Lengthy lay-off cost me, says Sam Sexton

Sexton has now lost two professional fights, both to Chisora

Norwich heavyweight Sam Sexton says an enforced absence from the ring cost him in his British and Commonwealth title defeat by Derek Chisora.

Sexton was stopped in the ninth round in his first fight for nearly a year after a hand injury and a severe illness to his mother.

"I was a bit rushed in there," Sexton told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"It's been a terrible year and I just haven't recovered from it mentally. I could have done with a warm-up fight."

He added: "A year out of the ring is a long lay-off but I'll be back, bigger and better."

Referee John Keen stepped in after a clean right allowed Chisora time to land a succession of blows without reply from Sexton, who seemed glued to the ropes.

But despite the stoppage, Sexton insists he was beginning to find his feet.

"I started finding myself in the later rounds a bit more," said Sexton.

"I knew he was going to try and wear me down so I was being careful and taking a lot of punches.

"He was getting tired, but then he caught me."

Sexton's lay-off ruled him out of a British title fight with Danny Williams in February and he was set to take the fight again in May when his mother suffered a life-threatening brain aneurysm.

That left Chisora free to claim the Lonsdale belt form Williams, but Sexton revealed he has finally had one piece of good news in 2010.

"It's been a terrible year, but I've just found out that my fiancé Lauren is pregnant with my first child," said Sexton.

"There's going to be another little Sexton running round the streets of Norwich soon."