Boxing: Speedy sparring is key for heavyweights; Having finally adapted to heavyweight pace, North East boxers David Dolan and Dave Ferguson will once again be men in a hurry tonight, they tell Stuart Rayner.

Byline: Stuart Rayner

IF patience is a virtue in professional boxing, David Dolan and Dave Ferguson should be well suited to making their belated marks. While the amateur game travels at breakneck speed its paid equivalent has always been a more tactical affair.

Having spent the last few years preparing for and adjusting to its more deliberate pace, the North East pair will have to go through the gears again in tonight's inaugural Prizefighter Series.

Eight heavyweights meet at Bethnal Green's York Hall to contest an entire competition in an evening. Seven elimination bouts over three, three-minute rounds will determine the pounds 25,000 first prize winner as the sport looks for a faster-paced showcase for its most prestigious division.

With just 12 fights between them, Sunderland's Dolan and North Shields' Ferguson are relative newcomers to the paid ranks but on this occasion it could work to their advantage. "I'm used to the tournament format and short fights," Dolan points out. "I've had a lot of amateur fights so I know everything involved. It's been weird because I've been trying to slow down to pro pace but for this I have to speed it back up again."

The 28-year-old's path to professionalism has been a long one.

Opinion is split as to whether it has been too long, with stellar names in either corner.

Dolan beat Canada's David Cadieux to claim gold at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 - two years after Audley Harrison was crowned Olympic champion and two before Amir Khan's silver medal.

Whereas both were fast-tracked into the professional game, Dolan held back his progress.

"I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to turn pro," the former England captain admits. "A lot of people start asking you, 'Why not?' after something like the Commonwealth Games but I wanted a lot of experience with England before I turned professional."

Glenn McCrory is sceptical, the Annfield Plain-born former world champion questioning whether Dolan has dragged his heels, but he also has heavyweight backing. "After Manchester I spoke to Lennox (Lewis)," he says. "He told me he turned down offers to go pro after the 1984 Olympics and stayed amateur until after the 1988 Olympics. Lennox said I'd get better experience from fighting top international amateurs for a few years and that would eventually help in the pros. I was pretty much unchallenged for England so I knew I was going to get lots of experience at tournaments like the World Championships and Olympics.

"I do think I will be able to progress more easily than when I was 24. When you get to your thirties, that's when you're generally at your peak as a heavyweight. I'm just trying to establish myself." Ferguson's concerns centred around his physical readiness for the more bludgeoning style he first exposed himself to 14 months ago.

"I was going to turn pro in 2004 but I was only 15 stone," he recalls. "I just thought I was too small and was just waiting to fill out. That was entirely my own decision. Being 6ft 4in I was just too light. Some of those guys are 17, 18 stone.

"My main aim is to win the Prizefighter but beyond that, I always look to be realistic. I always said I wasn't going to run until I could walk and I wouldn't walk until I could crawl.

"I boxed Dave Ingleby, one of the reserves for the Prizefighter Series (at the Stadium of Light last June). He was 17 stone, I was 15 stone 10lbs and you could feel his extra strength." For his last fight, against Mark Walker, Ferguson weighed in at 235lbs - nearly 17 stone.

Both ex-ABA champions are unbeaten as pros and the draw opened the prospect of an all-North East final - the first time they will have met in the ring beyond the odd sparring session.

"I don't know if this is going to be as big as the Commonwealth Games but I'm excited to be involved," says Dolan, whose brother John also won the ABAs.

"What I do know is a lot of people are talking about this, and you see the TV adverts and things. Some people might say there's going to be a lot of pressure on me as favourite but I try not to think about it too much.

"I do believe I'm the best boxer in there, it's just a matter of proving it. I will be aiming to finish the fights as quickly as possible and not pick up any injuries. I could meet Dave in the final but my first opponent is Darren Morgan, and that's all I'm concerning myself with."

"Being involved in the Prizefighter Series was the best thing which could have happened to me," says Ferguson.

"It's going to be a really good event and I'm glad to be part of the first one. If I win, or even do well, it's going to open a lot of doors for me."

The 31-year-old will clearly not suffer for a lack of preparation. "I was on the army boxing team with Billy Bessey (his quarter-final opponent), so I know a bit about him and I've got a gameplan.

Back then I was a light-heavyweight and he was a super-heavyweight. I sparred with a couple of the super-heavyweights, but not Billy.

Bessey's going to come at us at 100mph and I'll be doing the same so it should be a great fight. I've watched clips of (Martin) Rogan and (Alex) Ibbs so I know what I'll be facing if I get to the semifinals and I've got gameplans for both. With three fights in one evening, the mental part is going to be a big part of it."

THE CONTENDERS

GLENN McCrory will be ringside at Bethnal Green tonight, commentating for Sky Sports.

Now combining his media career with training potential champions at his Newbiggin Hall gym, the North East's only boxing world champion assesses the contenders (pictured above, left to right) for tonight's pounds 25,000 first prize:

BILLY BESSEY

(Portsmouth, England)

Age 34 - 12 fights seven wins Billy's brother Chris was a six-time ABA champion based up here and is now involved in his training. Billy's got a bit of talent but runs hot and cold. His conditioning has let him down a little bit in the past and he's never really looked as fit as he should.

MARTIN ROGAN

(Belfast, Northern Ireland)

Age 36 - Unbeaten, seven fights, seven wins There are three real danger men: Dolan, Colin Kenna and Rogan. At 36 he's a late-comer to the ranks but he's causing a bit of a stir. He doesn't have the amateur pedigree Dolan had, but he might be stubborn opposition over three rounds.

COLIN KENNA

(Southampton, England)

Age 31 - 24 fights, 16 wins - Former Southern Area Champion One of the favourites because of his experience. Of his 16 wins, six have come inside three rounds. The danger man for Dolan because he knows the game a little bit more. The pair are due to meet in the semifinals and that contest could prove to be the decider.

PAUL BUTLIN

(Leicestershire, England)

Age 31 - 16 fights, 11 victories Lost a couple of fights in Europe against decent kids recently but he's from the Matt Skelton camp so you'd think he'd be getting some decent sparring.

DAVE FERGUSON

(North Shields, England)

Age 31 - Unbeaten, five fights, five wins Done well in the amateurs in the North East but he's never really been let loose on the biggest stage yet.

He's one of the bigger lads in the competition and has had three wins within the three-round distance. If nerves don't get to him, he could certainly be one to watch.

ALEX IBBS

(Stoke, Staffordshire, England)

Age 22 - Unbeaten, four fights, three wins Coming off a defeat (to Dave Ingleby) after three okay wins. He's not really a puncher and at 22 this competition might prove to be a bit too much too soon for him.

DAVID DOLAN

(Sunderland, England)

Age 28 - Unbeaten, seven fights, seven wins The solid favourite because of his credentials, he's maybe taken a bit too long to turn pro. I've spoken to David this week and he's not the most confident person in the world, which you need to be in heavyweight boxing. The pros are still pretty much unchartered waters for him.

Needs to do well because he should be having a go with the Danny Williams and Michael Sprotts.

DARREN MORGAN

(Swansea, Wales)

Age 31 - Unbeaten, eight fights, five wins A tough Welsh kid, he can get people out of there pretty quickly. He's got Dolan first up and to be honest I think that's a good draw for the man from Sunderland.

RESERVES: DEREK CHISORA

(London, England)

Age 24 - Unbeaten, four fights, four wins He's already beaten Butlin and Morgan and his form's okay so I'm sure he'll be hoping for an injury.

DAVE INGLEBY

(Morecambe, England)

Age 27 - 26 fights, five wins I don't see him being that much of a problem for the main guys.

THE DRAW

Quarter-finals: 1 Dave Ferguson v Billy Bessey; 2 Alex Ibbs v Martin

Semi-finals: Winner fight 1 v Winner fight 2; Winner fight 3 v Winner fight 4.

CAPTION(S):

RELATIVE NEWCOMER North Shields' Ferguson.; VICTORIOUS David Dolan, in blue, defeated David Cadieux to win gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.