Bradley Pryce: record, next fight and profile →
Bradley Pryce has called time on his professional boxing career after suffering a stoppage defeat. The Welshman, whose nickname is ‘Sugar Sweet’, had his challenge against Derby’s Zach Parker ended inside four rounds when the ringside physician pulled him out of their Preston Guild Hall clash with an eye issue.
James Metcalf has been handed an opponent ahead of his first show as the headline fighter. The Liverpool super-welterweight, who is undefeated in 13 outings (6 KOs) since turning professional in 2011, will return in the autumn.
Former IBF super bantamweight champion Kiko Martinez (34-6) is looking for his third straight win since losing to Scott Quigg this past summer. The former champ will return on December 12 at the Palau de Vall D`Hebron in Barcelona. Martinez takes on Miguel Gonzales (13-4) from Honduras who comes in fresh off a points loss to Jono Carroll on the Tyson Fury-Wladimir Klitschko undercard last Saturday night in Dusseldorf.
Cumbria’s Rick Skelton gets the chance to significantly raise his profile when he tops the bill on free boxing channel vipboxing.tv on February 28. With viewers in more than 50 countries worldwide, and ratings soaring, Skelton wants to impress when the vipboxing.tv cameras come to Preston’s Guild Hall as he takes on Wales’ Bradley Pryce.
MOSiR Hall, Radom, Poland - In his second fight of the since snapping a two-year layoff, heavyweight giant Mariusz Wach (28-1, 15 KOs) continues to rebuild after suffering a 2012 decision loss to division king Wladimir Klitschko, by breaking down and knocking out Travis Walker (39-12-1, 31 KOs) in the sixth round of action. Wach worked him over, breaking down round by round before stopping him in the sixth. In the co-feature, undefeated rising Pole Damian Jonak (38-0-1, 21 KOs) won a close eight round unanimous decision over British veteran Bradley Pryce (35-19, 19 KOs).The scores were 77-75, 76-75 and 76-75.
Newbridge’s former Commonwealth light-middleweight champion Bradley Pryce, 34-16 (18), has endured a disappointing 24-months, registering just one win in seven and that was against former Prizefighter champion Michael Lomax in June of last year. Bradley says he will stop taking fights on short notice as he believes many of the losses he has suffered in this time came because he wasn’t afforded enough time to be 100% for the fights. Unitl recently, Bradley was ranked by the EBU and fought for the European light-middleweight title in November [L12 to Sergey Rabchenko in Bulgaria]; he knows that one good win will put him back in the mix at European and domestic level and aims to be British champion by the end of the year.
First Direct Arena, Leeds - Fighting the fight of his life, IBF #4 bantamweight Stuart Hall (16-2-1, 7 KOs) seized the vacant IBF bantamweight title after a close but a well-earned unanimous decision over tough South African Vusi Malinga (21-5-1, 12 KOs). Final scores read as follows: 116-111, 117-110 and 117-110. BoxingScene had it 116-112 - also for the new champion.
Lightweight hot shot Terry “Turbo” Flanagan has signed an exclusive three year promotional deal with Queensberry Promotions as he looks to breakthrough in 2014 as the country’s premier 135lb fighter. The unbeaten 24-year-old from Ancoats, Manchester, will be promoted by Frank Warren, Steve Wood will remain as his manager and he will continue to be trained by Steve Maylett as he sets his sights on a British title shot next year.
In a fight, that was barely a boxing match, more like a wrestling or a MMA contest, Stiliyan Kostov (10-3, 7 KOs) acquired a vacant Bulgarian middleweight title with a dirty DQ over Daniel Borisov (4-8) in round nine. Shorter Kostov tried to press forward to be headlocked and hugged by Borisov. In round two the latter started to used underbelt punches to trouble Kostov's southern regions. Kostov was down several times, and Borisov was deducted two points for low blows in round three. Both fighters engaged in numerous clinches, slides and even cage-like fighting throughout remainin rounds. Borisov had his moments in round five but Kostov was better in more departments than Borisov. Finally, Borisov was disqualified for another pack of low blows in round nine to his mighty displeasure. Interestingly, both Kostov and Borisov were stopped in three by Etches.
LONDON (Nov 15) - At the ripe old age of 32, Welsh enigma Bradley Pryce gets what will surely be a final bite at securing a title commensurate with his prodigious natural ability this weekend. On Saturday evening, the one they call ‘Sugar Sweet’ challenges unbeaten Belarussian Sergey Rabchenko for the European light-middleweight crown in Vratsa, Bulgaria. Watch the fight live and exclusive in the UK by tuning into BoxNation, The Channel of Champions, from 5.30pm Saturday night on Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546. Join at www.boxnation.com