By Keir Murray

The hotel at Glasgow Central Station is famous for receiving the first long-distance TV pictures when, in 1927, John Logie Baird successfully transmitted images from London to its fourth floor.

Eighty-three years later, two Scottish boxers are hoping that they have sent a message of their own, as they set out on their professional career in the first boxing event to be staged at the grand old hotel for almost half a century.

Glasgow's Michael Roberts, 23, and Edinburgh's Gareth Stemp, three years his senior, have taken to the paid ranks after successful amateur careers.

Roberts has been sparring with Ricky Burns and John Simpson

Their stories reflect the dedication required to progress to the professional game.

Minutes before Roberts made his pro debut in the opulent ballroom, his father, also called Michael, explained that the step up has been a long time coming.

"Michael has been in boxing gyms since he was nine," he said.

"He had his first fight at 13 and went on to become Scottish champion, Western District champion and has represented Scotland all over the world.

"He served his amateur career at Forgewood boxing club in Motherwell, where I help out and train the young boys coming through.

"We live in Glasgow so we travel to Motherwell four times a week. It's been an eventful 10 years with Michael since that first amateur bout.

"Now, though, I have more butterflies in my stomach than anyone can imagine."

An agitated and vocal figure on the safe side of the ropes, Roberts watched his son withstand a flurry of attacks from his opponent Raffi Khan.

The judges decided Roberts junior had landed the cleaner punches in the six two-minute rounds and gave him a 58-57 verdict for his first pro win.

With his family members beaming with pride, and no doubt an element of relief, Roberts was a composed figure after the bout.

"For my first fight that was hard, but I enjoyed it. I was preparing for it for months. At least that's the first one out the way," said Roberts, who has signed with promoter Alex Morrison.

"I've been sparring at a high level with Ricky Burns and John Simpson, so that made me prepare.

"I didn't know anything about my opponent. I think he was a kickboxer, he certainly had plenty of ring experience."

Roberts will fight on the undercard of Ricky Burns' title defence at Braehead Arena on Saturday.

This will help to make up for missing out on the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, where he had been in the original team but pulled out when the weight category was changed from 57 to 56kg.

"I couldn't make that so that's why I am doing this," he explained with no hint of bitterness. "In any case, the pro game suits me better in terms of how the scoring works."

For his father, his expression relaxed after the 12 minutes of action, the win was deserved.

"It was very hard," he said, shaking his head. "If I could have swapped places with him I would have. He knows what he is in for now. It was a baptism of fire.

"His opponent was a bit rough. There were punches from all angles from Khan but Michael landed the cleaner, technical shots.

"Maybe the nerves will settle down and I'll get a good sleep tonight."

For the night's other debutant, Stemp, a lively character from Westerhailes in Scotland's capital, there was also joy.

The super-bantanweight outpointed Glasgow's Ryan McNicol, soaking up his foe's blows on his arms before delivering the more telling shots.

Stemp had to turn down the chance to box at the Commonwealth Games

"It was a different ball game tonight compared to what I'm used to. I was more excited than nervous," said the former soldier and ex-Scottish amateur champion.

"I was meant to go to the Commonwealth Games and some problems arose and I decided I wanted to go pro.

"It's been a year since I've been in the ring. It was good to get back."

Stemp's dream is to earn enough money from the fight game to provide for his young daughter.

After an amateur career in which he won 52 out of 60 bouts, he and his trainer Terry McCormack from the Lochend boxing club are preparing for life as a pro.

"My coach has been working on my defence," explained Stemp. "As an amateur I was cocky and my hands were really low but Terry has worked on that.

"Ryan caught me with one good punch, his best of the fight, but it's a learning process: I won't get caught with that one again."

Having served with the British Army in Iraq and having worn the blue vest of Scotland in his amateur days, one suspects Stemp could also talk for his country. He is a man who likes to entertain.

"When I was in it I fought in front of 2,000 people," he recalled.

"There were 1,000 Scots soldiers and 1,000 English and I tripped up going into the ring!"

Cheering on Roberts and Stemp was Ian Butcher, a light flyweight who represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games thanks to a bronze medal-winning performance at the European Championships.

"I'd just turned 18 and I was away to box for Scotland at the Games. My family were over the moon," he said of his Delhi experience.

Butcher, a member of the Keir Hardie boxing club in Newarthill, hopes to be invited to join Team GB in Sheffield so that he can feature in the London Olympics.

He said: "I've got the Scottish Championships in February.

"I'll box in them and hopefully they will take a team to the World Championships in Azerbaijan. If you get into the last eight of that, you qualify for the Olympics.

"That would get me a funded place with Team GB. You go down to Sheffield Monday to Thursday.

"I was in the development programme a few years back.

"I had to leave for family reasons but everything is settled now so hopefully I can get back in. If I can get a second chance I'll take it."

Butcher had the misfortune of being drawn against Northern Ireland's Paddy Barnes, an Olympic bronze medallist and European champion, in the first round in Delhi.

"He only beat me 4-2," said Butcher, not one to mince his words. "He went on to win gold so I can have no complaints - I'll learn from it. It was only my third senior fight."

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