Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
“I am going to train a champion” – Scott Lawton
34 year-old Scott Lawton took his final bow earlier this year at the Liverpool Olympia in a twelve round war with former WBU champion Derry Mathews and it was a fitting way for the Stoke lightweight to bow out.
In a ten-year career, Lawton never hit the heights he would have wanted, but has always shown the heart and the class that has made him a credit to the sport. He could have easily stepped down from the sport with less than his eight defeats, but testament to Scott, he took on all comers.
After an early setback against Dave Stewart in just his sixth bout, Scott recovered to win ten in a row, claiming the Midlands Area title in 2004, before out-classing Stefy Bull to claim the English title in June 2006 with a sixth round stoppage.
It led Lawton to a shot at the British title against John Thaxton in 2007, but he was stopped in the seventh round against the Norwich man, who just proved too strong and inflicted only Scott’s third defeat in 24 contests.
In true Lawton style, he never turned away from a challenge and accepted a fight with 13-0 Amir Khan, just seven months after his loss to Thaxton and lost in four rounds, whereas most boxers on the back of a defeat would have taken the easy route, that was never Scott Lawton.
Scott dusted himself off and within five weeks, returned to the ring and set to work on racking up four straight victories until another crack at the English title arrived and he duly defeated unbeaten prospect Martin Gethin in nine rounds to re-claim the title in late 2008.
A victory over Johnny Greaves in early 2009 was a warm-up for another British title challenge, but Scott always seemed to face the best champions and came up short again, this time to the world-ranked John Murray, who stopped Scott in six.
Scott then took on Liverpool’s Derry Mathews in tough challenge on paper and surprised a lot of people with the manner of the victory, stopping a deflated Mathews in six rounds to elevate himself back into British and European title contention.
Scott then faced experienced Levan Kirakosyan in February 2010 and would lose to the tough Armenian in three rounds and followed that up by losing in the first round of the Prizefighter tournament against British champion Gary Sykes.
The alarm bells were now sounding in Scott’s ears after back-to-back defeats and at 34, Lawton decided it was time to retire. He was offered one last fight with old foe Derry Mathews in his home city and instead of declining; Scott did the gentlemanly thing and granted Mathews hopes of a rematch.
In an all-out war in January 2011, Scott and Derry went toe-to-toe for the full twelve rounds, with Mathews getting the decision on the night, but Scott had bowed out with all guns blazing and can look into becoming a trainer, with no regrets about his time in the ring.
Scott spoke to Phil D. Jay after his final bout for a “12 Rounds” interview, which we thank him for.
1.How did you first get into boxing Scott?
Pretty boring really Phil, just love the Rocky films and took it from there.
2.What is your amateur record?
86 fights 66 wins.
3.Who influenced you as a young boxer?
I really liked Lennox Lewis growing up.
4.Toughest opponent you have faced?
Probably my last fight with Derry was the toughest, we both really wanted to win. The hardest punch was Levan Kirakosyan and John Murray was the strongest. But the best all –round fighter has to be Amir Khan, he really has it all.
5.Who do you wish you had fought?
Proabaly Graham Earl, I think that would have been a good fight.
6.Which fight do people ask you about most?
People always ask me what its like to get hit by Amir Khan ha!
7.Best fight you have seen?
Benn v McClellan
8.Are you planning on staying in Boxing?
I am going to train a champion.
9.Who is your favourite current boxer?
Pacquaio, he’s mint and a good man to go with it.
10.What would you change in Boxing?
Same as every one else, one champion in each division.
11. Mayweather or Pacquiao?
Pacquiao.
12. And finally… tell us something we don’t know about Scott Lawton…
Sometimes my girlfriend paints my toe nails, she said it makes them look better ha!
WBN would like to take this opportunity to thank Scott Lawton for his time and wish him all the best as a boxing trainer in the future.
WBN Editor
34 year-old Scott Lawton took his final bow earlier this year at the Liverpool Olympia in a twelve round war with former WBU champion Derry Mathews and it was a fitting way for the Stoke lightweight to bow out.
In a ten-year career, Lawton never hit the heights he would have wanted, but has always shown the heart and the class that has made him a credit to the sport. He could have easily stepped down from the sport with less than his eight defeats, but testament to Scott, he took on all comers.
After an early setback against Dave Stewart in just his sixth bout, Scott recovered to win ten in a row, claiming the Midlands Area title in 2004, before out-classing Stefy Bull to claim the English title in June 2006 with a sixth round stoppage.
It led Lawton to a shot at the British title against John Thaxton in 2007, but he was stopped in the seventh round against the Norwich man, who just proved too strong and inflicted only Scott’s third defeat in 24 contests.
In true Lawton style, he never turned away from a challenge and accepted a fight with 13-0 Amir Khan, just seven months after his loss to Thaxton and lost in four rounds, whereas most boxers on the back of a defeat would have taken the easy route, that was never Scott Lawton.
Scott dusted himself off and within five weeks, returned to the ring and set to work on racking up four straight victories until another crack at the English title arrived and he duly defeated unbeaten prospect Martin Gethin in nine rounds to re-claim the title in late 2008.
A victory over Johnny Greaves in early 2009 was a warm-up for another British title challenge, but Scott always seemed to face the best champions and came up short again, this time to the world-ranked John Murray, who stopped Scott in six.
Scott then took on Liverpool’s Derry Mathews in tough challenge on paper and surprised a lot of people with the manner of the victory, stopping a deflated Mathews in six rounds to elevate himself back into British and European title contention.
Scott then faced experienced Levan Kirakosyan in February 2010 and would lose to the tough Armenian in three rounds and followed that up by losing in the first round of the Prizefighter tournament against British champion Gary Sykes.
The alarm bells were now sounding in Scott’s ears after back-to-back defeats and at 34, Lawton decided it was time to retire. He was offered one last fight with old foe Derry Mathews in his home city and instead of declining; Scott did the gentlemanly thing and granted Mathews hopes of a rematch.
In an all-out war in January 2011, Scott and Derry went toe-to-toe for the full twelve rounds, with Mathews getting the decision on the night, but Scott had bowed out with all guns blazing and can look into becoming a trainer, with no regrets about his time in the ring.
Scott spoke to Phil D. Jay after his final bout for a “12 Rounds” interview, which we thank him for.
1.How did you first get into boxing Scott?
Pretty boring really Phil, just love the Rocky films and took it from there.
2.What is your amateur record?
86 fights 66 wins.
3.Who influenced you as a young boxer?
I really liked Lennox Lewis growing up.
4.Toughest opponent you have faced?
Probably my last fight with Derry was the toughest, we both really wanted to win. The hardest punch was Levan Kirakosyan and John Murray was the strongest. But the best all –round fighter has to be Amir Khan, he really has it all.
5.Who do you wish you had fought?
Proabaly Graham Earl, I think that would have been a good fight.
6.Which fight do people ask you about most?
People always ask me what its like to get hit by Amir Khan ha!
7.Best fight you have seen?
Benn v McClellan
8.Are you planning on staying in Boxing?
I am going to train a champion.
9.Who is your favourite current boxer?
Pacquaio, he’s mint and a good man to go with it.
10.What would you change in Boxing?
Same as every one else, one champion in each division.
11. Mayweather or Pacquiao?
Pacquiao.
12. And finally… tell us something we don’t know about Scott Lawton…
Sometimes my girlfriend paints my toe nails, she said it makes them look better ha!
WBN would like to take this opportunity to thank Scott Lawton for his time and wish him all the best as a boxing trainer in the future.