Boxing: Former champion Sinclair tops bill in knockout contest

Neil Sinclair starts as the favourite in the latest instalment of Barry Hearn's unique boxing tournament Prizefighter at a sold-out York Hall, in east London, tonight.

Sinclair, a former British welterweight champion, is one of eight boxers who will fight in the quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final, all in the space of two hours. The winner will leave the ring £32,000 richer.

The recent Prizefighter tournaments at light-welterweight and heavyweight included eight established but tarnished fighters, but oddly failed to deliver the unpredictable thrills of the early events.

Tonight Hearn has mixed established contenders with fighters having their final tilt at glory and a few potential unknowns, all of whom are capable of pulling off a shock or two.

Sinclair meets Bradley Pryce in a quarter-final in a repeat of their British welterweight fight from 1993, which was won by Sinclair. Pryce has since won and lost the Commonwealth title and the two boxers are by far the most experienced in the line-up."It's not the best draw for me, but it's a great draw for the fans," Sinclair said. "I've watched Prizefighter and I truly believe that the form means nothing because of the format."