'The Upsetter' Ovill McKenzie lived up to his name with a career-defining victory in the cruiserweights Prizefighter tournament.
Outsider springs a stunning upset in claiming cruiserweight title
'The Upsetter' Ovill McKenzie lived up to his name with a career-defining victory in the cruiserweights Prizefighter tournament on Tuesday.
The former Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion was only called in to take part in the competition two weeks ago, but claimed the £25,000 pot with three consummate displays on a night of high drama at London's Earl's Court.
With tournament favourite Dean Francis stunningly felled by runner-up John 'Buster' Keeton in the first round of their semi-finals, it was a final featuring two big outsiders.
Highlight
Twenty nine-year-old McKenzie showed the greater ring skills to outbox his marked up opponent at the end and emerge a unanimous victor on points - a moment he later acclaimed.
"This is the moment of my life," McKenzie told
Sky Sports 1. "I'm very proud of myself going in there and doing the business. I'm The Upsetter and I'm back.
"These guys are big so I just used my skill and my lightness to deal with them, go through the rounds, duck in and out and take it to them to win.
"It was tough, especially the last fight. I'm a more natural light-heavyweight and I can make super-middleweight there's no point me going to cruiserweight in the future. I'll stay at my natural weight."
McKenzie had earlier disposed of Micky Steeds' conqueror Darren Corbett in the second round en route to the final and overcame pre-tournament second favourite Terry Dunstan in the quarter-finals.
Birthday boy Keeton also sprung a couple of big upsets of his own on the night, though, by stopping Francis, who had looked a shoo-in for the final after knocking out Neil Simpson first up.
And even Keeton's first-round triumph against Bruce Scott came as a shock, before ultimately fatigue and the bruising under his left eye took its toll on the 37-year-old fighter from Sheffield, leaving the unfancied Jamaica-born fighter to be crowned king of the cruiserweights.
