The 46 year-old cult figure, who was launching yet another comeback on the back of a defeat, pulled out of the fight after the second round with a shoulder complaint, handing underdog Lawton, 41, an unlikely win.
Lawton, who was fighting in his hometown of Newcastle at the Entertainment Centre, had won and lost in his previous contests and can now claim the scalp of the aging Esch, who may now finally re-think lacing up the gloves again after three losses in a row.
In the main event, Chad ‘Hollywood’ Bennett stopped Ghanaian Ebenezer in five rounds to retain his fringe WBA and WBO light-welterweight titles and improve his record to 32-4-3 with a 23rd career knockout.
