By Alexey Sukachev

York Hall, London: 40-year-old former WBU champion, and one of the most determined fighters in boxing today, Choi Tseveenpurev (35-5, 23 KOs), proved he is still in mix for something big after winning the large prize of 32,000 pounds and the title of Prizefighter featherweight champion. Tseveenpurev, a rugged Mongolian import, produced an old-school performance to befuddle and defeat stylist Rhys Roberts (15-2, 2 KOs) unanimously on all three judges' scorecards with identical numbers: 30-27.

Tseveenpurev, despite being almost twice as old, looked like the younger man in the ring. He didn't appear like a good technician, and he didn't give his opponent a lesson in boxing, but he was determined and he was aggressive enough to defeat Roberts psychologically. Being unprepared for mental warfare, Roberts just stalled under the heavy fire of Choi. He didn't try to counter the Mongol and he was overly respective to his foe. Even though there were no knockdowns, Choi Tseveenpurev was simply the better man in the ring. BoxingScene had it 30-27 - for Choi as well.

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Technician and partially a spoiler, Rhys Roberts (15-1, 2 KOs), elevated himself to the final round with a deserved decision win over rough Troy James (10-1-1, 3 KOs). A wise counterpuncher, Roberts forced the more powerful opponent to the inside to pepper him with a potent left jab and added left hooks and a right hand as Troy came in. Roberts looked the sharper of the two in the first couple of rounds, while James added some heat in the third stanza. After everything was said and done, the judges scored it unanimously: 29-28 (twice) and 30-28 - for Rhys Roberts.

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In what everyone believed to be an easy way to the final round for Choi Tseveenpurev (34-5, 23 KOs), suddenly turned into a rocky road when he faced George Jupp (4-2, 1 KO) in the first semifinal. The short and powerful knockout artist from Mongolia, as always, pressed the action, and hit Jupp with eveything but the kitchen sink. However, Jupp wasn't there to be denied. He fought off the ropes, landed jabs and uppercuts and sustained Choi's poweful blows with ease. However, the more experienced and more active Mongol did more in the ring and he also enjoyed a good start. Jupp landed several bombs himslef in the third but it wasn't enough to take the decision. Judges gave it to Tseveenpurev: 30-27 and 29-28 (twice). BoxingScene scored this even fight a draw: 29-29.

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Journeyman Barrington Brown (5-6-3, 2 KOs) returned from a lengthy retirement but he was unable to defeat undefeated Troy James (10-0-1, 3 KOs). Brown wobbled James with a right uppercut, his first punch of the fight. The blow was big enough to catch Troy's attention. James regroupped well and soon found himself in a soft spot in close quarters, where Brown felt uncomfortable. James overpowered and outscored Brown in the third. Scores at the very end were all in favour of the unbeaten boxer: 30-28 and 29-28 (twice). BoxingScene had it 30-27 - for Troy James.

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In a battle between a grinder and a stylist, the stylist looked much better, as Rhys Roberts (14-1, 2 KOs) moved forward to the semifinals after a shutout win over Ian Bailey (7-8). Roberts invited the light-hitting but aggressive fighter inside, countered him wisely and found shelter in clinches whenever needed. Bailey looked better in the second round, but Roberts took the third and final stanza. All scorecards read as 30-27 at the end. BoxingScene had it 30-28 - also for Roberts.

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The second quarterfinal didn't last the distance, either. Lee Jennings (5-3, 2 KOs) started his fight versus George Jupp (4-1, 1 KO), the least experienced boxer of the event, at a franticc pace. He tagged Jupp with good left hooks and penetrated his guard time and time again. Jupp, just 20, grew more confident at the end of the round. Early in round two, both fighters clashed with their heads, and a bad laceration opened over Lee's left eyebrow. Jennings desperately tried to score a knockout but the fight was stopped at 1:55 of the round by referee Terry O'Connor. A winner by technical decision is George Jupp, who enters the stiffest test possbile - against Choi.

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In the first quarterfinal, the Mongol warrior proved, why he is considered the prohibitive favorite of the tourney, when he pancaked wastly inexperienced Lee Glover (6-1, 2 KOs) at 1:02 of the second round. Glover, 24, was no match for 40-year old veteran, whose looping right hands wreaked havoc on the opponent from the opening bell. Glover was rocked twice in the first before going hard to the canvas at the end of the stanza on a smashing right hand to the whiskers. The same punch put Glover face-first to the ground at the halfway point of the second. The Englishman got up but showed no desire to survive under Choi's heavy fire. Tseveenpurev, who lasted all ten rounds against then 18-1 Thai legend Veeraphol Sahaprom in his only second professional fight, is now 33-5, with 23 KOs.

As usual, Barry Hearn of Matchroom Boxing pust together the best British single elimination tournaments among veterans, prospect, inexperienced fighters and seasoned pugilists. This time eight featherweights, including former WBU champion Choi Tseveenpurev, a hard-hitting granite-chinned England-based Mongol, will contest in a play-off at York Hall in London, England. All fights are scheduled for three three-minute rounds.