Big boys have their eyes on the Prize

LOCAL trio Tony Oakey, Courtney Fry and Steve Spartacus have their eyes on the prize of a �25,000 victory at York Hall on Friday night when the light-heavyweights go to battle in the latest Prizefighter tournament.

This will be the fifth Prizefighter event staged by Barry Hearn's Matchroom group and the format of three-round contests live on SkySports looks a winner, with a sell-out audience expected.

There will be four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final all in three hours, with the last man standing collecting the �25,000 top prize.

Oakey, 33, based at Newham's TKO gym, has previously held the British, WBU and Commonwealth titles and will be tested in his first bout against Billy Boyle.

Sheffield fighter Boyle is undefeated in 11 fights, with seven of those victories coming by knockout.

That will be the second fight of the night, after the show is started by bookmakers' favourite, former Repton amateur Courtney Fry, who faces Shon Davies.

The four previous Prizefighter competitions have caused shocks galore and dangerous Welsh fighter Davies, who is priced at 25/1, will be aiming to cause a big surprise when he faces former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Fry.

The third clash is between the other two undefeated fighters - Darlington's Bob Ajisafe and Liverpool's Carl Dilks.

The fourth fight of the night sees Oldham veteran Darren Stubbs, 37, take on hard-hitting Steve Spartacus, a member of the TBS promotions group, trained at their Wanstead gym by Tony Sims.

Either Fry or Davies will meet Oakey or Boyle in the first semi-final with Ajisafe or Dilks meeting Stubbs or Spartacus in the second semi-final.

Prizefighter quarter-finals

1. Courtney Fry v Shon Davies

2. Tony Oakey v Billy Boyle

3. Bob Ajisafe v Carl Dilks

4. Darren Stubbs v Steve Spartacus.

Show tickets are available from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.