PRIZEFIGHTER: The super middleweights

The always popular Prizefighter series is back on Sky TV in the U.K. on Wednesday, this time with the super middleweight division featured.

I thought that the series reached an all-time high with last month’s highly entertaining tournament in the super bantam division that was won by Ireland’s colourful Willie Casey. Wednesday’s show is a bit of a comedown, I fear, although in this event, with boxers meeting in three-round bouts in an eight-man format, there are usually thrills and upsets.

As always, picking winners is tricky. The better boxer doesn’t always win in a three-round fight. Sometimes the man who starts faster and throws more punches gets the edge. I have only had the chance to see a couple of the 168-pounders taking part. Here’s a guess at what might happen in the quarterfinals, plus my selection for the overall winner.

SAM HORTON vs PATRICK MENDY

Horton -160; Mendy +140

Horton, a southpaw, has the advantage in experience but he doesn’t seem too robust, having been stopped in each of his losses. He was game but outclassed against the Olympic gold medallist James DeGale in his last fight. Mendy, born in Gambia, in West Africa, has won three of his last four bouts. In his last fight, although outpointed, he apparently fought well against Kenny Anderson, the unbeaten Commonwealth Games gold medallist. Two of Mendy’s four losses were by the narrowest margin of a single point, and I am thinking he is a bit better than his record suggests, while Horton is coming into the bout after suffering a severe stoppage defeat. I think that Horton, who seems to be the better technical boxer and cleaner puncher, can scrape home on the cards.

JEFF EVANS vs PETER FEDORENKO

Evans -125; Fedorenko +105

Fedorenko is a heavy-handed type who returned to the ring last September after a decade’s inactivity and bludgeoned his opponent into defeat in the fourth round. He scored a 16-second win back in 1998 when he flattened his opponent with a huge right hand. Fedorenko is relatively young at 32 and seems to be serious about his boxing after the long time away. However, he is moving up from the middleweight division. Evans has had only three bouts but he is the natural 168-pounder. I will go with the naturally bigger boxer, but of course Fedorenko’s right hand has to be taken into account — if he lands flush, he can win suddenly.

EDDIE McINTOSH vs DANIEL CADMAN

McIntosh -160; Cadman +140

McIntosh has the better record but he was knocked out in his last fight — and in his last fight before this he barely won against a boxer who was taking part in his only fourth contest. Cadman has lost his last two fights against boxers with losing records, but one of those was a one-point defeat while the other loss appears to have been debatable. McIntosh appears to be slightly the better fighter and I will go with him, but the British oddsmaker sharpies will probably be more clued-up than I am on this fight (and all the Prizefighter bouts come to that).

TONY SALAM vs PAUL DAVID

Salam -165; David +135

This match puts the two best boxers of the tournament against each other, which is a shame as this would have made an excellent final. Salam, born in Nigeria, is a talented southpaw with a good amateur background but he seemed a bit lacking in mental toughness when he was knocked out by Courtney Fry in his only professional defeat and he has had just two bouts in two years. He outpointed David in a four-rounder back in 2007, scoring a flash knockdown. However, David has won five of his last six bouts, including points wins over useful light-heavies Peter Haymer and Andrew Lowe — and in his last fight he avenged a defeat by knocking out the boxer who had beaten him. David hasn’t boxed for a year and a half but I understand he has been a sparmate for top-level boxers, including Carl Froch, and that he has given a good account of himself in the gym sessions. Salam looks the superior boxer, and he holds a win over David, admittedly three and a half years ago, so he has to be favoured. David seems a tough, determined individual, though, and he has obviously improved since the last fight with Salam. I think Salam should be able to outscore David, but it could be tight on the cards.

TOURNAMENT WINNER: I’m going with Tony Salam to take home the Prizefighter trophy, but he faces his toughest fight in his opening bout and, if he wins — which is by no means certain — he might be a bit drained for the next two contests.