Lame excuses from Hatton getting old...be a man fight Witter

[nickd]

The excuses are definitely wearing a bit thin, as someone already pointed out it was ok for Hatton to goad Mayweather into a fight but then not for Witter to attempt to do the same? Double standards!

The difference is Mayweather gave Hatton the payday then did his talking in the ring by beating the crap out of him! Why Hatton won't do the same is beyond me - maybe he doesn't fancy his chances that much?

[Autobarn]

Personally, I think Hatton is wearing a bit thin. His style is wearing a bit thin. Grab-hit. His talk is wearing a bit thin. Oo-er I'm having an erection. Oo-er get off my nob Floyd. The man has dragged out his Manchester paydays, and I just think he's waiting for the next welterweight to earn him tens of millions and beat the shite out of him and end his career.

He said he was being held back by Warren, but he had Tszyu delivered at exactly the right time, i..e the only time Hatton could beat him, in the only place Hatton could do it. But he wouldn't take that Harris fight in Detroit while his career was supposed to be sagging.

It's time for some big money, exciting British fights/wars/grudge matches. Haye and Mac are going at it first. How about Mooresy and Pryce next, Hatton-Witter this year and Arthur v Khan somewhere down the line?

[Mooresy]

What else do you want to say in reply to your stupid comment, if you don't like what i'm saying about Vicky then tell him to grow a pair, stop crying like a b!tch and fight Witter.

Listen mate, the only shithouse I can see around here is you, your prob just jealous coz Hatton's done well for himself and u don't like him. Like him or not he provided more entertainment, regardless of the opposition, to thousands of fans time and time again, for the last 5-6 years. They have enjoyed every single night. When he was fighting at the M.E.N. it was more of an occasion than just a boxing match, and that can only be good for our sport. I would like to see him fight Witter 2(obviously not as obssesively as u ), but understand that he doesn't want 2 line his pockets because he dislikes him so much, and Witter can't make that sort of money anywhere else. If the the fight happens, great. If it doesn't, it's not the end of the world.(maybe for u???)

You know what, i have no desire to start writing sh!t about you.....like at least in a couple of years time you will still have a job carrying Amirs spit bucket ect,ect i don't know you, and as a fighter you are value for money and don't come across like thinking your something your not.

I like PBF and other fighters that have had more money than Hatton could dream of so envy has nothing to do with it.

Like most on here i don't know Hatton either, you do so u are blinded.....same way you will be with Khan.

I don't like his cheating fighting style or the bullshite that comes out his mouth...couldn't Billy "The Chainsmoker" Graham of taught Hatton to double jab for once in his life instead of hit-&-hold....hit-&-hold...now repeat...

All that matters to me is seeing who is the best LWW in the Country.

No fookin way should ANY fighter be awarded the luxury of being able to say he doesn't want to fight his arch rival because he doesn't want to give out a payday or because the bloke verbally insulted him.....i am of the oppinion this is what makes fights......Hatton is a boxer, not a fookin governing body...he's already had his fair share of handpicked opponants.


I beleive the real reason Hatton does not want to fight Witter is because he knows deep down Witter could very well beat him & after all thats been said if he got beat by Witter now it would cast a mega shadow over his career.

U don't wanna start writing shit about me, then do! I'll carry Amir's spitbucket, or anyone else's, like I do for all the lad's in our gym(Mark Thompson, Alex Matvienko, Nigel Travis...), because that's what i've got a corner's license for. I'm not too proud to do that. Maybe you think your better than that, which sounds the case.
Any fighter is allowed to do exactly what THEY want to do, not what you or anybody else tells them to do.
Like you said most people on here don't know Hatton but the vast majority support him, so how are they blinkered, as I obviously am ? They'd like to see him fight Witter, as would I, but if someone feels strongly about something then they shouldn't feel obliged to do it, no matter how much others want them to.
I'll fight Pryce anytime, he's done really well lately and has shown a real fighters heart. It would be good for British boxing.

[Poncey]

I think that because Hatton has always shown he isn't scared of anyone, we've kind of expected it from him, Jamie.

He doesn't owe the fans anything, no boxer does, but I do think that if he wants to still be the best 140 pound fighter out there he needs to fight Witter.

However, if Witter wasn't British we all probably wouldn't be as biased towards Ricky fighting him next and we'd just be waiting to hear who his next opponent is.

[oliverfennell]

I'll fight Pryce anytime, he's done really well lately and has shown a real fighters heart. It would be good for British boxing.

Would look forward to that, Jamie. Would be a right tear-up. Realise the European is a bigger and better goal, though, so get that dealt with first.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Listen mate, the only shithouse I can see around here is you, your prob just jealous coz Hatton's done well for himself and u don't like him. Like him or not he provided more entertainment, regardless of the opposition, to thousands of fans time and time again, for the last 5-6 years. They have enjoyed every single night. When he was fighting at the M.E.N. it was more of an occasion than just a boxing match, and that can only be good for our sport. I would like to see him fight Witter 2(obviously not as obssesively as u ), but understand that he doesn't want 2 line his pockets because he dislikes him so much, and Witter can't make that sort of money anywhere else. If the the fight happens, great. If it doesn't, it's not the end of the world.(maybe for u???)

You know what, i have no desire to start writing sh!t about you.....like at least in a couple of years time you will still have a job carrying Amirs spit bucket ect,ect i don't know you, and as a fighter you are value for money and don't come across like thinking your something your not.

I like PBF and other fighters that have had more money than Hatton could dream of so envy has nothing to do with it.

Like most on here i don't know Hatton either, you do so u are blinded.....same way you will be with Khan.

I don't like his cheating fighting style or the bullshite that comes out his mouth...couldn't Billy "The Chainsmoker" Graham of taught Hatton to double jab for once in his life instead of hit-&-hold....hit-&-hold...now repeat...

All that matters to me is seeing who is the best LWW in the Country.

No fookin way should ANY fighter be awarded the luxury of being able to say he doesn't want to fight his arch rival because he doesn't want to give out a payday or because the bloke verbally insulted him.....i am of the oppinion this is what makes fights......Hatton is a boxer, not a fookin governing body...he's already had his fair share of handpicked opponants.


I beleive the real reason Hatton does not want to fight Witter is because he knows deep down Witter could very well beat him & after all thats been said if he got beat by Witter now it would cast a mega shadow over his career.

U don't wanna start writing shit about me, then do! I'll carry Amir's spitbucket, or anyone else's, like I do for all the lad's in our gym(Mark Thompson, Alex Matvienko, Nigel Travis...), because that's what i've got a corner's license for. I'm not too proud to do that. Maybe you think your better than that, which sounds the case.
Any fighter is allowed to do exactly what THEY want to do, not what you or anybody else tells them to do.
Like you said most people on here don't know Hatton but the vast majority support him, so how are they blinkered, as I obviously am ? They'd like to see him fight Witter, as would I, but if someone feels strongly about something then they shouldn't feel obliged to do it, no matter how much others want them to.
I'll fight Pryce anytime, he's done really well lately and has shown a real fighters heart. It would be good for British boxing.

I don't agree with this to be honest.

The idea that sportsmen can avoid their rivals, is one of the things which marks boxing out from other sports, and is my biggest gripe when following it, that so many fights never happen because of politics or because one fighter simply doesn't want to.

For instance, most people would love to see Mayweather take on Cotto, but its pretty unlikely, as Mayweather is only interested in big money fights, and Cotto isn't in his mind big enough.

Hatton is surely rich beyond his wildest imaginings now, so why not clear out the 140 division. Sure it's his career, but it's PPV subscriptions and tickets which have paid for all of this, so I don't agree that boxers owe the fans nothing.

[nickd]

You know what, i have no desire to start writing sh!t about you.....like at least in a couple of years time you will still have a job carrying Amirs spit bucket ect,ect i don't know you, and as a fighter you are value for money and don't come across like thinking your something your not.

I like PBF and other fighters that have had more money than Hatton could dream of so envy has nothing to do with it.

Like most on here i don't know Hatton either, you do so u are blinded.....same way you will be with Khan.

I don't like his cheating fighting style or the bullshite that comes out his mouth...couldn't Billy "The Chainsmoker" Graham of taught Hatton to double jab for once in his life instead of hit-&-hold....hit-&-hold...now repeat...

All that matters to me is seeing who is the best LWW in the Country.

No fookin way should ANY fighter be awarded the luxury of being able to say he doesn't want to fight his arch rival because he doesn't want to give out a payday or because the bloke verbally insulted him.....i am of the oppinion this is what makes fights......Hatton is a boxer, not a fookin governing body...he's already had his fair share of handpicked opponants.


I beleive the real reason Hatton does not want to fight Witter is because he knows deep down Witter could very well beat him & after all thats been said if he got beat by Witter now it would cast a mega shadow over his career.

U don't wanna start writing shit about me, then do! I'll carry Amir's spitbucket, or anyone else's, like I do for all the lad's in our gym(Mark Thompson, Alex Matvienko, Nigel Travis...), because that's what i've got a corner's license for. I'm not too proud to do that. Maybe you think your better than that, which sounds the case.
Any fighter is allowed to do exactly what THEY want to do, not what you or anybody else tells them to do.
Like you said most people on here don't know Hatton but the vast majority support him, so how are they blinkered, as I obviously am ? They'd like to see him fight Witter, as would I, but if someone feels strongly about something then they shouldn't feel obliged to do it, no matter how much others want them to.
I'll fight Pryce anytime, he's done really well lately and has shown a real fighters heart. It would be good for British boxing.

I don't agree with this to be honest.

The idea that sportsmen can avoid their rivals, is one of the things which marks boxing out from other sports, and is my biggest gripe when following it, that so many fights never happen because of politics or because one fighter simply doesn't want to.

For instance, most people would love to see Mayweather take on Cotto, but its pretty unlikely, as Mayweather is only interested in big money fights, and Cotto isn't in his mind big enough.

Hatton is surely rich beyond his wildest imaginings now, so why not clear out the 140 division. Sure it's his career, but it's PPV subscriptions and tickets which have paid for all of this, so I don't agree that boxers owe the fans nothing.

Spot on mate.

[Poncey]

You know what, i have no desire to start writing sh!t about you.....like at least in a couple of years time you will still have a job carrying Amirs spit bucket ect,ect i don't know you, and as a fighter you are value for money and don't come across like thinking your something your not.

I like PBF and other fighters that have had more money than Hatton could dream of so envy has nothing to do with it.

Like most on here i don't know Hatton either, you do so u are blinded.....same way you will be with Khan.

I don't like his cheating fighting style or the bullshite that comes out his mouth...couldn't Billy "The Chainsmoker" Graham of taught Hatton to double jab for once in his life instead of hit-&-hold....hit-&-hold...now repeat...

All that matters to me is seeing who is the best LWW in the Country.

No fookin way should ANY fighter be awarded the luxury of being able to say he doesn't want to fight his arch rival because he doesn't want to give out a payday or because the bloke verbally insulted him.....i am of the oppinion this is what makes fights......Hatton is a boxer, not a fookin governing body...he's already had his fair share of handpicked opponants.


I beleive the real reason Hatton does not want to fight Witter is because he knows deep down Witter could very well beat him & after all thats been said if he got beat by Witter now it would cast a mega shadow over his career.

U don't wanna start writing shit about me, then do! I'll carry Amir's spitbucket, or anyone else's, like I do for all the lad's in our gym(Mark Thompson, Alex Matvienko, Nigel Travis...), because that's what i've got a corner's license for. I'm not too proud to do that. Maybe you think your better than that, which sounds the case.
Any fighter is allowed to do exactly what THEY want to do, not what you or anybody else tells them to do.
Like you said most people on here don't know Hatton but the vast majority support him, so how are they blinkered, as I obviously am ? They'd like to see him fight Witter, as would I, but if someone feels strongly about something then they shouldn't feel obliged to do it, no matter how much others want them to.
I'll fight Pryce anytime, he's done really well lately and has shown a real fighters heart. It would be good for British boxing.

I don't agree with this to be honest.

The idea that sportsmen can avoid their rivals, is one of the things which marks boxing out from other sports, and is my biggest gripe when following it, that so many fights never happen because of politics or because one fighter simply doesn't want to.

For instance, most people would love to see Mayweather take on Cotto, but its pretty unlikely, as Mayweather is only interested in big money fights, and Cotto isn't in his mind big enough.

Hatton is surely rich beyond his wildest imaginings now, so why not clear out the 140 division. Sure it's his career, but it's PPV subscriptions and tickets which have paid for all of this, so I don't agree that boxers owe the fans nothing.

Sorry mate, I disagree.

When you pay for a ticket for a fight, or a PPV, you're simply paying for that instance in the boxer's career. He doesn't make you. It's your choice. If you don't like it, don't pay/go and the boxer loses out.

Fans shouldn't decide who a fighter faces, merely reward him for facing that person if they choose. The fighter will then chooose to face a better fighter next time (hopefully).

I'd be suprised if Hatton is ducking Witter, but I don't know either lad so can't comment. I just know that if a boxer disrespected me like Witter did with Hatton over a fairly long period, I'll be damned if I'd give him a big pay day just because the public want me to.

Maybe it's I'm just me and I'm a stubborn cnt.

[jamesmcdonnell]

No, the SPORT should decide who faces who, but because it is so poorly regulated, that doesn't happen.

Given that Witter is a claimant to be a top 140 lber, in an ideal world there would be enforced unifications until there was a definitive champion, however as we know, that's not the way boxing is run, and it's not in the intrerests of the sanctioning bodies.

[jamesmcdonnell]

U don't wanna start writing shit about me, then do! I'll carry Amir's spitbucket, or anyone else's, like I do for all the lad's in our gym(Mark Thompson, Alex Matvienko, Nigel Travis...), because that's what i've got a corner's license for. I'm not too proud to do that. Maybe you think your better than that, which sounds the case.
Any fighter is allowed to do exactly what THEY want to do, not what you or anybody else tells them to do.
Like you said most people on here don't know Hatton but the vast majority support him, so how are they blinkered, as I obviously am ? They'd like to see him fight Witter, as would I, but if someone feels strongly about something then they shouldn't feel obliged to do it, no matter how much others want them to.
I'll fight Pryce anytime, he's done really well lately and has shown a real fighters heart. It would be good for British boxing.

I don't agree with this to be honest.

The idea that sportsmen can avoid their rivals, is one of the things which marks boxing out from other sports, and is my biggest gripe when following it, that so many fights never happen because of politics or because one fighter simply doesn't want to.

For instance, most people would love to see Mayweather take on Cotto, but its pretty unlikely, as Mayweather is only interested in big money fights, and Cotto isn't in his mind big enough.

Hatton is surely rich beyond his wildest imaginings now, so why not clear out the 140 division. Sure it's his career, but it's PPV subscriptions and tickets which have paid for all of this, so I don't agree that boxers owe the fans nothing.

Sorry mate, I disagree.

When you pay for a ticket for a fight, or a PPV, you're simply paying for that instance in the boxer's career. He doesn't make you. It's your choice. If you don't like it, don't pay/go and the boxer loses out.

Fans shouldn't decide who a fighter faces, merely reward him for facing that person if they choose. The fighter will then chooose to face a better fighter next time (hopefully).

I'd be suprised if Hatton is ducking Witter, but I don't know either lad so can't comment. I just know that if a boxer disrespected me like Witter did with Hatton over a fairly long period, I'll be damned if I'd give him a big pay day just because the public want me to.

Maybe it's I'm just me and I'm a stubborn cnt.

See. This is what has happened to boxing now. It's all about paydays.

Time was when a British boxer would want to bump of his domestic rivals, not any more.

[Poncey]

U don't wanna start writing shit about me, then do! I'll carry Amir's spitbucket, or anyone else's, like I do for all the lad's in our gym(Mark Thompson, Alex Matvienko, Nigel Travis...), because that's what i've got a corner's license for. I'm not too proud to do that. Maybe you think your better than that, which sounds the case.
Any fighter is allowed to do exactly what THEY want to do, not what you or anybody else tells them to do.
Like you said most people on here don't know Hatton but the vast majority support him, so how are they blinkered, as I obviously am ? They'd like to see him fight Witter, as would I, but if someone feels strongly about something then they shouldn't feel obliged to do it, no matter how much others want them to.
I'll fight Pryce anytime, he's done really well lately and has shown a real fighters heart. It would be good for British boxing.

I don't agree with this to be honest.

The idea that sportsmen can avoid their rivals, is one of the things which marks boxing out from other sports, and is my biggest gripe when following it, that so many fights never happen because of politics or because one fighter simply doesn't want to.

For instance, most people would love to see Mayweather take on Cotto, but its pretty unlikely, as Mayweather is only interested in big money fights, and Cotto isn't in his mind big enough.

Hatton is surely rich beyond his wildest imaginings now, so why not clear out the 140 division. Sure it's his career, but it's PPV subscriptions and tickets which have paid for all of this, so I don't agree that boxers owe the fans nothing.

Sorry mate, I disagree.

When you pay for a ticket for a fight, or a PPV, you're simply paying for that instance in the boxer's career. He doesn't make you. It's your choice. If you don't like it, don't pay/go and the boxer loses out.

Fans shouldn't decide who a fighter faces, merely reward him for facing that person if they choose. The fighter will then chooose to face a better fighter next time (hopefully).

I'd be suprised if Hatton is ducking Witter, but I don't know either lad so can't comment. I just know that if a boxer disrespected me like Witter did with Hatton over a fairly long period, I'll be damned if I'd give him a big pay day just because the public want me to.

Maybe it's I'm just me and I'm a stubborn cnt.

See. This is what has happened to boxing now. It's all about paydays.

Time was when a British boxer would want to bump of his domestic rivals, not any more.[/quote]

The money issue has been going on a lot longer than people give it credit, but mainly in the States, even in the 70's.

I'd be suprised if many people on this forum would put themselves in Hatton's shoes, put up with the sht Witter gave them over years, and then gave them exactly what Witter wanted just for the sake of the fans

I'd make him sweat personally, but like I said above, I'm probably more stubborn than others.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Fighters avoiding each other has been going on since John L Sullivan, hell even before that, with the likes of Tom Molyneux.

However, with titles easier than ever to come by, weight hopping, and PPV, it's now become easier than ever for fighters to make big money without ever even dominating a division, and for me, that is bad for boxing in the long run.

[jimglen]

it is the reason that the average Sport fan fell away from Boxing,
too many World champions, too many weight divisions, and as the fighters NEVER meet each other nobody know's "who's who"...

add to that, that because fighters were only fighting once, twice a year and in many cases even longer without fights, danm near every fight they had was against a 'relatively' unknown (to the average Sport fan), opponent.

How could you possibly follow, with any sense of zeal & strong interest a sport with a million champions, who never seem to fight each other and worse "who are the 'leading' Contenders, are there even any Contenders???

once upon a time when Boxing was more akin to a sport than a business, though it has always been business, great fights were met with equal zeal and enthusiasm between leading Contenders as was given to Champions, who when they fought were fighting a Contender...

less Ducking and more known and recognized great fighters - Champion & Contender alike!

[Chambers2]

Whichever way you look at it, Hatton not fighting his arch-rival is bad for the sport, its bad for Rickys reputation, its bad for Junior and its bad for the fans.

Ricky might get some sort of sick fulfillment in the knowledge that hes financially far better off than Junior, but its hardly the attitude of a warrior or of a man of the people.

[Poncey]

Fighters avoiding each other has been going on since John L Sullivan, hell even before that, with the likes of Tom Molyneux.

However, with titles easier than ever to come by, weight hopping, and PPV, it's now become easier than ever for fighters to make big money without ever even dominating a division, and for me, that is bad for boxing in the long run.

Good points James. I've come to conclusion that it's just me, and I'm stubborn.

The idea of one world championship is good in principal, but is dependent on the governing body that regulates the belts ensuring it isn't corrupted.

I'm not convinced that can ever happen.

However, I certainly think they can be "trimmed". I wouldn't lose sleep over the WBO. Fwank would.

I'm more of a fan of reducing the number of weight classes. At least around the 130 mark, and below.

[Poncey]

If they sit down to negotiate a new TV deal and HBO say, as they might well do, that they see the pinnacle of this deal being a fight with Manny P then that will go down as a mark in the sand and they'll work the fighter towards that. A comeback, a marquee (Paulie Malignagi perhaps) and then Manny P, perhaps.

I'm only speculating on the above but in that scenario there is no room for Witter. HBO won't particularly want him. You can say the Judah fight was years ago, and Corley was a one-off, but you have a fighter, Witter, with a track record, in the eyes of HBO/USTV, of producing bad fights more often than he produces good ones. A lone voice if not going to pipe-up and say "He looked fooking awesome in the Lauri fight!". They are not going to want him solely based on Vivian Harris. That fight took place before very few people in a leisure centre in Doncaster, in world terms it was a speck on the radar.

For reasons gone into before they picked fights like Urango because they were viable. Witter is not viable. If Hatton ends his HBO associatin, again just speculating, then the Witter fight could be closer. Right now you are pissing in the wind if you think that line in the sand, Manny P and a huge HBO PPV fight, is going to be put down for Junior Witter instead.

Witter is too dangerous a comeback, only a marquee to us Brits, and is not a huge fight in the eyes of many. He faded from many of your minds when Hatton-Mayweather got signed, he faded from many minds, also, when the time came to go and watch him at work against Harris.

The only time Witter will get vocal, as opposed to typed, support is if/when a fight with Hatton is signed and that support will be counter productive as it will go into Hatton's pockets because Junior will get hosed in negotiations because no one could be arsed going out and supporting him until the pay-off fight with Hatton came.

In some perspectives Witter has not grabbed the world by the balls despite the win over Harris. Again in other perspectives, outside the virtual world, he is a fighter with no following, no real US impetus and no chance of fighting Hatton on HBO. In my opinion.

If Hatton is built back into a fight with the likes of Manny P the vocal pro-Witter crowd will again grow less vocal.

Two fights a year in front of a non-crowd does Junior no favours, as does the mere vocal support offered by his "fans".

It may be unjust, it may hurt some but the pragmatics are that many who support Witter in words will forget him the moment Hatton signs another marquee US fight, leaving Witter to fight who ever is then left on the plate for him. As Witter himself admits when talking about Malignaggi.

Sure people say he is #1 aside from Hatton but a good win for Paulie this weekend and the Harris fight looks even further away and Junior is left to stagnate again. Who is to blame for that lack of impetus? Is Hatton twirling his 'tache and forcing Witter to fight twice a year and denying him publicity? Nope. Is Hatton standing outside the fight venues stopping Witter's fans from entering arenas and generating atmosphere? Again no.

Corinthian ideals are great but promotion is a pragmatic game. Right now Witter makes no sense, not to Hatton, not to anyone at the weight. We'll have to wait and see who Witter fights next. He does not dictate the marker, it moves him.

Terry, do you not think that if Witter faced Paulie first, and beat him, HBO might be interested again?

I think they might.

[Chambers2]

If they sit down to negotiate a new TV deal and HBO say, as they might well do, that they see the pinnacle of this deal being a fight with Manny P then that will go down as a mark in the sand and they'll work the fighter towards that. A comeback, a marquee (Paulie Malignagi perhaps) and then Manny P, perhaps.

I'm only speculating on the above but in that scenario there is no room for Witter. HBO won't particularly want him. You can say the Judah fight was years ago, and Corley was a one-off, but you have a fighter, Witter, with a track record, in the eyes of HBO/USTV, of producing bad fights more often than he produces good ones. A lone voice if not going to pipe-up and say "He looked fooking awesome in the Lauri fight!". They are not going to want him solely based on Vivian Harris. That fight took place before very few people in a leisure centre in Doncaster, in world terms it was a speck on the radar.

For reasons gone into before they picked fights like Urango because they were viable. Witter is not viable. If Hatton ends his HBO associatin, again just speculating, then the Witter fight could be closer. Right now you are pissing in the wind if you think that line in the sand, Manny P and a huge HBO PPV fight, is going to be put down for Junior Witter instead.

Witter is too dangerous a comeback, only a marquee to us Brits, and is not a huge fight in the eyes of many. He faded from many of your minds when Hatton-Mayweather got signed, he faded from many minds, also, when the time came to go and watch him at work against Harris.

The only time Witter will get vocal, as opposed to typed, support is if/when a fight with Hatton is signed and that support will be counter productive as it will go into Hatton's pockets because Junior will get hosed in negotiations because no one could be arsed going out and supporting him until the pay-off fight with Hatton came.

In some perspectives Witter has not grabbed the world by the balls despite the win over Harris. Again in other perspectives, outside the virtual world, he is a fighter with no following, no real US impetus and no chance of fighting Hatton on HBO. In my opinion.

If Hatton is built back into a fight with the likes of Manny P the vocal pro-Witter crowd will again grow less vocal.

Two fights a year in front of a non-crowd does Junior no favours, as does the mere vocal support offered by his "fans".

It may be unjust, it may hurt some but the pragmatics are that many who support Witter in words will forget him the moment Hatton signs another marquee US fight, leaving Witter to fight who ever is then left on the plate for him. As Witter himself admits when talking about Malignaggi.

Sure people say he is #1 aside from Hatton but a good win for Paulie this weekend and the Harris fight looks even further away and Junior is left to stagnate again. Who is to blame for that lack of impetus? Is Hatton twirling his 'tache and forcing Witter to fight twice a year and denying him publicity? Nope. Is Hatton standing outside the fight venues stopping Witter's fans from entering arenas and generating atmosphere? Again no.

Corinthian ideals are great but promotion is a pragmatic game. Right now Witter makes no sense, not to Hatton, not to anyone at the weight. We'll have to wait and see who Witter fights next. He does not dictate the marker, it moves him.

If Hatton does sign the HBO deal and allows them to dictate to him that he can't fight Witter (not that he will take much convincing) then in my eyes it unequivocally shows that Hatton is in this solely for the money and not the glory as he keeps insisting, or that he cares far more about his US reputation than his British reputation. Either way I'm massively disappointed in Hattons attitude towards the fight, even a number of the die hard Ricky fans are saying its the correct fight.

Witter needs a camera crew and four feathers (is 4 enough?) ala Thaxton

[Poncey]

If they sit down to negotiate a new TV deal and HBO say, as they might well do, that they see the pinnacle of this deal being a fight with Manny P then that will go down as a mark in the sand and they'll work the fighter towards that. A comeback, a marquee (Paulie Malignagi perhaps) and then Manny P, perhaps.

I'm only speculating on the above but in that scenario there is no room for Witter. HBO won't particularly want him. You can say the Judah fight was years ago, and Corley was a one-off, but you have a fighter, Witter, with a track record, in the eyes of HBO/USTV, of producing bad fights more often than he produces good ones. A lone voice if not going to pipe-up and say "He looked fooking awesome in the Lauri fight!". They are not going to want him solely based on Vivian Harris. That fight took place before very few people in a leisure centre in Doncaster, in world terms it was a speck on the radar.

For reasons gone into before they picked fights like Urango because they were viable. Witter is not viable. If Hatton ends his HBO associatin, again just speculating, then the Witter fight could be closer. Right now you are pissing in the wind if you think that line in the sand, Manny P and a huge HBO PPV fight, is going to be put down for Junior Witter instead.

Witter is too dangerous a comeback, only a marquee to us Brits, and is not a huge fight in the eyes of many. He faded from many of your minds when Hatton-Mayweather got signed, he faded from many minds, also, when the time came to go and watch him at work against Harris.

The only time Witter will get vocal, as opposed to typed, support is if/when a fight with Hatton is signed and that support will be counter productive as it will go into Hatton's pockets because Junior will get hosed in negotiations because no one could be arsed going out and supporting him until the pay-off fight with Hatton came.

In some perspectives Witter has not grabbed the world by the balls despite the win over Harris. Again in other perspectives, outside the virtual world, he is a fighter with no following, no real US impetus and no chance of fighting Hatton on HBO. In my opinion.

If Hatton is built back into a fight with the likes of Manny P the vocal pro-Witter crowd will again grow less vocal.

Two fights a year in front of a non-crowd does Junior no favours, as does the mere vocal support offered by his "fans".

It may be unjust, it may hurt some but the pragmatics are that many who support Witter in words will forget him the moment Hatton signs another marquee US fight, leaving Witter to fight who ever is then left on the plate for him. As Witter himself admits when talking about Malignaggi.

Sure people say he is #1 aside from Hatton but a good win for Paulie this weekend and the Harris fight looks even further away and Junior is left to stagnate again. Who is to blame for that lack of impetus? Is Hatton twirling his 'tache and forcing Witter to fight twice a year and denying him publicity? Nope. Is Hatton standing outside the fight venues stopping Witter's fans from entering arenas and generating atmosphere? Again no.

Corinthian ideals are great but promotion is a pragmatic game. Right now Witter makes no sense, not to Hatton, not to anyone at the weight. We'll have to wait and see who Witter fights next. He does not dictate the marker, it moves him.

If Hatton does sign the HBO deal and allows them to dictate to him that he can't fight Witter (not that he will take much convincing) then in my eyes it unequivocally shows that Hatton is in this solely for the money and not the glory as he keeps insisting, or that he cares far more about his US reputation than his British reputation. Either way I'm massively disappointed in Hattons attitude towards the fight, even a number of the die hard Ricky fans are saying its the correct fight.

Witter needs a camera crew and four feathers (is 4 enough?) ala Thaxton

HBO have too much swing nowadays and are virtually a governing body in their own right.

Just ask Roy Jones.

[Chambers2]

If they sit down to negotiate a new TV deal and HBO say, as they might well do, that they see the pinnacle of this deal being a fight with Manny P then that will go down as a mark in the sand and they'll work the fighter towards that. A comeback, a marquee (Paulie Malignagi perhaps) and then Manny P, perhaps.

I'm only speculating on the above but in that scenario there is no room for Witter. HBO won't particularly want him. You can say the Judah fight was years ago, and Corley was a one-off, but you have a fighter, Witter, with a track record, in the eyes of HBO/USTV, of producing bad fights more often than he produces good ones. A lone voice if not going to pipe-up and say "He looked fooking awesome in the Lauri fight!". They are not going to want him solely based on Vivian Harris. That fight took place before very few people in a leisure centre in Doncaster, in world terms it was a speck on the radar.

For reasons gone into before they picked fights like Urango because they were viable. Witter is not viable. If Hatton ends his HBO associatin, again just speculating, then the Witter fight could be closer. Right now you are pissing in the wind if you think that line in the sand, Manny P and a huge HBO PPV fight, is going to be put down for Junior Witter instead.

Witter is too dangerous a comeback, only a marquee to us Brits, and is not a huge fight in the eyes of many. He faded from many of your minds when Hatton-Mayweather got signed, he faded from many minds, also, when the time came to go and watch him at work against Harris.

The only time Witter will get vocal, as opposed to typed, support is if/when a fight with Hatton is signed and that support will be counter productive as it will go into Hatton's pockets because Junior will get hosed in negotiations because no one could be arsed going out and supporting him until the pay-off fight with Hatton came.

In some perspectives Witter has not grabbed the world by the balls despite the win over Harris. Again in other perspectives, outside the virtual world, he is a fighter with no following, no real US impetus and no chance of fighting Hatton on HBO. In my opinion.

If Hatton is built back into a fight with the likes of Manny P the vocal pro-Witter crowd will again grow less vocal.

Two fights a year in front of a non-crowd does Junior no favours, as does the mere vocal support offered by his "fans".

It may be unjust, it may hurt some but the pragmatics are that many who support Witter in words will forget him the moment Hatton signs another marquee US fight, leaving Witter to fight who ever is then left on the plate for him. As Witter himself admits when talking about Malignaggi.

Sure people say he is #1 aside from Hatton but a good win for Paulie this weekend and the Harris fight looks even further away and Junior is left to stagnate again. Who is to blame for that lack of impetus? Is Hatton twirling his 'tache and forcing Witter to fight twice a year and denying him publicity? Nope. Is Hatton standing outside the fight venues stopping Witter's fans from entering arenas and generating atmosphere? Again no.

Corinthian ideals are great but promotion is a pragmatic game. Right now Witter makes no sense, not to Hatton, not to anyone at the weight. We'll have to wait and see who Witter fights next. He does not dictate the marker, it moves him.

Terry, do you not think that if Witter faced Paulie first, and beat him, HBO might be interested again?

I think they might.

They might be. Then again it would probably be a poor spectacle and put him back to squre 1. The Catch-22 is that Hatton might declare an interest in a Malignaggi bout and that would take this option from Witter.

Junior has a title, he has the win over Harris, let his promoter provide something further for him to build on that.

Witters widely recognised as the #2 in the division after Ricky even Ring magazine have him there, hes done more than enough to warrant the fight IMO

[Poncey]

Terry, do you not think that if Witter faced Paulie first, and beat him, HBO might be interested again?

I think they might.

They might be. Then again it would probably be a poor spectacle and put him back to squre 1. The Catch-22 is that Hatton might declare an interest in a Malignaggi bout and that would take this option from Witter.

Junior has a title, he has the win over Harris, let his promoter provide something further for him to build on that.

Witters widely recognised as the #2 in the division after Ricky even Ring magazine have him there, hes done more than enough to warrant the fight IMO

Just remebered that the Harris fight wasn't even broadcast in the US. That doesn't bode well.

[oliverfennell]

What would Hatton really achieve if he fought and beat Pacquaio. The man's a former FLYweight, for God's sake!

[Chambers2]

What would Hatton really achieve if he fought and beat Pacquaio. The man's a former FLYweight, for God's sake!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$'s

[nickd]

After seeing Mayweather snap Hatton's head back repeatedly with counter shots unless he gets a friendly ref who'll let him maul and stay on the inside I don't think he'll beat Witter. Granted Witter is not as good as Mayweather but he hits harder and is an excellent counterpuncher.

[Chambers2]

After seeing Mayweather snap Hatton's head back repeatedly with counter shots unless he gets a friendly ref who'll let him maul and stay on the inside I don't think he'll beat Witter. Granted Witter is not as good as Mayweather but he hits harder and is an excellent counterpuncher.

I know it, you know it, Witter knows it and unfortunately Hatton knows it

[Max Molyneux]

How Is Urango viable Terry?

If Hatton fought Pacquiao then It would confirm him as the bully some fans have criticised him for as his style has mostly worked with smaller fighters.