Junior Witter

[mchuffy]

I'd be very interested to hear peoples opinions on him. Did he over/under achieve, was he a genuine threat at world level or a gate keeper. And how would a showdown with Hatton have played out?

[dookus]

I think he achieved around what he was always going to - a solid title holder but never likely to be top dog. Hatton's avoidance of him was quite like the way Fury avoided Price (in both cases, when the fighters were around British title level) - basically the fear of coming undone against a big puncher for little commercial reward.

Of course, Witter did make it to world level around the time Hatton did, but a) the risk-reward ratio remained about the same as Witter was defending his title in front of 2000 people at leisure centres and b) Hatton is a stubborn bastard who'd simply decided he wasn't giving Witter a payday come hell or high water after the interview crashing incident years before.

As to how the fight would've gone, I see Hatton taking 8 out of 10 fights. Witter had a clear edge on power and was awkward and precise enough to get some of his angular bombs home, but also suffered from poor stamina and a tendency to fall into patterns when he couldn't blow fighters away early. Hatton had enough chin (particularly pre-Tszyu), footwork and variety to keep Witter from getting into any kind of groove and would wear him down over 12, most likely.

[Kalan]

Witter the Hitter would have beaten Hatton and that's the way it is.... Hatton was smart enough realize this and that's why the fight didn't happen.... He used Witter's insults as an excuse saying he didn't want to give him a payday.

That was bs... Hatton was smarter than a lot of people think... Hatton looked absolutely terrified before the Pacquiao fight... He seemed to sense it was the worst possible mismatch.

[Noxy]

The Hatton fight didn’t happen because Hatton was that big he didn’t really need it. Now Hatton’s popularity was phenomenal but I always thought Witter could have been promoted better, he was exciting and could dig but rarely seemed to be a mainstream guy.

[bigjack]

Witter would have beaten Hatton,Witter on his game hit hard and was hard to hit,Hatton with his face first approach would have been easy pickings for a switched on Witter.As for Hatton being bigger at the time the fight was talked about,well that's rubbish,it could have filled a stadium no problem and they both would have made a lot of money,Hatton just didn't want the fight as he knew the likely outcome.

[Noxy]

Witter would have beaten Hatton,Witter on his game hit hard and was hard to hit,Hatton with his face first approach would have been easy pickings for a switched on Witter.As for Hatton being bigger at the time the fight was talked about,well that's rubbish,it could have filled a stadium no problem and they both would have made a lot of money,Hatton just didn't want the fight as he knew the likely outcome.

That’s the point though. Hatton didn’t need Witter to sell out a stadium, look how he invaded Vegas. Another thing, Hatton didn’t make his name by avoiding people. I think he just didn’t want to give him a payday.

[bigjack]

Witter would have beaten Hatton,Witter on his game hit hard and was hard to hit,Hatton with his face first approach would have been easy pickings for a switched on Witter.As for Hatton being bigger at the time the fight was talked about,well that's rubbish,it could have filled a stadium no problem and they both would have made a lot of money,Hatton just didn't want the fight as he knew the likely outcome.

That’s the point though. Hatton didn’t need Witter to sell out a stadium, look how he invaded Vegas. Another thing, Hatton didn’t make his name by avoiding people. I think he just didn’t want to give him a payday.

I hate it when fighters say that,imagine all the fighters in the past who disliked each other saying it,just think of all the classics we would have missed out on,Benn v Eubank ,Froch v Groves,etc etc.Benn hated Eubank and wanted to beat him up,If Hatton disliked Witter as much,then he should have fought him and not got involved in the promoters/managers role.

[Noxy]

Witter would have beaten Hatton,Witter on his game hit hard and was hard to hit,Hatton with his face first approach would have been easy pickings for a switched on Witter.As for Hatton being bigger at the time the fight was talked about,well that's rubbish,it could have filled a stadium no problem and they both would have made a lot of money,Hatton just didn't want the fight as he knew the likely outcome.

That’s the point though. Hatton didn’t need Witter to sell out a stadium, look how he invaded Vegas. Another thing, Hatton didn’t make his name by avoiding people. I think he just didn’t want to give him a payday.

I hate it when fighters say that,imagine all the fighters in the past who disliked each other saying it,just think of all the classics we would have missed out on,Benn v Eubank ,Froch v Groves,etc etc.Benn hated Eubank and wanted to beat him up,If Hatton disliked Witter as much,then he should have fought him and not got involved in the promoters/managers role.

I agree. We missed out there, it would have been massive. The fighters, as you say, would have done alright out of it as well. The thing is that, to me, Witter could have been a bigger name at the time and made it harder for Hatton to overlook him. I always thought when Junior was up and coming that his skills could have been shown on a bigger stage.

[bigjack]

That’s the point though. Hatton didn’t need Witter to sell out a stadium, look how he invaded Vegas. Another thing, Hatton didn’t make his name by avoiding people. I think he just didn’t want to give him a payday.

I hate it when fighters say that,imagine all the fighters in the past who disliked each other saying it,just think of all the classics we would have missed out on,Benn v Eubank ,Froch v Groves,etc etc.Benn hated Eubank and wanted to beat him up,If Hatton disliked Witter as much,then he should have fought him and not got involved in the promoters/managers role.

I agree. We missed out there, it would have been massive. The fighters, as you say, would have done alright out of it as well. The thing is that, to me, Witter could have been a bigger name at the time and made it harder for Hatton to overlook him. I always thought when Junior was up and coming that his skills could have been shown on a bigger stage.

True,Witter blew hot and cold and was in some real stinkers,Hatton would have made him fight though and the time would have been just after Witter beat Vivian Harris,such a shame.