By John Evans

Whilst the fighting Smith brothers made all the headlines last weekend – both positive and negative – after Saturday’s show at Liverpool’s Olympia, the undercard played host to a number of promising fighters and allowed a couple of the cities youngsters to continue their education.

Cardiff light welterweight Lewis Rees, 10st 9lb 4oz, got proceedings underway with a third round stoppage victory over Manchester’s Damien Turner, 10st 13lbs. Taking part in just his second professional fight, Rees worked at a high tempo and intelligently used a sustained body attack to break his man down. Apart from having to fend off a last ditch flurry from Turner to open the fourth round, Rees had things his own way and hurt his man with hooks to the midsection in every session. The 21 year old showed good variety throughout and after hurting Turner with another left to the body in the fourth, sustained his attack for long enough to force referee John Latham’s intervention at 1.08 of the round. Rees moves to 2-0 with both victories coming inside the distance.

Ellesmere Ports Paul Butler took on the durable Delroy Spencer over six three minute rounds and displayed some of the skills his trainer Anthony Farnell raves about in recording a straightforward points victory. Spencer is the archetypal journeyman and Butler was forced to be patient and use the tools he has been sharpening over the last few weeks in the gym.

Butler scored well to the body throughout and used excellent footwork to switch his angle of attack. The ‘Baby Faced Assassin’ looked like he might bring matters to a close in the second when a left to the body seemed to hurt Spencer but the punch was wrongly ruled low. Butler went on to pick up the rounds using an impressive range of punches and head movement and although his concentration slipped on occasion he easily avoided the majority of the lunges Spencer threw back his way.

Although beating Spencer on points is something that all young prospects must do early in their career, Butler looked more impressive than most in doing it. Referee Latham’s 60-54 scorecard in Butler’s favour was a formality. Weights were Butler 8st 4lb 7oz and Spencer 8st 11lb 9oz.

Butler moves to 4-0 and would like to move quickly. “I’m really happy with that. I’ve had some top quality sparring over the last few weeks with Ashley Sexton and John Donnelly and by the end of the year I’d like to be having ten and twelve rounders. There are some big local derbies there for me at fly and super fly.”

Local ticket seller Rocky Fielding took his record to 8 (3)-0 with a comprehensive points victory over Paul Morby. The rangy Fielding, 12st 7oz, was straight onto the attack, feinting with his outstretched left hand and leading with a long left hook. Fielding cut the ring down well throughout, ensuring Morby, 12st 2lb, had precious little time to relax.

As the rounds went by Morby tired, his punch output dropped considerably and Fielding took total command. Whenever Morby tried to buy time by getting close, Fielding showed his growing experience by refusing to let his man have a “free rest” as it were and repeatedly catching him a nicely picked right uppercut on the way in. 

Fielding allowed his concentration to slip a couple of times and ate a flush right hand in the fourth for his troubles but that was his only really cause for concern. Referee John Latham scored the bout 60-54 in the local mans favour.  ‘Rocky From Stocky’ continues to improve and showed a much-improved jab in patches. Fielding is a tall super middleweight and once he learns how to utilise his reach he will be a tough puzzle to solve for domestic opponents.