Prizefighter and Liverpool's resurgence

Liverpool has always had a proud boxing tradition and could lay claim to having some of the most passionate fans in Britain.

Maybe the current Light-Heavyweight Champion Tony Bellew summed it up best: "I'm from Liverpool. This is one of the hardest places around.

"My city has been built on fighting and hard times, from the Toxteth riots to the dockers. My city has fought for everything it's got."

From the days of rugged Rudkin to charismatic Conteh through to modern day battlers like Richie Wenton, Andy Holligan, Shea Nerry, Derry Matthews and Paul Smith - you can always expect a vociferous crowd cheering on one of their own.

Last week's Prizefighter, which took place in the brilliantly atmospheric Olympia, could be seen as confirmation of the resurgence of Liverpool on the professional boxing scene.

For too long in the mid-noughties the city's professional scene appeared to be going through something of a dry patch but the future is now looking rosy red (or bright blue, if you're an Everton fan).

In my view, Bellew, along with the exciting Featherweight Stephen Smith and Olympian David Price have the potential to climb towards world level.

On the night of the recent Prizefighter four Liverpol-based boxers battled it out during an entertaining competition - 40-year-old Robin Reid, former solder Carl Dilks, stabbing victim Joey Ainscough and the eventual winner, Rocky Fielding.

Of course all four were roared on by a hoarse crowd, with differing success.

Robin Reid looked his age and went out early against a 22-year-old fresh fighter called Tobias Webb. Carl Dilks looked similarly stunned at the fresh, opportunistic approach of his not-caring-for-reputations opponent, Jahmaine Smyle. Ainscough was very lucky to get a decision against Wayne Reed before being forced out, while Fielding - with only three fights going in - rode like a dark horse to victory.

Afterwards Fielding had his merry fans shouting his name as he planned his post-fight mission - the best route around Liverpool's lively nightspots with £32,000 in the back pocket.

There are a handful of other Liverpol-based boxers who could have competed in last week's Prizefighter.

Former British champion Tony Quigley had been in line to take part until weight issues forced him out. Another ex-British title holder, Tony Dodson, could have had another crack at the Prizefighter trophy, although the Garston man seems set to fight at Light-Heavyweight, with persistent talk that he'll have a go at Danny McIntosh's European title.

You also have Paul Smith, licking his wounds after losing to James DeGale, who might have used the competition has a springboard back - although it might have come round too soon and Smith is considering Middleweight as his long-term weight division.

One might have wondered whether Tony Bellew, competing up at Light-Heavyweight, might have fancied a pop. To be fair, the Commonwealth belt holder probably has his eyes set on bigger titles.

Would the risk have been worth taking?
That's the problem with Prizefighter being so unpredictable, so frantic - and frankly down and dirty - is that reputations go out the window.

Look what happened to the talented British Super-Featherweight Champion, Gary Sykes, who was knocked out 45 seconds into his second fight. Look what happened when five-fight novice Tobias Webb took on a former WBC World Champion who came close to beating the great Joe Calzaghe - Robin Reid was changed and dressed long before the final.

Prizefighter might be derided as boxing's version of 20-20 cricket. It might be dismissed like a cheap, greasy kebab at the end of the night on the lash - a quick fix with little depth nor sophistication. That's the point though - it's entertaining, pulls in the crowds and can elevate fighters to bigger and better things.

In the age of austerity, with boxing nervously watching the success of mixed martial arts, promoters often struggling to get fights off the ground - let alone attract a crowd - Prizefighter has got to be a good thing.

Here's hoping for more sweaty, rapturous nights at Liverpool's Olympia.

Prizefighter, 23/3/2011: More 'Wham Bam, Thank You Mam'

Mike Tyson once made a wonderful observation about boxers putting aside any niceties, any compassion, any feelings and any friendships to scrap like birds after crumbs when they dip under the ropes into the ring.

Prizefighter puts Tyson's theory into practice - eight hungry fighters putting it all on the line in the hope of walking away with £32,000 - as was the case in last night's entertaining Super-Middleweights tournament, which took place at Liverpool's Olympia.

Prizefighter is always fun, it's always frantic.

Yes, it has its knockers. There isn't usually the room nor time for technical fights in which a skilled practioner is able to pick and move, duck and weave.

No, normally that all goes out the window and the three round fights turn into 'wham bam, thank you mam' affairs with blood and guts and hoarse fans willing on their men.

Last night offered a great platform for the likes of Jahmaine Smyle and Tobias Webb, who with only 10 fights between them, were catapulted into the limelight.

Prizefighter, in cliched yet still engaging fashion, throws up some interesting stories before it's even kicked off.

You had 40-year-old former world champion and porn star Robin Reid, knife attack victim Joey Ainscough and a former squaddie desperate for redemption after a first round knockout loss, Carl Dilks.

There were four local lads there on the night, backed by a passionate and partisan crowd, plus the legendary John Conteh at ringside.

What a night!

On the night wildcard Rocky Fielding triumphed after beating Webb in the final and was handed a trophy from Conteh.

A man of few words, Liverpudlian Fielding - who seemed a little awed by the cameras and questions - did say he planned to celebrate with a night on the town with his band of supporters.

Well deserved, for sure.

Here are my observations from the night:

* It might be stating the obvious but the sight of former WBC Super-Middleweight Champion shuffling around in ponderous fashion was sad to see. Credit to his opponent Tobias Webb for using good movement to take a well deserved win. Reid may have come into the fight in splendid-looking condition but he lacked sharpness. Perhaps he'd been concentrating too much on conditioning and not enough on sparring. His reaction to losing was a little disappointing.

* How does Jahmaine Smyle make the 12 stone mark? The muscle-bound puncher from Leicester, who gave a very good account of himself, looked enormous for the weight. Perhaps having very thin legs helps him hit the mark. For some reason, I thought of Jermain Taylor - a similarly-proportioned boxer.

* While Rocky Fielding may have triumphed, arguably Jahmaine Smyle and Tobias Webb made the greatest impressions on the night. Both inexperienced fighters will have picked up great experience from the night and can look to pushing on towards domestic title fights in the not too distant future if they carry on their progression. Fielding can be proud of his win but one could make a case for him having an easier route to the final where he faced...Tobias Webb, who had already pipped Reid and Smyle in close contests and was clearly drained by this stage. No matter, that's the fun of Prizefighter!

* Tobias Webb's uncle Enzo Maccarinelli was ringside and is said to be trimming himself down from Cruiserweight to Light Heavyweight. Most people have concerns the drop in weight will further weaken his punch resistance. He looked a little drawn - from the effects of dropping weight?

* Finally, on a slightly sour note, just how did Ainscough get the judges' nod against Wayne Reed? Ainscough was game and brave but knocked down in the third round and appeared to be outboxed in the first.