ranks were won inside the distance, a first-round knockout on his debut in the Welsh capital and a fifth-round retirement in Craigavon. He dominated his most recent bout against Joe Rea last September at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, winning the eight-rounder 80-73.

O’Kane will also have one eye on the proposed all-Ireland Middleweight Prizefighter event scheduled in Belfast for the beginning of May, after being promised an invite to the 24^th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight-man, one night tournament.

Reed’s last outing was at Hillsborough in December when he beat Elvis Dube convincingly on points 60-53, knocking the Derby man to the canvas in the final round. The 24 year-old Sheffield man stopped Iain Jackson in November at Bramall Lane and took on former World Champion Robin Reid at the Hillsborough Leisure Centre on the undercard of Kell Brook’s win over Lovemore N’dou, getting stopped by ‘the Grim Reaper’ in the fourth round of a cracking scrap.

The fight completes a fantastic undercard for the March 17 show which features a second Commonwealth super bantamweight title defence for Carl Frampton, Greg Proksa’s first defence of his European middleweight title against Kerry Hope and former British welterweight champion Lee Purdy aiming to get back on track against Nottingham’s Adnan Amar.

Exciting middleweight prospect John Ryder hopes to take his unbeaten record into double figures against Huddersfield danger man Alistair Warren who fought for the WBC Youth World title in 2010. Amateur star Scott Cardle makes his professional debut at lightweight, while unbeaten Dudley middleweight Ryan Aston faces Barnsley’s Lee Noble and Sheffield Heavyweight David Howe also features.

Limited tickets for Kell Brook vs. Matthew Hatton plus a full championship undercard now remain priced £30 and £100 from the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield Box Office on 0114 256 5656 and at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk.

£40, £60 and £150 VIP tickets have now sold-out.