Boxing: Come on Hatton, it's time to meet Witter
Saturday, May 03, 2008
He's arguably the best light welterweight in the world and he has been
calling out Ricky Hatton so long he probably needs a constant supply of
Strepsils.
Junior Witter takes centre stage next Saturday night when he defends his WBC
title against American Timothy Bradley of Palm Springs.
Witter's clash will be live on ITV and the champion is ready to show why he
believes he is the 10st king and not rival Hatton.
Recently in the trade paper Boxing News it has been noticeable just how many
letters have been written accusing former IBF champion Hatton of avoiding
Witter.
When you consider just how big Hatton-Witter would be it is worth asking why
the Mancunian will not step up to the plate. Excuses about politics can be
made but when money talks such problems can be ironed out.
It is time for Hatton to answer the call and take on Witter - if not now
then after he wins the IBF belt back from current holder Paulie Mallignaggi
who is the chief support to him when he boxes at his beloved Manchester
City's football stadium against Juan Lazcano on May 24.
Hatton-Mallignaggi should happen in September and then the way will be clear
for a clash with Witter, though there has been talk of a re-match with Floyd
Mayweather.
Witter should keep his part of the bargain with victory over Bradley at the
Trent FM Arena in Nottingham before a British and American television
audience.
Witter, who bombed out Vivian Harris last time out, said: "It's a great
chance for me to show a wider audience what I can do, and I intend to grab
that opportunity and show the world I'm the best light-welterweight in
boxing right now.
"Some people who will have perhaps heard of me but not seen me box will
get the chance to see me in action for the first time and they won't be
disappointed.
"Bradley is a top opponent and the better opponent the better I perform
€ just ask Vivian Harris. Bradley has got a great knockout ratio as his
record suggests, so I expect him to be aggressive and he will come to fight,
which is just how I like them. After seeing me box in front of a massive TV
audience both in the UK and the States, once I do a job on Bradley even more
people will be asking: why won't Ricky Hatton fight Junior Witter?"
Alex Arthur's super-featherweight world title bid looks set to take place in
June after champion Joan Guzman finally secured a visa.
The 29-year-old Scot had been set to challenge the WBO champion on Saturday
but the long-awaited fight was postponed when the fighter from the Dominican
Republic failed to secure the necessary paperwork.
