Thaxton - Giving Up Title hardest decision I've had to make by Kevin Taylor Jun 19th 2008

Jon Thaxton yesterday admitted that giving up the British title in order to once again take a crack at the European title was the hardest decision he's ever had to make in his long boxing career. The lightweight from Norwich who needs just one more British title defence to win the famous Lonsdale belt outright said, "It's definately the hardest decision I've had to make in my career as I've worked so hard to get the Lonsdale belt, but I think I have made the right decision." "If I had taken the rematch with Lee Meager in July and the eye wasn't completely healed and I had lost on cuts where would I have been with my career? It would be a long route back to a title shot." "This way I get a couple more months for the eye to heal properly and if I win I can make my defence against whoever wins the British title for both belts." Thaxton came up short in his last challenge for the European title when he was stopped due to a cut against Yuri Romanov but he is confident he can put that behind him and beat the former champion Juan Carlos Diaz Melero. "I've seen on the boxing forums that I am being put down again, that's the way I like it I'll go into this fight as the underdog, and that brings out the best in me, "If I don't win it this time round then I will know I am not good enough and that I have reached my level. I'm just grateful to Mick Hennessy and John Ingle that they have been able to get me a second opportunity to challenge for the belt." No venue or date has been confirmed for the fight as yet, but it could be in September in Thaxton's hometown of Norwich, and with his vocal support behind him I wouldn't bet against the Graham Everett trained Thaxton adding another title to his collection.

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