Lee Glover backed to be a champion

Tipton super bantamweight Lee Glover has been hailed as a future British champion after beating Walsall's Delroy Spencer at Birmingham's Holiday Inn.

Spencer has been in there with a roll call of British champions including Shinny Bayaar, Jamie McDonnell, Lee Haskins, Chris Edwards and Ian Napa.

And the 41-year-old veteran, taking on Glover in his 117^th professional bout last Thursday night, believes 'the Tipton Slasher' has the tools to follow his previous foes into the title circle.

He said: "I have been in with everyone and he's a British champion, no problem whatsoever. He's a big lad who can punch, no one will be able to live with him.

"The only reason he didn't knock me out because I am an experienced fighter – I know how to move, how to hold, how to dodge and weave.

"Anybody else and he would have stopped them."

A standing ovation before and after from fight fans for Spencer was deserved after he took the fight at 24 hours notice, stepping in after Russian scheduled opponent Vladislav Sagalakov pulled out.

But the wily veteran found himself on the canvas after a glancing left hook knocked him off balance in the second of four rounds, answering the count with no problems and carrying on.

Glover had settled into the fight by then, with Spencer doing very well to recover from an onslaught in the last two rounds when his 23-year-old opponent was picking combinations at will.

Referee Terry O'Connor scored it 40-35 – with a point off because of the knockdown – but Spencer to his credit went the distance.

Fight of the night went to Halesowen's boxing Royal Marine Keith Sheen and hometown fighter Andrew Patterson, who went toe-to-toe for all of their six round ding dong.

With this the third time the two have been due to meet in the ring, both came flying out of the traps on the front foot.

Sheen was finding success with body shots by the second round, but in the later sessions Patterson dragged him down into the trenches.

The cleaner work was coming from Sheen but the sheer volume of punches came from Patterson, as the Black Country stood his ground and worked off his jab to reach the final bell.

However, referee O'Connor could not split the two at the final bell and scored the fight a 57-57 draw.

Sheen will now move on to his shot at British Masters welterweight champion Sean McKervey at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on September 5, but you can bet Patterson will be gunning for the winner.

The third of the fight of the night saw Stourbridge light welterweight Richie Wyatt take on veteran Karl Taylor who, boxing in his hometown, was in no mood to lie down.

Journeyman Taylor hadn't fought in Birmingham since his last win, over Jon Wollins at the Burlington Hotel in October 2003, some 85 fights ago.

But the 44-year-old came forward this time and took a round himself, only for his exuberance to end with Wyatt slicing him open with a snapping left hand in the final round.

Taylor survived to the final bell, but Wyatt was a comfortable 39-37 points winner.