Delroy Spencer gets a win in his 125th fight

Any fight fan who follows British small hall boxing will probably have seen Wolverhampton little man Delroy Spencer in action. Last night was another milestone in his career as one of the domestic sport’s most active journeymen, it being his 125th professional fight. I doubt anyone at the Barnsley Metrodome expected him to improve his 11-110-3 log against home town fighter Ross Blackwell (now 1-1) but he did. And he deserved it too.

Fair play to new ref John Latham for calling it 58-57 to Spencer – it would have been the easiest thing in the world to raise the home town fighter's hand. It was only Spencer’s second win since April 2006 – since then, including last night, Delroy has had 80 fights. It was his first win since he pipped Luke Wilton in June 2009.

18-year-old Blackwell must have thought the sport was easy after his debut in December when he knocked over an import twice, stopping him inside a round. Indeed, he took the first two sessions against Delroy but the veteran picked things up in the third and Blackwell (8st 11lbs), trying as he might, just lost his way somewhat and couldn’t get back on track. Spencer (8st 8 ¼ lbs) even gave away the last session on his bike and still won.

I’m sure the youngster from Wombwell can come again – though when he does it had better be with an improved haircut, which looked like a carpet sample had been laid on top of an oversized egg. This was bad enough but a black bandana too? Come on lad, this is South Yorkshire.

Another midlands journeyman was in action, this time in the main event of this Carl Greaves Promotions eight-fight card which was, with one exception, novices versus serial losers. Birmingham’s Jason Nesbitt (10st 4 ½ lbs) dropped a 39-37 decision to Barnsley’s Gwyn Wale (10st 2lbs). Wale, heavily tattooed and a tad fleshy, is having a second crack at the sport, his last fight being a loss to Billy Smith in September 2006. Wale actually beat Nesbitt more convincingly in his first career in 2004 when he dropped him in the second before winning 39-35. No such fireworks this time and Gwyn, brother of Josh who fights for the English bantamweight title in a fortnight, apparently intends to be more boxer than brawler this time around.

In his first career his highlight was a points loss against Stefy Bull for the Area title. Hard to tell from last night’s fight if he can reach the same standard as the pair appeared to be going through the motions for the most part but at least his motions were better than those of his opponent, which is the main thing.

Carl Greaves told me that the fights would start bang on 7.30pm because Londoner Mickey Helliet had to get his charge Bheki Moyo back to London on the train. It was a long way to come for the beating Neil Beevers gave him over four-threes. Beevers (now 5-0-1, 10st 9 ½ lbs) looked in great physical shape and was aggressive from the start trying to give Moyo (now 0-20-1, 10st 9 ¾ lbs) a chance to get an earlier rattler to King’s Cross. The Earls Court-based South African could have folded in the first and finished with a swelling on his left eye. But he literally took his lumps and kept plugging away.

In the third he grew in confidence until a Beevers right hook reminded him of the script. The Wombwell man poured it on in the final session but whatever Moyo was paid he earned every penny. 40-36 to the home fighter on referee Latham’s card.

Samir Mouneimne (9st 7 ½ lbs) took an improved 6-0-1 record back to Hull by beating Walsall’s Steve Gethin (9st 7 ¼ lbs) 60-55. Mouneimne looks the part – switch hitting, nice combinations, hands down – though lacks a bit of pop. Mike Alexander reffed.

Rotherham cruiser Neil Dawson racked up a record of 8-0 before he hung them aged 25 in July 2005. He’s back and such is the paucity of quality in this division that he might very well find himself in the domestic mix up quickly if he keeps ticking over like this. He stopped Mansfield heavyweight Mark Lewis, who retired complaining of an injured right shoulder after the second round. Dawson (13st 10 ¼ lbs) rattled home some crisp one-twos in the second session and one opened up the nose of the bearded Lewis (16st 12lbs) which had the effect of rapidly dispiriting the big man. He drops to 1-13. The funny thing was, though he retired with an injured right shoulder, he fully extended his right arm to touch gloves with Dawson after the fight was brought to a close. Nothing in it, I'm sure, but it did make me laugh.

Cleckheaton’s Jack ‘Suddy’ Sunderland (11st 3 ¾ lbs) beat Lincoln’s Rick Boulter (11st 5 ¾ lbs) 40-37 on referee Alexander’s card. It was the right tally in a strange match up. The well-supported Sunderland was full of industry whereas Boulter was rather languid and displayed very little in terms of work rate. At this level, work rate is absolutely vital. Boulter picked up latterly and took a share of the fourth but it was far too little, too late. Sunderland improves to 2-1-0, Boulter is now 1-7-2.

Referee Alexander also scored 40-37 for Swinton’s Tommy Coward in his match against Hull’s Richard Troupe. I scored it 40-36 but either way, it was a much more competitive match than those scores reflect. Although Troupe (11st 3 ½ lbs) was optimistic in offering his glove to Alexander at the end, he had certainly tried his best.

Coward (11st 3 ½ lbs) was the better man on the night, impressing with some decent orthodox one-two combinations. Coward has three out of three so far; Troupe is 1-2-1.

Waddington’s Ryan Clark (11st 6 ¼ lbs) fell to 1-25-3 with his 39-37 loss to Barnsley’s Matthew ‘Buster’ Mallin (11st 4 ¾ lbs) but for a little while it looked like he might double the number in his win column. Clark never gives any less than his best and always tries to intimidate his opponent before the bell but Mallin literally laughed off Clark’s refusal to touch gloves.

Clark gets hit far too often for his own good but is incredibly durable. At the end of the first, the pair tried to exchange right hooks but novice Mallin (now 2-0) missed and Clark landed, knocking the advancing Yorkshireman off balance and causing him to touch down. This was the highlight of the evening for Clark though, as Mallin took a close second round and the closing two sessions more widely with some nice punch picking. The naughty boy slightly lost his rag with Clark’s uncultured efforts in the last and stuck his head in, for which he was rightly warned.