KIRAKOSYAN CRUSHES LAWTON
Sky Sports
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Feb 19 2010
Stoke fighter stopped in round three by top European
Scott Lawton’s attempt to win the European super-featherweight title
came to an abrupt end when he was stopped by Leva Kirakosyan in
round three.
The Stoke veteran was outclassed by the French-based Armenian from
the opening bell as Lawton’s first step outside domestic level proved
disastrous.
Kirakosyan clubbed Lawton with a straight right hand inside the
opening minute and he never really recovered despite attempting to
throw shots of his own.
He did well to survive the opening three minutes and received another
hurtful left hook at the climax of the round, but it was a similar
story in the next as the Stoke fighter was given a standing count at
the end of another three minute barrage.
Lawton’s head still hadn’t cleared as he came out for the third round,
and Kirakosyan knew this was his chance to finally finish off the
Briton’s hopes.
The 33-year-old had been hoping to stay out of trouble for the first
half of the fight before imposing his size and strength later on,
but he was never given the chance to advertise his boxing ability.
Lawton, who had previously lost two attempts to win the British title
and another to land the Commonwealth belt at lightweight, was out of
his depth as the Armenian took pot shots every time Lawton prepared
to unload.
The end came mercifully early in the third, Lawton again backed onto
the ropes by Kirakosyan before another clinical right hand knocked
him senseless, the Danish referee stopping the fight with Lawton
swaying on the ropes.
"Obviously we knew he was a big hitter and I let one get through the
net at the start, and that was the end really," Lawton told Sky Sports.
"You can’t regret taking fights, if you never take fights you’ll never
know how far you can get. I truly felt I had the ability to beat him,
obviously it hasn’t turned out that way.
"I’m not going to make any rash decisions. I’ve done quite lot in the
sport and I don’t really know if there’s anywhere else for me to go."