Burton plots a big future in the heavyweight ranks
12:41pm Sunday 11th May 2008
DARLINGTON boxer Chris Burton believes the mettle he showed in grinding out his 11th straight victory on a dramatic night at Eston Sports Academy bodes well in his mission to become British heavyweight champion.
Burton displayed incredible fitness and heart to ride out a fourth round storm and numerous rocky moments to recover and outpoint Lee Swaby 79-75 in a pitched eight round battle in which both men almost fought themselves to a standstill.
Appearing in the chief support to local favourite Paul Truscott's Commonwealth title victory over southpaw Osumanu Akaba, the 27-year-old was on unsteady legs for much of the final 12 minutes after being caught by a leaping Swaby right uppercut and repeatedly tagged by his dangerous Lincoln opponent.
But Burton somehow kept going to produce the cleaner punches and a right hand from nowhere to floor Swaby at the end of the seventh round as he remained on course in his quest to challenge for the Lonsdale belt.
"It was a bit of a dogfight but I learned more in that fight than my previous 10 put together," said the former American Football international.
"Sometimes things don't go your way in the ring and you have to see it out and these are the experiences that make champions."
He added: "Swaby was the first southpaw I'd faced in what was my first fight over the eight round distance and I kept walking into his back hand. But I think I showed a big heart, decent powers of recovery and that I'm a strong competitor and fit.
"You are only as good as your last contest and I never like to get too far ahead of myself, but it's another step in the right direction."
Burton, who had four stitches in a cut left eye, is now hoping to fight Irishman Martin Rogan - who beat his Hartlepool-based stablemate David Dolan to win the recent Prizefighter eight-man tournament.
"I want to fight him next over 10 rounds and regardless of whether I stop him or not, I think I can beat him," said the ex-Hartlepool Headland amateur.
Burton's victory played a key part in what was a massive occasion for North-east boxing, screened live on Sky Sports.
Bloodied Truscott, 22, kept calm and focused to outbox Ghana's fiercely determined Akaba in his maiden 12 rounder and become Teesside's first Commonwealth champion by two scores of 116-112 and a tally of 115-113.
"Apart from my son being born it was the biggest day of my life," said an emotional Truscott, who sank to his knees and shed tears of joy when the verdict was read out.
"I don't think he won a round. Most of his shots were hitting me on the gloves and elbows and mine were straight down the middle."
And there were big wins for Redcar super bantamweight Gavin Reid, Burton's gym-mate Craig Denton - in his first fight since being hospitalised with pneumonia - and his fellow Darlingtonian Bob Ajisafe.
Rough handful Reid had been flattened by Canada's two-time Olympian Andrew Kooner last time out but rebounded in style to snap Scouser John Donnelly's unbeaten record with a fourth round knockout for his fifth win against two defeats.
Reid, who also ended Stuart McFadyen's unblemished run in Colne late last year, trailed early but smaller Donnelly - who resorted to a low blow and head butt in a bid to keep relentless Gavin off - was decked twice and unable to beat the count the second time.
Unbeaten super middleweight Denton had been forced to go the distance when he met Smith previously in Seaton Carew but dropped the Stourport man - taking part in his 148th bout - three times with short right hands for a quick second round stoppage.
Southpaw Ajisafe, 23, has now won all four of his light heavyweight matches after flooring game and awkward Yanko Pavlov - who kept marching forward and roughed him up a bit - with a left cross on the way to a 40-35 win over four rounds.
"He was the toughest lad I've faced so far," said the former national novices amateur champion, originally from Nottingham and trained by Paul Hamilton.
"He was throwing punches from everywhere but once I tightened up and got behind my jab I thought I boxed well."