O’KANE’S THE BETFAIR PRIZEFIGHTER KING

Eamonn triumphs in all-Irish night but ‘Chop Chop’ stuns McCloskey

Eamonn O’Kane roared to victory in the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights at the King’s Hall in Belfast, but saw fellow Dungiven fighter Paul McCloskey stopped by ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley.

O’Kane defeated JJ McDonagh in the final and was a deserved winner, not least for his part in the fantastic opening quarter-final of the night. The Commonwealth Games gold medallist kicked off the night with a thunderous three round tussle with Anthony Fitzgerald, with the pair roaring out of the blocks and trading lusty blows for the full nine minutes, before O’Kane was given the split decision.

His reward was a semi final with Ryan Greene, who had seen off the challenge of Ciaran Healy in the second quarter final. A clash of heads and a nasty gash affected Greene in the opening round, but even without that he might not have survived the crunching right that floored the Lurgan man after two minutes, giving O’Kane a first round stoppage and crucial recovery time for the final.

The climax was scrappier than his opening two fights, with McDonagh’s height and reach getting him to the final. O’Kane’s work rate negated the Irish super middleweight’s key tactic, and when he was docked a point for a low blow in the final round, that put the seal on the win for the 30 year old with the judges marking the bout 30-27, 30-26 and 29-27 in his favour.

O’Kane moves to 7-0 and will take a step up in his career when he fights on the big Matchroom Sport bill in Belfast in September. With a glittering amateur career behind him, ‘King Kane’ was the hot favourite with the bookies, but afterwards the new champ admitted that it was a dangerous decision to take a spot in the 24^th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight man, one night tournament, but one he felt he had to take.

“It was a risk to enter but it has paid off 100 per cent,” said O’Kane. “I’ve always loved the format and it is almost a free shot to boost your career and leapfrog your rivals. I don’t think any of the boys who lost here tonight have been damaged by their defeats as it was a great show – but my name is out there big time now, and I aim to capitalise.

“I might be a bit short of title contention yet – I haven’t been beyond eight rounds and was only 4-0 before winning here. But I am ready to step up as I’m 30 years old and I don’t want to hang around. I get great training and great sparring and I feel ready, and this win has probably moved me two or three leaps in one night.

“The opening fight was fantastic. I knew Anthony would come and fight and that we would put on a show and that’s what happened. The head clash with Ryan was an unfortunate accident but the punch to stop him would have hurt a lot of people. There was a lot on the line in the final which was probably why it was a bit cagey, but I think I did enough to justify the decision and I’ll take a fortnight off with my family and be itching to get back in the gym.”

The all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweight winner then sat back and hoped for a night of double delight for Dungiven as Paul McCloskey took on ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley, but the American played the role of party pooper to perfection, rocking the former undefeated European light welterweight champion and World title challenger with a crunching right hook that forced referee Ian John Lewis to end the contest in the tenth round.

“I will have to sit down and figure out what went wrong,” said McCloskey. “But you have to give DeMarcus a bit of credit. He is a quality operator. His record might tell a different story but he is a quality fighter. This was last chance saloon for this fellow so he came and gave it a good go.

“He caught me with a great shot. I thought I could have carried on but every fighter thinks he can fight on, so I am gutted. It is a massive, massive setback for me.”

Corley will now hunt a World title shot for himself but offered words of comfort for Dudey.

“I thought the stoppage may have been premature because he likes to play possum, trick you into thinking he’s hurt then bite right back,” said Corley. “But I’ll definitely take it and I boxed right to plan. I rocked him a lot and that was tough because he’s hard to it and a really strong guy – he can bounce back but tonight was my night, I was confident I could do it and I’m confident I can fight for a World title again.”

The evening began with a fine performance from former British featherweight champion Martin Lindsay as he stopped tough east Londoner Mickey Coveney in the fourth round of the scheduled six.

Lindsay moved through the gears nicely in the opening two round, marking up Coveney with his effective jab and smooth right. Coveney tried to rally in the third but Lindsay both repelled his advances and fired back in style in the fourth round, ending the fight with 1.13 gone in the fourth when a stinging right forced the referee to intervene.

The 29 year old was delighted with the win, which he hopes puts him on track to land a shot at the British title once more, and it laid to rest the ghost of his sole defeat which came at the King’s Hall in December 2010 when John Simpson took the title from him.

“It was weird being here again but I’m glad to have got the Simpson loss out of my system,” said Lindsay. “I’ve had two fights in six weeks and got nine good rounds under my belt but I didn’t feel any ring rust before as I’ve been training solidly for months. I’ve never fought twice so soon before and I feel great – I want to move up the card now to the top where I belong and get that British title back.

“Mickey’s a tough competitor and he wants to bully you onto the ropes so I’m pleased that I didn’t give him a look in. And the finish felt great – the second I threw it I knew it was a good one and it was a good stoppage from the referee as a couple of more punches would have seen him go.”

All-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights results:

Quarter finals

Eamonn O’Kane beat Anthony Fitzgerald – split decision 29-28, 28-29, 30-27

Ryan Greene beat Ciaran Healy – unanimous decision 29-28, 29-28, 30-27

JJ McDonagh beat Darren Cruise – unanimous decision 30-26, 30-26, 29-27

Joe Rea beat Simon O’Donnell – unanimous decision 29-28, 29-28, 29-28

Semi finals

Eamonn O’Kane beat Ryan Greene – first round stoppage 2 minutes 22 seconds

JJ McDonagh beat Joe Rea – unanimous decision 30-27, 30-27, 29-28

Final

Eamonn O’Kane beat JJ McDonagh – unanimous decision 30-27, 30-26, 29-27

MCCLOSKEY AND THE ALL-IRISH BETFAIR PRIZEFIGHTERS WEIGH-IN FOR BELFAST BLOCKBUSTER

Dudey believes big win leads to a World title shot – Collins and McGuigan deliver their verdict

Paul McCloskey says he must win impressively against ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley tomorrow night to land another World title shot.

Dudey faces the former World champion as the main event on a huge night of boxing at Belfast’s King’s Hall, with the former unbeaten European welterweight king facing Chop Chop after the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights battle it out for the trophy and £32,000 winner’s cheque.

Corley won his world title in 2001 with a first round stoppage of Felix Flores and made two successful defences against Ener Julio and Randall Bailey before dropping a split decision to Zab Judah in July 2003.

The 37 year old took Floyd Mayweather Jr the distance in 2004 and faced Miguel Cotto the following year for his old title. Corley travelled to England to face Junior Witter for the WBC belt in 2006 and went the distance with Marcos Maidana for the WBA belt in 2010.

Corley proved he still has plenty to offer as he claimed the NABF light welterweight title against previously unbeaten New Yorker Gabriel Bracero in the Big Apple in January, and McCloskey knows he is in for a tough test on home soil.

“He's coming off the back of a good victory so I have to be at my best,” said McCloskey, who tipped the scales at the weigh-in at the King’s Hall at 10st 1lb. “But I think he knows he has to track me down and do some damage. It's going to be a massive night and I'm drawing the curtain on it, and I plan to do that in style with a crucial win that puts me in a good spot for a second World title shot.”

“As I've got older I've become more of a puncher,” said Corley, who came in lighter than his opponent at 9st 12lb 1oz. “I’ve been in with the best and hurt them, and I know Paul doesn't have enough to stop me. I know I'm going to win the fight and I know it's going to be by knockout.”

Before McCloskey and Corley do battle, the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights takes centre-stage as the 24^th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight man, one night tournament opens the door to title shots for the victor.

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Eamonn O’Kane is the bookies’ favourite for the tournament and he kicks off the show against Anthony Fitzgerald. Quarter final two sees Ciaran Healy face Ryan Greene for the right to meet either O’Kane or Fitzgerald in the first semi final. The bottom half of the draw sees Darren Cruise face JJ McDonagh in quarter final three and the victor will face either Simon O’Donnell or Joe Rea, who box in quarter final four.

Irish boxing legends Barry McGuigan and Steve Collins had their say on who will emerge victorious on Sky Sports boxing magazine show Ringside, and both men agreed with the odds makers.

“You have to pick O'Kane because he is fresh out of the amateurs and he knows how to get out of the blocks very quickly in a fight and he's very powerful,” said McGuigan. “Joe Rea has been getting some great sparring and is in terrific shape but can he roll back the clock? Simon O'Donnell is a very capable, tall and huge for the weight so he is a danger man.”

“It's really unpredictable as there's a great mix in there,” said Collins. “But I agree with Barry that Eamonn is the favourite having just come out of the amateurs. Joe Rea has been through a tough time in his career and turned it around so he could be the dark horse.

Collins then commented further on the apparent omission of Irish middleweight champion Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan from the tournament. The former two-weight World champion believed that Gary had not been approached to enter the event, but since that interview aired on Sky Sports, Collins spoke to show promoter Eddie Hearn and cleared the situation up.

“Eddie called me straight after to tell me Matchroom Sport had invited Gary through his promoter on more than one occasion but unfortunately the message never got through to Spike as he would have taken it,” said Collins.

Official weigh-in results:

Paul McCloskey 10st 1lb vs. ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley 9st 12lb 2oz

Martin Lindsay 9st 5lb 2oz vs. Mickey Coveney 9st 4lb 6oz

Prizefighter Line up and weights:

QF1: Eamonn O’Kane 11st 6lb 12oz v Anthony Fitzgerald 11st 7lb 4oz

QF2: Ciaran Healy 11st 7lb 6oz v Ryan Greene 11st 4lb 10oz

QF3: Darren Cruise 11st 6lb 8oz v JJ McDonagh 11st 6lb 12oz

QF4: Simon O’Donnell 11st 6lb 14oz v Joe Rea 11st 7lb 10oz

To win the Betfair Prizefighter Irish Middleweights – Betfair bet: 13-8 Eamonn O’Kane, 3-1 JJ McDonagh, 9-2 Anthony Fitzgerald, 7-1 Simon O’Donnell, 9-1 Joe Rea, 11-1 Ryan Greene, 37-1 Darren Cruise, 41-1 Ciaran Healy

Both Eamonn O’Kane and Ryan Greene showed the Betfair cameras round their gyms as they prepared for fight night. For more great Prizefighter content visit the Betfair YouTube channel.

Video links from today’s weigh-in at the King’s Hall in Belfast:

McCloskey/Chop Chop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qP6frHVG3o

O’Kane/Fitzgerald: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfZkGxMu8zw

Greene/Healy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMNQdZ6dCnI

Cruise/McDonagh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwpuvuxk5hM

O’Donnell/Rea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYfe9ZN6nr8

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

O’KANE KICKS OFF BETFAIR PRIZEFIGHTER AGAINST FITZGERALD

Betfair make Commonwealth Games hero odds-on favourite

Eamonn O’Kane has been installed as the odds-on favourite by Betfair for the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights on Saturday May 5 at the King’s Hall in Belfast after drawing Anthony Fitzgerald in the opening quarter final today.

Paul McCloskey and Carl Frampton performed the draw at the Stormont Estate and Dudey drew his training partner and friend O’Kane out first, with The Jackal matching him with Fitzgerald, live on Sky Sports 1HD from 8pm.

Quarter final two sees Ciaran Healy face Ryan Greene for the right to meet either O’Kane or Fitzgerald in the first semi final. The bottom half of the draw sees Darren Cruise face JJ McDonagh in quarter final three and the victor will face either Simon O’Donnell or Joe Rea, who box in quarter final four. The eight fighters will come face to face for the first time since the draw was made at tomorrow’s press conference for the Betfair Prizefighter at the Europa Hotel.

Betfair make O’Kane – the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist – 4/5 favourite to lift the trophy, with Joe Rea the 5/2 second favourite. Fitzgerald follows at 5/1, McDonagh is a 10/1 shout, O’Donnell available at 14/1, Greene can be backed at 33/1, Cruise at 40/1 and Healy is the outsider at 66/1.

“Being the favourite doesn’t change anything for me,” said O’Kane after the draw. “Being in the first quarter final looks like an advantage on paper as you get the longest time to recover – but that’s no use if you get knocked out first. It’s going to be a tough fight with Anthony at the start so the focus is all on him now.”

McCloskey faces ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley after the 24^th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight man, one night event reaches its conclusion in a 12 round welterweight clash as Dudey aims to get back into World title contention. Former British featherweight champion Martin Lindsay kicks off the night against Mickey Coveney.

Quarter final draw (and fight prices from Betfair):

QF1: Eamonn O’Kane 4/6 v Anthony Fitzgerald 11/10

QF2: Ciaran Healy 6/4 v Ryan Greene 1/2

QF3: Darren Cruise 6/4 v JJ McDonagh 1/2

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

GIANT DAY FOR THE ALL-IRISH BETFAIR PRIZEFIGHTERS

Foes face up at the Giant’s Causeway – Healy in the line-up

The eight fighters in the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights came face-to-face at the stunning surroundings of the world famous Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland for the Sky Sports promotional shoot today (April 24).

In under two weeks time the King’s Hall in Belfast will be packed to the rafters as they fight for the title and £32,000 winner’s cheque in the 24^th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight man, one night event – and they were joined by Dungiven’s light welterweight star Paul McCloskey on a sunny day at the iconic rocks looking out on the Atlantic Ocean.

There was a new face in the line-up as former two-weight Irish champion Ciaran Healy stepped up from being a reserve to take Mark Heffron’s spot after he withdrew through injury. Healy admits this is a final shot at glory as he winds down his career, and will give everything he has get his hands on the trophy.

“This is my last year in boxing so I’m giving it one million per cent,” said Healy. “I’m just going to go in there and fight like mad. This is the last chance saloon for me, I’m definitely finishing this year.

“To go on and fight for British or Commonwealth titles would be the main incentive – everyone who has come out of Prizefighter as winners have gone on to have fights like that, and I would say it’s probably the most open Prizefighter because there’s a lot of quality and big-hitters in it, so I have a great chance to cause an upset.”

The 37 year old joins a great mix of fighters on the night as Commonwealth gold medallist Eamonn O’Kane, Irish super middleweight champion JJ McDonagh, former champ Anthony Fitzgerald, former Prizefighter entrant Joe Rea, unbeaten Lurgan man Ryan Greene, ‘Slick Fightin’ Irish’ Simon O’Donnell and Roscommon’s Darren Cruise.

It’s a huge night in the career of McCloskey too as he faces former World champion ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley, with Dudey looking to build on his gutsy win over Breidis Prescott and land a World title shot later in 2012.

The night begins with exciting young flyweight Jamie Conlan becomes the latest Prizefighter Prospect before the ever-popular former British featherweight champion Martin Lindsay continues his journey back to title contention.

Tickets priced at £30 (unreserved), £40 (reserved balcony or unreserved floor), £60 (outer-ringside) and £100 (ringside) are available from Ticketmaster on 0844 277 4455 – UK/Northern Ireland customers, 0818 719 300 – Republic of Ireland customers and at www.ticketmaster.ie

VIP packages priced £150 are available from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900 and at www.matchroomboxing.com

Paul McCloskey’s fans can also buy their tickets at the prices above from Eurospar Dungiven and any EuroXchange outlet.

O’KANE: BIG NIGHT EXPERIENCE GIVES ME EDGE IN BETFAIR PRIZEFIGHTER

Dungiven ace says he’s comfortable on the big stage – Heffron out

Eamonn O’Kane believes fighting on the Kell Brook vs. Matthew Hatton undercard was the perfect preparation for his Betfair Prizefighter all-Irish Middleweights appearance at King’s Hall in Belfast on May 5, live on Sky Sports.

The Dungiven man beat local boy Wayne Reed at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield on St. Patrick’s Day in his fourth professional bout. The 30 year old put Reed down in the fifth on the way to an impressive 60-53 points win in their six rounder and now has his sights set firmly on the Betfair Prizefighter trophy and the £32,000 winner’s cheque – and the big fights and title shots that victory would bring.

“The night in Sheffield was a great night, I hadn’t fought since September so it was nice to blow the cobwebs out before Prizefighter,” O’Kane said. “It was great to be on such a massive card. It was the biggest crowd I’ve fought in front of. I’ve fought in the Odyssey Arena and that was seven or eight thousand, this was near enough 10,000 in Sheffield. It was fantastic.”

“It was my fourth professional fight and it started slowly, but then I started to find him and I caught him with some good shots and had him down in the fifth,” said O’Kane. “I was happy with the power I was showing. He was a game opponent and I like people who come to fight, so in the end it was an interesting fight.
“He told me afterwards that he was struggling and under pressure in there so to make up for it he was winding me up and I got caught up in it. I shouldn’t have, I should’ve just boxed. But you’re learning all the time and it while it wasn’t a perfect performance, it was a good one and a win so I was happy with it.”
O’Kane had extremely successful amateur career, the highlight being his Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2010, and he thinks that experience will give him the edge in the Kings Hall.

“All of my boxing career, both as an amateur and a professional, everything I’ve learned, especially from that night in Sheffield, will help me in Prizefighter,” said O’Kane. “When I won gold I knew it was live on TV and the stadium was full – all those experiences are going to help me to do well on May 5.

“There’s going to be hundreds of thousands of people watching it on Sky and internationally, and the King’s Hall will be packed out with people screaming and shouting for different guys. It’s going to be amazing on the
night. Hopefully most of them will be screaming for me, but it will be a great night either way.”

O’Kane is joined in the 24th edition of Matchroom Sport’s eight-man, one night tournament by Anthony Fitzgerald, Joe Rea, JJ McDonagh, Simon O’Donnell, Ryan Greene and Darren Cruise, with the final name to be added in the next 24 hours after Mark Heffron pulled out with a hand injury.

Before the action gets underway there are two fights with exciting young flyweight Jamie Conlan becomes the latest Prizefighter Prospect and the ever-popular former British featherweight champion Martin Lindsay continues his journey back to title contention.

The Betfair Prizefighter all-Irish Middleweights is followed by a huge fight in the career of Paul McCloskey as he takes on former World champion ‘Chop Chop’ DeMarcus Corley in a bid to get back into World title contention.

Tickets are priced at £30 (unreserved), £40 (reserved balcony or unreserved floor), £60 (outer-ringside) and £100 (ringside) are available from Ticketmaster on 0844 277 4455 – UK/Northern Ireland customers, 0818 719 300 – Republic of Ireland customers and at http://www.ticketmaster.ie/

VIP packages priced £150 are available from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900 and at http://www.matchroomboxing.com/

Paul McCloskey’s fans can also buy their tickets at the prices above from Eurospar Dungiven and any EuroXchange outlet.