Prizefighter Super Bantams - as it happens - all the action and results here

All the action as it happens from Matchroom's latest Prizefighter tournament - the Super Bantamweights from York Hall in London.

Quarter Finals

Mark Moran, Liverpool (11-1-1) v Willie Casey, Limerick (5-0)

Round One: Absolute barnstorming start with both men throwing huge amounts of leather.  This is what the tournament should be all about.  The Irishman's round for me and his relentless aggression seemed to shock Moran.

Round Two:  Moran started boxing a bit more and got through with a smahsing right hook - unfortunately for him, Casey ate it up and banged back.  Casey through with a left hook and Moran, dragged into a proper scrap, picks up a nick at the side of his right eye.  The Scouser's round for me and, if both men aren't already knackered, the last should be storming.

Round Three: Casey, boxing nicely, through with a couple of stiff jabs and then he's confident enough to open up with combinations.  Moran falls to the canvas.  On rising, Casey swarms all over him and referee Ian John-Lewis rescues Moran at 1:12.

Result: Casey RSF3 Moran

What an absolute belter - and perhaps a turn up for the books too.  Big Glenn McCrory has just said, "Willie Casey - one of 22 children...he learned to fight at the dinner table!"

Casey just came out with a cracker - "We were prepared to go three rounds if we had to."

Esham Pickering, Newark (34-9) v Josh Wale, Brompton (9-2)

It's potentially risky writing these things in running.  But I'll be honest - Esham is a mere shell of what he was.  Once upon a time (no disrespect to Wale) but he'd have messed this opponent around, even in this format.  It's all about how much Pickering has left - and I don't think it's much.

Round One: Pickering looks shot and is stumbling about from the start.  Sad to see.  Slow hands.  Wale through with several head shots and Pickering not even attempting to move.  Wale pushing Pickering around though there is a bit of a spark in the final minute.  The former highly decorated champ is fighting from memory here.

Apparently 21 head shots were landed by Wale.  Ouch.

Round Two:  Pickering coming forward but not particularly effectively; Wale isn't good enough to get him out of there though so we're in for more of this.  A much, much closer round actually and Pickering's heart is unquestionable.

Round Three:  Pickering looks like he's warming to the task, unbelievably.  A couple of flashes from the past and Wale doesn't look too happy.  This type of scrap was never Esham's style but he's making a decent fist of it.  Wale's youth and fitness sees him continue to come forward but he picks up a cut on his right eye whilst doing so.  Nice short right hook from Pickering.  I'd give the Newark man that last session.

This is going to be a close one.  Sentiment and a complete lack of sense and compassion makes me hope Pickering has nicked it.

Scorecards: Mark Green 30-29 Wale; IJL 29-28 Pickering; John Keane 29-28 Wale

Result: Wale SPTS3 Pickering

Robbie Turley, Cefn Forest (7-2) v Jamie Arthur, Cwmbran (16-3)

I've got a new nickname for Robbie Turley - 'The Welsh Limahl'.  Arthur is a 1/5 favourite to beat the 80s pop throwback.

Round One:  More of a boxing contest than the previous two, which wouldn't have been difficult.  Turley certainly isn't 'Too Shy' and hands over a left hook counter.  Arthur grabbing a bit but then not doing much inside work.  Turley pushed to the canvas, no count.  Turley's session for me, though it was a bit scrappy.

Round Two:  Turley boxing the nicer of the pair.  Nice jab from Arthur but again, his complete lack of inside work gives a bad impression as most is at close quarters.  Very little in terms of quality but I'd give that to Turley again.  Punch stats have them even with 16 each landed.

Round Three:  Nice right cross Turley, good jab Arthur.  Reverts to scrappy stuff.  Turley stupidly dropped his hands, Arthur clipped him and then Turley stuck his head in and rightly received a stern warning from referee Green.  Right hand Turley down the stretch. 

Poor fight, which I'd give to Turley.  Jim Watt has it all square but I'll tell you this for nowt - you'll never get a draw in Prizefighter.  Adam Smith has just said the referee gets the casting vote in case of a draw but this is the first I've heard of that.  The judges just avoid them in the first place.

Scorecards: Terry O'Connor 30-27 Arthur; John Keane 29-28 Turley; IJL 30-27 Arthur

Result: Arthur SPTS3 Turley

Gavin Reid, Redcar (6-5-1) v Ricky Owen, Swansea (11-0)

Round One:  Big left from southpaw and tournament favourite Owen, right from the first bell.   Owen seems both very confident and highly accurate and I can't see this lasting long.  Reid shipping a few head shots and already has a cut at the side of his left eye.  Owen is also cut.

Round Two: Reid comes forward showing heart.  He turns things completely around with a peach of a short left hook that had Owen reeling into the ropes.  A count is given.  Owen bangs back, even though he's shaky, and clatters Reid, hurting him.  Both men dig in and exchange hooks.  Owen through with a meaty left but Reid takes it well.  One of the rounds of any Prizefighter.  Reid is up on the contest punch stats.

Round Three:  Owen shading the boxing element but Reid is scrapping away.  The Teessider has to ship another hard right in the last 30 seconds but there's no way he'll not hear the final bell.  The Welshman's session.

The knockdown for Reid made it close but it wouldn't surprise me if cards of 29-28 for Owen were lodged.

Scorecards: IJL 29-28 Owen, Mark Green 29-28 Reid; Terry O'Connor 29-28 Owen

Johnny Nelson just said it was the best fight he'd seen from all the Prizefighter tournaments and he's not far away.

Result: Owen SPTS3 Reid

Casey is now the 11/10 tournament favourite.

Semi-Final 1

Willie Casey v Josh Wale

Round One:  Right hook from Casey and he's swarming just like against Moran.  He gets through with a left hook too and Wale waves him on - as if the Limerick man needed an invitation.  A nice orthodox combination from Wale but Casey returns to his opponent's chest.  Nice boxing from Wale and Casey has slowed momentarily.  Wale might have nicked that one actually - a very good second half from the Yorkshireman.

Round Two:  Casey starts quickly but Wale is giving no ground.  He's also varying his work a bit more than Casey.  Wale is popping out eye-catching combos but Casey's grit is apparent as he 'whales' away.  The cut Wale sustained in the opening contest against Pickering is weeping.  Wale is nullifying Casey's pressure nicely but the Irishman has a good spell, getting through with some left hooks.  Incredible desire from both men - another real cracker.  I'd give that to Casey.  It would have been easy to give either round, either way. 

Round Three:  Casey is chasing Wale, hurling bombs as Wale retains his composure.  Casey is down but it's a slip. Casey bores forward but Wale is again boxing nicely with his back to the ropes.  Casey digs in a right but Wale replies.  Wale was clearly the better technical boxer but Casey threw the kitchen sink at it; definitely one of those contests where you pick what you like.  Looking at the contest as a whole, I thought Wale shaded it but that's not how things are scored.  One thing's for sure - it was an absolute cracker and whoever is going home has every right to be gutted.

Scorecards: Terry O'Connor 29-28 Casey; Mark Green 29-28 Wale; John Keane 29-28 Casey

Result: Casey SPTS3 Wale

Semi-Final 2

Jamie Arthur v Ricky Owen

Potentially the only 'boxing' match of the tournament, if you get my drift.

Round One:  Owen down from a slip.  This looks positively pedestrian after watching previous action.  Both men are warned for some head-related niggles.   Arthur is warned for a rabbit punch.  Nice right hook Owen.  Arthur's left eye looks as if it's cut.  Arthur lands another rabbit punch and referee O'Connor looks as if he's going to take a point off but changes his mind.  Hard to score as there was so little action.  I've already got too used to high octane fare.

Round Two:  A nice left hook half way through the round from Owen almost dropped Arthur.  He survives fine but it was Owen's round and I doubt very much Arthur can muster the effort needed to turn this bout around.

Arthur is 9/1 and Owen 1/25.  And this is without the possibility of a draw. Gotta love those lovely bookies.

Round Three:  Arthur looks like he hurt Owen and shortly after, the latter is on the canvas and is very lucky that O'Connor called it a slip.  Arthur is taking more chances than before and he has to.  Owen is more susceptible to an attack too.  Arthur might have nicked that one but it's probably Owen's fight.

Scorecards: Mark Green, 30-27; John Keane 29-28; IJL 29-28, all for Owen

Result: Owen UPTS3 Arthur

Looking on the replay, Owen is lucky he didn't have a count against him there.  Arthur hit him with a left hook behind the ear.  Unfortunately for Arthur, his excitement did lead to a little push and that's how Big Terry saw it.  The right man won though.

Drama to the maximum power!  Ricky Owen has been withdrawn from the tournament and replacement Paul McElhinney has just won the toss of a coin against Ian Bailey to face Casey in the final.

"Cut on the eye, the doctor just pulled me out.  Very gutted but I can't see out of my eye," said Ricky Owen.

The cut didn't look too bad, in truth but if the fighter himself says he can't see properly, it must be a lot worse than it looks.  What a blow for the poor lad.

Final

Willie Casey v Paul McElhinney, Newlands (4-0)

Casey is 1/6 and McElhinney 7/2.  I know nothing about 21-year-old McElhinney other than his bare stats which show four points wins against poor opposition.  But those aren't bad odds for a lad who's completely fresh, though it's obviously a blind bet.

Round One:  McElhinney through with a nice left cross and it looks as if he's an orthodox chap wanting to box rather than scrap.  Casey hasn't started as boldly as before and if he was tiring a bit, no one could blame him.  The first round of 'boxing' rather than 'fighting' we've seen from the Irishman.  A close round which I'd just give to McElhinney.

Round Two:  Better from Casey and he gets through with a right hook.  In fact, the man from Limerick dominates the round and McElhinney has a bust nose.  The young Scot starts to look like the novice he is as Casey turns up the heat a little.  Another round like this and Casey will be going home with the £32k cheque.

Round Three:  McElhinney is digging in and boxing nicely.  But one gets the sense Casey just has the edge.  He won't be denied and is determined to make it his night.  Actually, the Scot evens things up a bit in the last minute as he's prepared to trade but Casey gets through with a couple of right hands.  Another close round but it looks like Casey's night.

Scorecards:  John Keane 29-28, IJL 30-27, Terry O'Connor 29-28, all for Casey

Result: Casey UPTS3 McElhinney

Willie Casey wins the tournament

A very enjoyable evening's viewing and some of the contests were among the best Prizefighter has served up.  Inevitably, Ricky Owen's withdrawal from the final took a little shine off events but one doubts Willie 'Big Bang' Casey - a late addition himself after the withdrawal of Wayne McCullough - will be bothered one iota.