Craig Watson

Craig Watson is a British former professional boxer from Oldham, England, who did his best work at welterweight and also boxed at light middleweight. A compact 5ft 8in southpaw, he turned professional on 20 May 2005 and competed until 2013, finishing with a record of 22 wins and 5 losses (0 draws), scoring 9 knockouts from 27 bouts. Over a career that rarely took the easy option, he held the Commonwealth welterweight title from 2007 to 2009, won the Commonwealth light middleweight title in 2010, and briefly held the British welterweight title in 2011.

Before he was known on small-hall bills, Watson drew attention in the amateurs when he faced Amir Khan, scoring a knockdown in a bout he ultimately lost on points. As a professional, he debuted with a second-round stoppage of Willie Valentine at the Elephant and Castle Centre in London, won his next six, then hit the first professional setback when the unbeaten John Fewkes outpointed him over eight rounds in Leeds. It was an early reminder that the domestic welterweight scene is a narrow road and, for a southpaw, novelty alone does not win rounds.

He rebuilt steadily and earned his first major title chance against Ali Nuumbembe for the Commonwealth welterweight belt in Wigan in December 2007. Watson took the title in the eighth round when a clash of heads opened a cut that deteriorated to the point Nuumbembe’s corner could not continue. Not long afterwards, he travelled to Italy for the vacant European Union title against Daniele Petrucci and paid for the gamble, stopping inside three rounds, a defeat later linked to short-notice circumstances and an imperfect camp.

The best of Watson at welterweight came in the spring of 2008, when he defended his Commonwealth title against Matthew Hatton at the City of Manchester Stadium, on the undercard of Ricky Hatton’s return against Juan Lazcano. Watson won a clear points decision over twelve, using the right jab and straight left to keep Hatton turning and resetting, and it became one of those domestic fights that quietly ages well because it was won on skill rather than theatre. In 2009, he lost the Commonwealth title in a tight contest to John O’Donnell at York Hall, a lively, competitive fight that showed how quickly fortunes swing once the belt is gone and the champion becomes the challenger again.

He forced his way back by taking the fights that mattered. In 2010, he stopped the experienced Barrie Jones, then — on very short notice — moved up to light middleweight to challenge Badru Lusambya for the Commonwealth title and won emphatically, scoring multiple knockdowns in a storming second round before the contest was halted. It was the sort of night that suited him: sharp, direct work from the left-hand stance, no fuss, and a finish when the opening appeared.

Watson’s finest professional night came on 19 February 2011 at Wembley Arena, when he outpointed O’Donnell over twelve rounds to win the vacant British welterweight title, taking the decision on all three cards. The reign was short and bruising. He lost the belt in his first defence to Lee Purdy at Manchester Arena, stopped in the fifth, and the rematch in Oldham ended the same way, again in the fifth. He boxed on afterwards, but the championship road had moved past him. Watson’s last recorded bout came on 8 March 2013, a win over Mark Lloyd when Lloyd’s corner retired him, and he stepped away with titles in two weights and a reputation as a stubborn, road-tested southpaw who fought the men around him rather than skating around the division.