Elwell ponders future after defeat
Darlaston's Stuart Elwell will spend the next few days thinking over his fighting future after a crushing defeat in his bid for the British welterweight title.
Elwell took sizeable support with him from the Black Country for the battle with Kell Brook at the York Hall in Bethnal Green and they saw the Darlaston southpaw stopped inside two rounds.
He was on the floor twice in the opening round and had been rattled again in the second when referee Marcus McDonnell stepped in.
Elwell wasn't badly dazed but simply had no answer to the speed and precision punching of the highly-rated champion from Sheffield.
The loss leaves the 31-year-old facing an uncertain future.
He said: "I will go back to the gym next week and decide what to do. I was just trying to get into the fight and got caught. My head was clear when the referee stopped the fight but I was getting caught with punches."
Elwell's promoter PJ Rowson, of Wednesbury-based First Team Promotions, reckoned in the countdown to the fight that Elwell's fitness would give him the edge in the second half of the fight.
Brook had never been beyond seven rounds and there were questions about his stamina.
Rowson said: "I thought the referee could have given Stuart more of a chance. He had trained hard for two months and was in great shape so I thought the stoppage was a bit hard on him. He had plenty left to give."
Elwell was on the floor inside the opening 30 seconds. He fell short with a jab and Brook countered with a lighting left-hook counter that put Elwell down.
He was up at the count of eight, regrouped and then a similar punch had him over again in the final minute of the round. Elwell survived but was nailed again in the second and stopped.
Brook's next British title challenger could also come from the First Team gym in Wednesbury.
Young Mutley, West Bromwich's former British champion, is in action at Aston Events Centre on Friday as he warms up for his title eliminator against John O'Donnell.
