Bristol's Adrian Stone tonight captured the vacant IBO light middleweight title when he forced Dubliner Michael Carruth to retire at the end of the fifth round at York Hall, Bethnal Green.
Stone, based in New Jersey and making only his third British appearance in seven years, dominated his heavier opponent. Carruth, hampered by a cut under his left eye and another on his head, quit with a damaged right hand after failing to subdue his bigger-punching rival.
But the Irishman's troubles began at yesterday's weigh-in when he was two-and-a-half pounds above the 11 stone limit. He eventually shed a pound, but because he was still over the weight the title would still have been vacant if he had won.
Carruth's defeat ended a frustrating and disappointing six weeks.
