By Daniel Cann: John Murray will no doubt be kicking himself for losing his British Lightweight title on the scales. On the Friday before the fight he turned up late to the weigh in and on two occasions failed to make the 9 stone 9 (135 pounds) lightweight limit. As a consequence of coming in at 0.08 kilo’s or about 2 ounces over the weight limit the British Boxing Board of Control stripped him of his British title.

The ruling was that the title became vacant, if Murray won the contest the title would still remain vacant, however, if Lawton won he would become the new champion (Lawton made the weight). It was an unusual but not unprecedented scenario, years ago the great Benny Lynch was stripped of his World title for failing to make the weight limit and more recently we have seen Jose Luis Castillo lose his title on the scales.

It is a frustrating and painful situation, particularly for the boxer, but rules are there to be enforced and Murray accepted the Board’s decision with class and appeared contrite. Certainly after the contest it had begun to dawn on him just what he had lost. He is young and in a way it was an important lesson to learn now rather than later in his career when the stakes could be even higher. Murray is one of the brighter lights of British boxing and he must learn from this experience.

On to the fight and the unheralded and un-fancied Lawton was in with a fantastic opportunity. Loyal and vocal fans from Stoke who had made the journey to Wigan cheered him on. He looked sharp and relaxed during the preliminaries. Murray, the younger man by eight years at twenty-four, looked menacing in his black shorts, prowling the ring like a caged panther. He had the look of a man who wanted to take out his frustrations and exorcise some demons.

Round one began with the scowling Murray on the attack straight away. Lawton jabbed and moved, looking wary behind a high guard. Murray wasted no time in slinging heavy hooks to head and body. Murray stalked Lawton, every punch he threw in the first round was to destroy. There were no feints or jabs from the Manchester favourite, just pure aggression and pressure with both fists.

Lawton kept his composure and was holding his own until late in the round a looping right hook had him staggering badly. More shots reined in from Murray who went in for the kill. After a sustained barrage of furious leather that saw Lawton soak up plenty of lusty wallops, his knees dipping at one point, he was finally sent to the canvas in a spot near his own corner. The punch looked more like a shove, but it was really the culmination of many heavy punches that had sent the Stoke man to the canvas. He seemed hurt but coherent as referee Victor McLoughlin picked up the count. At about four Lawton was back up to be saved by the bell.

Murray must have been delighted and frustrated in equal measure. He had got to his opponent early only for the bell to prevent him finishing his foe off and putting a bad episode in his career behind him early.

Round two saw the assault from Murray continue, Lawton fought back and in a show of bravado waved the former champion in. Lawton even landed a couple of snappy rights at the onrushing Murray. The Mancunian would not be denied and he was like a buzz saw as he bore his way inside. Lawton was being cagey, countering from his high guard and picking his shots. He looked more settled and his head had cleared, he was losing the fight but it looked like the earlier crisis had passed for now.

The pattern of Murray going to the body and bullying Lawton inside with Lawton boxing from a peek-a-boo guard continued through the third round. Murray had stepped off the gas a little, perhaps to conserve energy. Throughout the round Murray would trap his opponent in a corner only for Lawton to deftly turn him or fight his way out of it. Murray was still controlling the pace and the fight but was not having it all his own way.

Murray came out for the fourth with bruising around the right eye (although this never became a factor). He continued to stalk as Lawton jabbed and moved, having success in spells. Murray landed a decent left hook and once he closed the distance between them he landed some heavy body punches and soon Lawton was fighting with his back against the ropes. The round ended with Murray clearly in command of the contest. It was a question of how long he could sustain this pressure and how much Lawton could take. The brave Stoke trier had conceded every round on my card so far, could he find another gear and make it uncomfortable for Murray?

The fifth had the action fought at close quarters again, Murray’s territory. Lawton was not afraid to mix it despite his lack of power (only 5 of his 26 wins coming inside the distance). Murray looked stronger, although Lawton’s shots were well timed, like the right hand he landed early in this round, they did not trouble the onrushing Murray. The Mancunian was relentless; he was mixing his shots well. The pace was not as furious as the first couple of rounds, but it was effective, sustained pressure. Murray was placing his shots well and the body shots he was landing had to wear Lawton down eventually.

Murray detonated a big right hand off Lawton’s head and followed up with a hurtful left. Lawton found himself again under pressure and on the ropes. There was a rare clinch, followed shortly after by another two-fisted assault from Murray, driving Lawton back to near the same spot where he was floored in the first. At the bell Lawton gave Murray a look of defiance as if to say ‘I’m still here.’ But it was misplaced bravado. He really needed to score some more points of his own and so far none of his work had troubled his tormentor.

The sixth, and as it transpired, the last round, saw Murray storm from his corner all business looking determined to destroy Lawton. The first thirty seconds of the round saw Murray right in Lawton’s face swinging power punches. Despite Lawton’s high guard his opponent was breaching his defences, getting through with plenty of hard looking hurtful, energy sapping punches to head and body. Again, the Stoke boxer’s punches were accurate but they were not troubling or dissuading Murray.

Suddenly a good burst from Murray had Lawton on the ropes and a big right to the midriff staggered Lawton. Murray sustained his attack and was giving the brave Lawton a good working over when referee McLoughlin jumped between them in a compassionate and well-timed stoppage. Lawton seemed clear headed, but it had been one-sided in every round and he was getting pounded systematically with no hope of a reprieve.

Lawton managed a rueful smile and a wink to his cornermen as they tended to their fighter. He had put up brave but futile resistance but had the dignity of finishing on his feet, beaten but unbowed. He had earned every penny of his purse.

Murray looked unstoppable. There were no signs of weariness. He had gone for the early stoppage, discovered that it would take longer, so he adapted his strategy to a war of attrition where steady pressure would and did break his opponent down. Once the verdict was announced and win number 27 was added to Murray’s record the reality that the title had gone began to sink in. He had put in a sterling performance against a brave and worthy opponent only to lose his title on the scales. No doubt he will now rue the circumstances that lead to the events of his losing the title.

The win sets up the likelihood of a mouth-watering September clash against former European Lightweight Champion and Norwich banger, Jon Thaxton who was ringside working for ITV4’s commentary team. I for one would eagerly await that potential clash, as I am sure would many other British fight fans. It would be fascinating to see whether Murray’s youth and pressure would overcome Thaxton’s experience and power.