Mighty Mayfair - show preview

BoxRec News correspondent Paul Foley previews a night of boxing in one of London’s places to be. 

Mayfair is the one place on the board game Monopoly players long to own because if your opponents land on it they have to cough up a fair sum of money which would set you on the way to victory!

And winning in Mayfair this Thursday evening will be the priority for the six fighters on promoter Mick Helliet’s West End show.

For those interested in parting with some of their cash they can expect a little more than only boxing as Mick and his team are committed to putting on events, not just fights, while also claiming to have an acute understanding of what the punters want.

The pugilists themselves line up as follows: John Fernandez (1-0) v Delroy Spencer (11-93-3) at super-bantamweight, Joe Smyth (6-0) v Pawel Trebinski (2-6-1) in the light heavyweight division and Wayne Alwan-Arab (9-0) takes on Kevin McCauley (4-12-2) in the middleweight division.

Of the three contests, my eyes were most drawn to the one between Southampton novice Fernandez and Spencer who enters his twelfth year as a professional, boasting 107 fights, 18 of which came in 2009.

Veteran Spencer has boxed a total of 508 rounds and has mixed it with the best of British. While he has only tasted the sweet taste of having his hands raised on 11 occasions, he can boast standing toe-to-toe with Ian Napa three times. Hot prospect Ashley Sexton, who scored one of the finest knockouts seen in a British ring last Friday when starching Usman Ahmed in one round, couldn’t halt Spencer in two attempts.

Spencer can also lay hold to the claim that he has fought Jamie McDonnell, the current, and for some, controversial new holder of the British and Commonwealth bantamweight crowns. It sounds even more impressive when you consider that the Wolverhampton journeyman is now 41 and has so far never come in over 8st 9 ½ lbs. Yes, Spencer has a few miles on the clock but it looks like there could be a few more yet.

This could be a great learning curve for Fernandez who will get to share a ring with someone who knows all the tricks of the trade in only his second pro fight. I see a wide points decision in Fernandez’s favour.

Zimbabwean born Wayne Alwan-Arab, now residing in Hackney, should be too big for Stourbridge’s Kevin McCauley 4-12-2 who is more familiar with fighting at light-middleweight and welterweight.

In McCauley’s three most notable contests (all in 2009) against good domestic opposition, he suffered a second round stoppage to Lee Purdy (current southern area welterweight title holder), a points defeat to prospect Steve O’Meara and in October was again stopped in two against Chris Black. (British Masters middleweight title)

Arab is the taller at 5’ 10” and younger at 27 while McCauley stands at 5’ 9” and is three years older. There are a couple of statistics that could be an advantage for McCauley in that he has boxed a total of 86 rounds compared to Wayne’s 50, and Arab hasn’t fought since June last year so he may have to shake off a bit of ring rust. But it still adds up to me for Arab winning on points.

St.Albans light-heavyweight Joe Smyth faces Polish born but Tooting based Pawel Trebinski.

Both men turned professional in 2008 but it is Smyth who is looks to be the far better prospect boasting six wins out of six. In contrast, Trebinski has the same number of defeats, including a first round stoppage last May at the hands of highly touted Travis Dickinson.

Last time out in September 2009 Smyth won a four rounder on points against Latvian Jevgenijs Andrejevs, while Pawel lost over six to Marlon Reid.This looks like a stoppage win for Smyth considering he has two inside the distance victories in his last three fights.

The dice is about to roll. If you fancy paying and playing, give Mick a call on 0784-363-6920.

I'll see you there.