Graham Earl

Graham Earl
Statistics
Real name Graham Earl
Nickname(s) Duke of Earl
Rated at Lightweight
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Nationality British
Born 26 August 1978
Luton,
Bedfordshire,
England
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 32
Wins 26
Wins by KO 12
Losses 6
Draws 0
No contests 0

Graham Earl (born 26 August 1978) is an English lightweight boxer from Luton. He is a former British and Commonwealth lightweight champion.

Professional career

Earl had his first professional fight in September 1997, when he beat Mark O'Callaghan on a second-round stoppage in Southwark, London.

He won his first eighteen fights before challenging Bobby Vanzie for the British lightweight title. The fight was held in Dagenham in July 2003 and Earl won on points over twelve rounds.

The pair fought again for the British lightweight title in June 2004. They met in Bethnal Green, and Earl again won on points.

In June 2005, Earl fought Kevin Bennett, holder of the Commonwealth lightweight title, so that both the British and Commonwealth titles were at stake. The fight was at Bethnal Green, and Earl won when the fight was stopped in the ninth. Earl had been down in the sixth but continued fighting.

In 2006 Earl relinquished his British lightweight title, and the vacant title was won by Lee Meager.

In October 2006, he won the vacant WBU lightweight title when he beat the Argentine, Angel Hugo Ramirez via a unanimous decision after twelve rounds. The fight was in Bethnal Green.

In February 2007, Earl fought for the vacant WBO lightweight title at the Wembley Arena against undefeated Australian Michael Katsidis, in what was described by many as one of the fights of the year. Earl was knocked down in the first, but recovered from a further knock-down in the second to send Katsidis to the canvas, despite Earl's corner throwing in the towel. Earl was cut to the eye during the fourth and his corner retired him at the end of the fifth, following a barrage of punches from Katsidis in the third and fourth rounds. Earl's resilience to Katsidis's powerful and quick jabs, often trading back counter-punches rather than avoid the onslaght, led to many plaudits for both boxers.

In December 2007, Earl fought for the Commonwealth lightweight title against the promising young boxer, Amir Khan, in Khan's hometown of Bolton. Khan caught Earl in the first round and put him down and he was given an eight count. However on the resumption he was again in trouble and the referee stopped the fight after only 72 seconds.

On 28 July 2009, he announced his retirement from professional boxing after beating journeyman Karl Taylor in his hometown of Luton, Bedfordshire 1 month earlier.

Having retired in 2009 Earl made a comeback to professional boxing in a return bout with old rival Michael Katsidis on 7 April 2014 in Queensland Australia for the Vacant WBU World Light Welterweight Title where he lost on points after a grueling 12 round contest.

Earl is scheduled to box in Malta on 22 August 2014 for the vacant WBF World Welterweight title against Malta hero "Super" Steve Martin.

See also

References

    External links