DUBLIN’S NATIONAL STADIUM will play host to a big-money, Prizefighter-style professional boxing tournament on 3 March.
After heavy speculation and no shortage of anticipation amongst Irish boxing fans, promoters Red Corner and Assassin officially launched their ‘Last Man Standing’ tournament at a press conference at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce last night.
Similar to Barry Hearn’s discontinued Prizefighter concept which aired intermittently on Sky Sports between 2008 and 2015, eight fighters will contest a single-elimination knockout tournament for a cash prize of €25,000.
Each fight will consist of three three-minute rounds.
The inaugural Last Man Standing tournament will feature middleweights – or, officially, any fighters between 155 and 165 pounds. The winner will automatically become mandatory challenger for the Irish middleweight title, currently held by ‘Cool Hand’ Luke Keeler. The tournament is open to any Irish boxers of that weight, as well as fighters of Irish descent.
As well as the €25,000 prize for the eventual victor here will be a knockout bonus of €1,000. There are also staggered purses for runners-up (€5,000), semi finalists (€2,000), and quarter finalists (€1,000).
Furthermore, and in a unique twist, the eight fighters will each take home separate cheques for their amateur boxing clubs.
Defeated semi-finalists and quarter-finalists will be rewarded with an additional €500 for their respective amateur clubs, with the overall runner-up earning €1,000. The victor’s club will take home a whopping €5,000.
This brings the total prize money involved to €47,000.
On top of all of this, Joe O’Neill of Irish-boxing.com reports that the competition will be broadcast on Irish terrestrial television, with a network set to be officially confirmed shortly. Red Corner Promotions and Assassin Promotions are currently considering separate offers from three Irish television broadcasters.
Should they agree a deal, Last Man Standing would become the first live professional boxing broadcast in the Republic of Ireland since 2011.
The lineup as well as an accompanying undercard will be announced at a press conference on 10 January, but interested potential participants are encouraged to get in contact with Conor Slater of Assassin Promotions (conor.slater@assassinboxing.com) should they wish to apply for the remaining slots. Entries open on Monday and close on 31 December.
March’s rendition will be the first of three Last Man Standing tournaments scheduled to take place in 2018.
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