JON Honney confessed to another bad night in the boxing ring on Saturday when he lasted less than two of the scheduled eight rounds.

The 28-year-old from Oakridge, who accepted the fight against Nigel Wright at short notice, was unprepared for the avalanche of punches that rained down on him at the start of the match at Kingsway Sports Centre, Widnes.

The contest went ahead at light-welterweight because neither fighter could make the lightweight limit.

Honney weighed in five pounds heavier than his last fight, which was just 10 days earlier.

There was a huge difference between the points victory over John Alldis at Rivermead Leisure Centre, Reading, that night and Saturday's encounter that left Honney with a professional record of 12 defeats from 17 outings.

"He was just too quick for me," said Honney. "He was just a little bit taller than me but he was a lot stronger.

"He came straight at me and I didn't see the punches com-ing. He's the quickest bloke I've ever been in with but he could box as well.

"He's lined up for an England title and, if he continues like this, he will get it."

Wright, from Hartlepool, twice knocked Honney to the ground in the opening round. Then a left hook midway through the second forced the referee to stop the all-south-paw contest.

It was the fifth time Wright has won inside the distance and he has lost only once in 11 professional fights.

Honney said: "Although the referee stopped the fight, I wasn't hurt and there's not a mark on me.

"I wasn't dazed but I am gutted.

"When I took the fight, I thought he's not the sort of bloke who's going to hurt me and he hasn't."

Undeterred, Honney will box on, seeking another Southern title fight.

He will take a week off before getting back to some serious training.

"I will get the weight off and then hope for another fight in four to six weeks," he said.

The bill at Widnes was topped by Manchester's Michael Gomez, who successfully defended his WBU super-featherweight title against experienced Ugandan Justin Juuko, the referee stopping the fight in the second round.