Stubbs stuns rivals with place in final

Photo: Lawrence Lustig

DARREN STUBBS (right) in action against Tony Oakey. Picture by: LAWRENCE LUSTIG.

OLDHAM boxer Darren Stubbs caused an upset by finishing runner-up in the televised Prizefighter light-heavyweight series.

The 37-year-old HGV lorry driver from Shaw, the oldest of the eight boxers, earned £12,000, which was the biggest pay-day of his career in the one-night event at York Hall, Bethnal Green, London.

What made the achievement of rank outsider Stubbs even more remarkable was that it was done after being injured in his first bout.

Stubbs, the International Masters light-heavyweight champion, damaged a muscle in his forearm in the quarter–final against Steve Sparticus, the former English champion, whom he stopped in the second round of their bout with the evening’s only knockdown.

Stubbs then scored a points victory against Liverpool’s Carl Dilks, although there was controversy as an error by the British Boxing Board of Control saw Dilks originally declared the winner.

However, the judges had made a mistake with the scoring and Stubbs eventually advanced into the final before he was outclassed by Oakey.

“Darren did fantastically well to reach the final because he was up against far more experienced boxers and had been unfancied,” explained Jack Doughty, who trains Stubbs along with Gary Ford.

And Doughty believes Stubbs, who is a member of his Tara stable, has enhanced his reputation and chances of landing a shot at other top fighters.

All the action was broadcast live on Sky Sports 1 and the next Prizefighter event, this time at lightweight, will be staged in Glasgow on Tuesday, March 24.