Beaten Kays reaches career crossroad

JON KAYS . . . fourth-round stoppage at the Manchester Arena.

JON Kays is considering his next move in the fight game.

Questions are now being raised whether the 32-year-old Hurst Cross fighter will carry on after losing convincingly his WBO intercontinental lightweight title bout against Adrian Gonzalez.

Kays suffered a devastating fourth-round stoppage against his fellow Mancunian, his fifth defeat in a 27-fight career.

Former English super-featherweight champ and British title challenger Kays told the Chronicle: “I have to be realistic after this result. I need to have a good think about what the future holds for me in boxing. There’s all sorts of things to consider both in and out of the ring, but I won’t make any rash decisions.”

Kays had already been on the canvas twice before he was stopped by 24-year-old California-born Gonzalez after 55 seconds of round four.

Kays said: “Credit to Gonzalez, that final punch would have knocked out a horse. It was a world-class finish.”

Kays’ miserable night began when he was floored by Gonzalez towards the end of the first round when a peach of a right-hand punch connected with the Ashton man’s left ear.

Kays walked on to another sweet punch in the second round and was down again, before Gonzalez sealed a superb 12th win from 13 bouts with a superb upper cut which sent his opponent on his backside again.