Lawton looking to carpet rivals by Ben Carey May 14th 2005

Exciting Stoke lightweight Scott Lawton has decided to go full-time in his quest to challenge for domestic honours. The 28-year-old has recently found a sponsor enabling him to quit his job as a carpet fitter. “I'm feeling the difference already. It's brilliant not having to get up at six o'clock in the morning and go to work. Carrying carpets all-day and moving furniture isn't good on your knees because you're forever bending down. There are kinder jobs on your body!” Lawton told BBN. Team Lawton, namely Scott, trainer Neil Holland and assistant second Mick Carney have also formed their own pro stable. Impact Boxing Ltd, based at Burslem in a gym owned by Lawton, is not just a new home for local boxers, however. Team Lawton will also house a boxercise and self-defence instructor in addition to helping out with community work. Amiable head trainer Holland explained: “We have some other trainers with us, including ex pro Gary Marson and it's shaping up to be a good team. Lindon, one of our padmen, recently did a bit with Danny Williams at an exhibition at the NEC and Danny said he was good. We have a nice amateur, Jimmy Docherty, who has just turned pro with us and also Danny Johnson who has won his only contest to date.” Holland is also busy preparing Gary Reid for his forthcoming showdown with unbeaten Scot Barry Morrison for the British Masters light-welterweight title in Motherwell on May 27, but his immediate priority is steering Lawton to his 14th win in 15 contests at Sheffield's Octagon Centre tomorrow. Dennis Hobson promotes. Lawton will go over old ground against plucky Wolverhampton journeyman Carl Allen over six-three's. The pair previously clashed for the vacant Midlands Area title in this same arena last June with Lawton taking a deserved 98-95 points decision following ten, spirited rounds, but not before surviving a scare in the sixth when Allen threatened an upset. At 5'10 Lawton has the height and reach, not to mention the skills, to outbox many of his rivals but his fondness for a punch-up usually provides those in attendance with their money's worth. “I've been working very hard on that and I'm pretty sure I'm going to prove you wrong on Sunday. The problem I've got is that I can box a bit and fight, so sometimes I use the wrong tactics. But my trainer Neil Holland has been working hard to iron that crease out,” conceded Lawton. The Stoke sharpshooter was originally booked to face unbeaten Scot Ricky Burns, babyfaced conqueror of current British boss Graham Earl in a huge upset in February. But a hand injury disappointingly forced Burns out of the equation and efforts to match Lawton with current Celtic champion Martin Watson proved similarly fruitless. “There is a big waiting list for the British title but I don't mind biding my time and I'm quite happy to bump off a few contenders along the way. I'd love to be involved in the British title eliminators but all I can do is keep on winning. In my last fight I beat the Southern Area champion Peter McDonagh (McDonagh subsequently lost his crown to Rob Jefferies). These are the kind of fights I want and Fight Academy are keen to get me them. I've not been put in with guys who I can just blow away – I've had hard fights – but I've definitely learned and grown from them.” Lawton has shown character in seeing off McDonagh over six rounds on the undercard of Clinton Woods' triumphant IBF world title winning effort against Rico Hoye in March. Prior to that, he had to pick himself up from a first round knockdown to grind out a 59-57 win over Sheffield's Roger Sampson in a bruising encounter. “The Sampson fight took me by surprise. I was expecting a tactical boxing battle. But it was the opposite. However, my hardest fight was Silence Saheed. He will give any lightweight in the country a lot of problems,” acknowledged Scott. Tomorrow's exercise is all about Lawton maintaining his focus as he eyes greater challenges. How about meeting the winner of the British and Commonwealth showdown between Graham Earl and Kevin Bennett? “I think Kevin Bennett will win that. He's a little bit too big for Graham Earl but I wouldn't bet my mortgage on the outcome of that one,” laughed Lawton. The Stoke fighter's only blemish to date is a controversial points defeat to Ayr's Dave Stewart in January 2003. The Scot is now unbeaten in 15 outings and has been paired against English champion Danny Hunt in one half of a British title eliminating series with Lee Meager and David Burke. “If I'm blatantly truthful I have watched the fight since and I do think he just deserved to get it. His short game was better than mine. However, I've come on so much since then and Dave Stewart gave me a real kick up the backside. I'm happy for Dave to keep on winning because I'd like to fight him again for the British title.” Top of bill pits an intriguing British heavyweight title eliminator between English champion Mark Krence and unbeaten Welsh hope Scott Gammer.

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