Lawton – Bull Boxing Showdown Is For English Title

Scott Lawton will travel to Doncaster on Friday night to face off against Stefy Bull in what had been scheduled to be a final eliminator for the English Lightweight Title. British Boxing Board of Control officials have announced today however that the ten round contest is no longer an eliminator but instead will be for the title itself.

The English Title was originally to have been contested between Jon Thaxton and Leo O’Reilly but Thaxton now has his sights set on the British Title and has stood aside and O’Reilly was demolished in two rounds at York Hall recently by Lawton’s stable mate and sparring partner Gary Reid effectively ending O’Reilly’s title challenge.

The reaction at Impact Boxing’s Burslem gym today when the news was announced was one of overwhelming delight; Impact’s Mick Carney said on hearing the news: “This has got to be the best news that I have ever had. Scott Lawton thoroughly deserves this opportunity and we are looking forward to a hotly contested fight against a worthy opponent in Stefy Bull, we are confident however that Scott will be bring that belt back to North Staffs on Friday night”.

Doncaster’s John Rushton who is promoting the event was also in a jubilant mood: “I have been saying all along that this should have been the English Title contest and I am delighted that now is. Both Stefy Bull and Scott Lawton hold the respective area titles and both are well-respected fighters. Full credit should be given to the Board for making this the title contest. I’m now looking forward to a thrilling contest between two worthy and closely matched contenders.”

Lawton goes into the title challenge on the back of an outstanding performance against former Amir Khan opponent, Baz Carey, in his last fight at Stoke’s Kings Hall in May. Lawton currently ranked 11 in the British lightweight division boasts a record of 17 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat. The number 12 ranked lightweight, Bull has a record of 23 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses. Co-incidentally, Bull’s last opponent was also Baz Carey who he defeated on points over ten rounds.

Both Lawton and Bull have beaten many of the same opponents previously but Lawton has the edge when it comes having faced quality opposition, most notably Lawton can point to impressive victories over Silence Saheed and Roger Sampson. Lawton and Bull are similar in other ways too; both are 29 and both measure 5’10” they do however differ in one significant way; whilst Lawton’s stance is orthodox Bull is a southpaw.

On the matter Lawton says: “I’ve beaten southpaws before and of course I’ve been sparring against southpaws in the gym. I haven’t been out of the gym since I beat Baz Carey at the beginning of May so I am in great shape and I know that I going to bring the title back to Stoke. Bull is a good boxer and I don’t underestimate him but I am hungry and determined so he will have to put on the performance of his life to beat me”.

“I am made up that the Board have now made it an English Title fight and that spurs me on but I know it will also spur Stefy on. Bull will have done his homework on me too and he will have prepared properly for this fight also so I am expecting a tough encounter. There are a lot of fans following me to Doncaster and they will see a great fight and I know that they will be proud of me before the night is over.”

Stefy Bull was also happy to comment and said: “I’m delighted to be facing Scott Lawton who I have a lot of respect for. It’s going to be a great bout because I know we are both hungry for major titles. I want to look beyond this to a British Title but I know that Scott will be feeling the same way and that means that we will put on a great show for the fans.”

For the boxing public this contest represents a title bout between two genuine lightweights who have both duly served their apprenticeships in the sport and who have each earned the respect of their fellow professionals and boxing officials alike. The records and rankings of each are so similar that the result is difficult to call; although Bull has the home advantage Lawton is accustomed to boxing in a hostile environment and therefore won’t be phased by the prospect of travelling to Yorkshire.

Perhaps the best indication of the likely outcome of the showdown are the comments of Baz Carey, the man that both Lawton and Bull last fought, who after his comprehensive defeat at the hands of the Werrington boxer, tipped Lawton to prevail over Bull.