'You hope he can pull the magic off' - proud people of Portsmouth and city company PMC Construction & Development coming together to get behind one of their own Michael McKinson ahead of huge Los Angeles showdown with American Vergil Ortiz Jr

And one of Portsmouth's leading developing firms, PMC Construction & Development, will be no different in throwing everything behind a city boxer looking to launch himself into the sport's big-time.

PMC company managing director, Steve Cripps, is a Pompey sports enthusiast, helping Baffins Milton Rovers reach Wessex League Premier Division level while also pushing the development of their PMC Stadium as it stands today through his role as chairman.

The Drayton-based MD is also a PO4 season-ticket holder and the PMC Construction & Development business he has remained with for 37 years are the current contractor for all the ongoing Fratton Park redevelopment and training base work.

Although admitting he's not an avid boxing follower, Cripps, 55, says he'll be glued to his TV in the early hours on Sunday morning to cheer on 21-0 pro McKinson as he faces huge American hope Vergil Ortiz Jr at the Los Angeles Galen Centre in a welterweight bout which will put the city on the boxing map - at least for a brief period.

‘To be fair, anyone involved in local sport, you're just happy to be involved, it's good for Portsmouth really,’ said PMC Construction & Development MD Cripps.

‘I'm chairman of Baffins as well so anything locally you can help the community and push their career, you're happy to be involved with, really.

‘I follow a bit (boxing), mainly locally, I can't say I'm an out and out enthusiast - I'm more of a football fan.

‘It's extremely tough (McKinson's fight). But, you know, even if it doesn't go to plan it's a learning curve and an experience.

‘You hope he can pull the magic off, if not, it's a platform for him to go again. He's done brilliantly to get there, he's young enough to develop there on.’

PMC Construction & Development has seen sufficient growth since founder and current company chairman Pat McGee launched the one of the city's now leading developers some 40 years ago this November.

Cripps told how the business has a turnover of more than £50m and employs around 350 staff for work mainly undertaken across the south coast, with many of its employees coming from within the city.

And there is a big focus of developing affordable homes through close work with local authorities, as well as the ongoing Fratton Park stadium revamp which is solely picked up by PMC Construction & Development.

Cripps added: ‘We turnover just over £50m and we employ around 350 people from Portsmouth. They travel around, we mainly work Brighton, Portsmouth and Southampton. There are 350 people who work across the schemes with us. It's coming up to 40 years of trading in Portsmouth, it's been good, we've grown over the years.

‘Obviously we're the North Stand sponsor at Fratton Park and we do all the developing at Fratton Park, so that's quite good. We're also in the training ground with that.

‘We do a lot for housing association, local authorities and pension funds. We mainly focus on affordable and community-based projects, we've always had a strong ethos towards that and a big apprenticeship programme. On an average year we probably spin through, across the trades, about 10 or so different apprentices.’

Coverage across fight week, including interviews, all the build-up and on fight night, will be brought to you at www.portsmouth.co.uk, in association with PMC Construction & Development.