Marcus Hume handled Mike McWilliams like a true professional.
Hume did what he thought he needed to do to win his first pro boxing match but watched in dismay when the judges declared the 140-pound bout a draw Friday night in Edmonton.
For Hume, a 24-year-old Spruce Capital Warriors Boxing Club veteran, and his coach Wayne Sponagle, the boos of the crowd reacting after the decision was announced confirmed their belief Hume did enough to win.
"Marcus did superb, he carried the whole fight, he outboxed the kid and outfought the kid," said Sponagle. "This kid from Ontario [McWilliams] is a very decorated amateur and he's a house fighter signed to KO Boxing.
"When they called it a draw, the fans booed and booed and when they interviewed McWilliams after the fight the crowd was booing every time he tried to talk."
In a 175-pound bout, Thomas Speirs of Spruce Capital scored his first pro victory to improve to 1-0-1, scoring a unanimous decision over Illies Aini of Montreal. Speirs knocked his opponent off his feet twice in the second round and had Illies in trouble again in the third round. Knowing he was ahead in points, the 24-year-old Speirs simply kept Illies out of range in the final round and earned the decision.
Sponagle is awaiting triple bypass surgery and said Hume and Speirs overcame the fact that due to his heart condition their coach was unable to prepare them for their fights using hand pads in the training gym, as they have throughout their amateur careers.
"I'm so proud of both my boys and I give them credit for these wins, because I look at Marcus's fight as a win," said Sponagle. "They gutted it out and fought their hearts out. They did Prince George proud, the city should be very proud of them. This ain't amateur, it's the real deal."
Sponagle said the fights were recorded and will be broadcast in about two weeks on Sportsnet.
