Revenge mission

22 February 2010 – Press Release

Neil Sinclair and Bradley Pryce will renew acquaintences on Friday night in the opening round of Prizefighter and both are confident of victory.

Pryce was stopped by Sinclair in the eighth round seven years ago but insists it will be different when the competitions most experienced pair meet in their opening bout.

Eight days before the Sinclair fight I was asked about it and I was skint, so took it, he said.

I was in good shape but it was man against boy then. This time it will be different though its going to be man against old boy.

We might be the most fancied to win with some people because we are the most experienced, weve been there and done it and it will be added motivation for me to try and put things right against him. I owe him.

Welshman Pryce is trying to rebuild his career after losing the Commonwealth title to Mathew Hall in March by second round stoppage. But Pryce, 28, admits he is not known as a fast starter.

This is a massive gamble for me but you have got to have belief in yourself that you can beat the other seven guys, which I know I can, whether its a three rounder or a ten rounder.

None of these guys would see the last bell with me in a 12-rounder so Im coming out of my comfort zone. Im a slow starter, I know that, because I like to come on strong in the later rounds.

Ive only stopped one guy inside three rounds in the last seven years and that was Martin Concepcion who is in this Prizefighter.

Sinclair, for his part, is confident of a similar result second time around.

The Belfast boxer has gone through a renaissance in the last year after two clinical stoppage wins in 2009 but faces 5/2 betting favourite Bradley Pryce in his opening Prizefighter bout.

Sinclair, 35, stopped Pryce in the third defence of his British welterweight title in 2003 and regards that win as perhaps the most satisfying of his pro career.

Sinclair believes victory will propel him towards big title fights, but defeat would leave him pondering retirement.

Winning this could open a lot of doors, said Sinclair, who was forced to pull out of the Prizefighter Welterweights with a back injury in 2008.

I saw it happen with my mate Martin Rogan. He won the first Prizefighter and then beat the likes of Audley Harrison and won the Commonwelath title and topped the bill at the Odyssey Arena. I will be looking to do the same.

I had to pull out of the Prizefighter welterweights because I had a back injury two weeks before, which was very disappointing, so its great to get a chance in this again.

There was talk of a fight between me and John Duddy and it didnt happen. Hes doing his own thing, which is fair enough, and there was also talk of a fight against the European champion Ryan Rhodes. Maybe if I win this it will make that fight happen.

This is a gamble but its one Ive got to take. Im not getting any younger and I want to see what Ive got left. If I cant do this theres no point in a European title fight with Ryan.

I know that next time I lose I might pack it in, but Im not thinking about losing. Im not contemplating it but if I was to lose I would have to consider packing up.

Sinky is just glad to be back in form after admitting he came close to considering retirement after his fortunes nose-dived following his reign as British champion.

He said, My last two fights have been good and beating Henry Coyle for the Irish title has started a bit of a revival. When I was training for that fight I felt good and it showed in the fight.

Im back in Belfast now where I belong training with John Breen and my boxing has got better.

Beating Pryce meant I kept the Lonsdale belt because it was my third defence and it was probably the best win of my career.

But after that I went a wee bit stale, got disheartened with the sport and a part of me wanted to pack it in. But Im glad I listened to people like John Breen who urged me to carry on. Now things are working out for me at light-middleweight.

The draw was made live on Sky Sports’ Friday Fight Night, which will screen next Friday’s sold-out event live from the York Hall, Bethnal Green, London.

PrizeFighter Light-Middleweights

Quarter-Finals

George Hillyard v Prince Arron

Neil Sinclair v Bradley Pryce

Brett Flournoy v Danny Butler

Steve O’Meara v Martin Concepcion

Semi-Finals

Hillyard/Arron v Sinclair/Pryce

Flournoy/Butler v O’Meara/Concepcion

Followed by Final