Boxing News Boxing News
Report by Keith Chadwick
| Stoke’s Scott Lawton turned in an impressive display of boxing at Doncaster Dome last night to secure the vacant English lightweight title with an eighth round stoppage victory over local favourite Stefy Bull.
Central Area champion, Bull, on home territory and an awkward southpaw to boot, was always going to be a handful for Midland Area titlist Scott and when he slammed home an immediate left hook to the head to send Lawton |
 Click for larger image © Karl Stubbs Impact Boxing |
backwards in the opening seconds, there was a trace of consternation on the faces of the Impact corner team. Scott admitted later that he hadn’t even seen the shot coming his way but hadn’t been hurt and resolved there and then not to get caught in the same manner again. His later work bore out his resolve.
Despite the local man nicking the opener Scott was quick to reply. He took the next to level the scores with a more concentrated effort, scoring with a steady stream of right hooks to both head and body, leaving his frustrated opponent to pick up a warning from referee Howard Foster for use of the head.
Lawton was now warming to the task in hand and from the start of the 4th his increased work-rate meant that Bull, his supporters noticeably quieter, had to spend regular spells under pressure against the ropes. The Doncaster man’s confidence took a further knock mid-way through the 5th when he picked up a nick to the bridge of the nose and from that point on he seemed to visibly fall away.
Recognizing his opponents inner turmoil Scott began to further up the pace and by the close of the 7th Stefy’s corner knew that their man, under relentless pressure from a variety of shots, was headed for defeat.
The end came when Lawton followed up a flurry with a crunching left hook to the body which sent Bull sliding down the ropes in his own corner. He was up quickly enough but when asked by referee Foster if he was ok to continue, answered simply “I’ve had enough”, leaving the official to wave a halt with 90 seconds of the eighth round remaining. The cue for much celebrating both in the ring and outside by those who had travelled to South Yorkshire to cheer Scott on.
Speaking later a jubilant Lawton, whose record now reads 18-2-1, paid credit to his trainers, sparring partners and family before revealing that the beaten Yorkshireman had paid a visit to his dressing room after the contest to congratulate him and tell him “I’ve never been hit so hard or so many times in my whole career”. Praise indeed from a seasoned operator such as Bull.
