Witter - Where did the power come from ???

Foggy · Post by **Foggy** » 01 Jul 2004, 08:39

Only seen Mr Witter box over the last year, so i never seen him box in his early days, has he vastly improved?

Stats

First 18 fights - 2 draws, 1 Loss, 15 Wins - Only 4 Ko's

After Judah Fight - 14 Wins - 14 Ko's

So where did this power come from, he never showed it in the early part of his career, so how come he has it now?

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 01 Jul 2004, 08:43

Bomber Graham also wasn't much of a puncher in his early career but developed real power as his career progressed (especially when he moved up to middleweight).
The Ingles clearly develop a man's power effectively.

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 01 Jul 2004, 08:51

a lot of his early fights were against bigger men and last minute fights I think!!!! His first fight was at middle weight!!!!

confidence also plays a large part

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 01 Jul 2004, 08:52

I've heard Brendan Ingle say before that he works on the defensive aspects of a fighter's arsenal to a far greater degree early in their career, and that he believes 'the power will come' later on, when their balance and their confidence increases. I think in Witter's case it is a matter of confidence, he probably always had power, but lacked the confidence to stop in his tracks, plant his feet, and throw his shots with real authority.

Prior the Judah fight, he used to skitter around the ring like a water bug.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 01 Jul 2004, 08:59

Witter was an absolute bag of tricks well before Ingle got hold of him. But Brendan and his lads definitely seem to have got him punching with venom these days. Junior also looks like a fully developed man now and not the boy of yesteryear.

glittermonkey · Post by **glittermonkey** » 01 Jul 2004, 09:19

Totally agree that it's something due mainly to confidence.

I think that Witter gained alot of that confidence from his survival against Judah. The majority of people (myself included) thought that Witter would be stopped at some point, so to go the distance (in spite of the way he did it) relatively comfortably gave him the belief that he belongs at that sort of level.

I'm not convinced that he'll remain this confident if he gets involved in a real fight with one of the top lightwelters though. The names being mentioned for him at the moment are leagues ahead of anyone he's fought post-Judah.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 01 Jul 2004, 09:27

I don't think anyone expected him to go through Battaglia like that in fairness to him, however, I essentially agree, will his confidence remain against a Mitchell/Gatti/Cotto/Hatton/N'dou/Tackie?

If he manages to whack with any of those men, even in a losing effort, then it bodes well, if he reverts to the capering jitterbug of yesteryear, then I think that's yet lot.

Slapsie Maxie · Post by **Slapsie Maxie** » 01 Jul 2004, 09:31

having watched a lot of Ingles' fighters, I think they all ( well the good ones ) have one thing in common

They are all defensively well schooled ( "couldn't hit them with a bag of rice" is my fave quote from Reg Gutteridge) but they also are taught to really plant their feet when punching

Even Nas, who threw from all sorts of odd angles, really punched through people rather than at them

As in many sports, good timing and excellent technique can count for as much as raw power.

Witter is the same and, now that he is developing, his power is maximised

S

lirva33 · Post by **lirva33** » 01 Jul 2004, 13:49

I watched the Judah fight recently and I was actually a little surprised. Witter frustrated Juadh for about 4 rounds and I though he was looking fairly good. His hands down approach was working and he caught Judah a couple of times with hard lefts. Maybe Judah figured him out, maybe Witter got tired (9 days notice), whatever happened Witter was unable to keep it up and he ended up running for the remainder.

What I distinctly remember is Ian Darke making fun of Witter's nickname "The Hitter".

"He's certainly not a hitter!"

I wonder what he'd say now?

beduff · Post by **beduff** » 01 Jul 2004, 20:10

the answer to your question where has the power come from?watch his early fights even the judah fight he dances around,now though he plants his feet he has worked on this he was obviously a natural puncher who did not no how to punch.the scary thing with witter is the speed and power combined

he is world class i just hope he gets the fights.he would definatly give hatton problems,would ricky keep coming forward if junior kept connecting?

Foggy · Post by **Foggy** » 02 Jul 2004, 05:24

Thanks for the input guys, some interesting comments being made.

I have to keep asking such questions cos i've just got back into boxing after a few years off the sport (So i need to get me knowledge back up)

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 02 Jul 2004, 06:51

Its a combination of Confidence and also when the Ingle fighters become older (Witter IS 30) they tend to plant their feet more, which generates more power. Graham and Hamed where more powerful when they moved up (Hamed wasn't a huge punching Bantam, impressive puncher yes - but nothing like he was at Super Bantam and feather). They planted their feet more at the higher weight.