BoxRec

Witter v Hatton would have been some fight, but allegedly cheated us out of that mouthwatering match. I'd like to see it down the road but think we've missed the boat. I think those shots Witter landed on N'dou would have Hatton in serious trouble, he hits a lot harder than Magee. Then again Hatton will pressure him. Lets hope it finally happens at some point, although I feel we'll only see it if Hatton has a couple of setbacks.

Good call on Harris-Witter, i would enjoy watching that fight, as for Gatti-Witter well i imagine as soon as a big payday comes along he would drop the WBC belt and take the fight, it seems like the thing to do these days. I cannot see Witter-Gatti happening as Gatti has his eyes on Mayweather, but whether he is still a free man come the summer is another matter. Perhaps Witter will end up fighting for the vacant title?

Gatti would starch him.

I'm not so sure he would, Gatti has been pushed up to a higher status than he possibly deserves due to some warrior like displays. Witter's defence is a concern as he ate too many shots off N'dou that had Gatti landed he would have been KO'd, if he fights a more orthodox, defensively tighter fight versus Gatti then who knows. He certainly has the power to hurt Gatti and a cut is always a possibility...but i agree that if Gatti can weather the early storm he might force a stoppage as the fight goes on.

Harris got dropped twice by big punching Mexican Jose Luis Juarez, Jaurez also dropped N'Dou twice when they fought so he's a real banger.

Lefthookhappy19 wrote:Harris got dropped twice by big punching Mexican Jose Luis Juarez, Jaurez also dropped N'Dou twice when they fought so he's a real banger.

My mistake, was sure when Harris v Hatton was being touted I heard somewhere he had never been down.

Lefthookhappy19 wrote:Harris got dropped twice by big punching Mexican Jose Luis Juarez, Jaurez also dropped N'Dou twice when they fought so he's a real banger.

That's the one I was thinking of, just saw a clip years ago and remember seeing Harris all over the shop for awhile. His legs look so skinny you wonder what keeps him up sometimes - reminds me a bit of a smaller Tommy Hearns, thought not same class of course.

Lefthookhappy19 wrote:Harris got dropped twice by big punching Mexican Jose Luis Juarez, Jaurez also dropped N'Dou twice when they fought so he's a real banger.

I thought that was the first time N'dou had been dropped against Witter! I guess I was wrong.

Looking at Witters options, you've got Vivien Harris WBA champ, who's hard to deal with and may try De La Hoya's patients with his demands for money.
Gatti is WBC champ and has a mega money fight lined up with Mayweather in June, this depends on Mayweather getting a good result in his upcoming court case, if he does this ties the winner up till at least August, September time.
Kostya Tszyu holds the IBF and is the true champ in the division, he has the Bout against Hatton in June, and i can't see Witter figureing in his plans if he beats Hatton, Tszyu knows he doesn't have long left and would
be looking for big paydays.
Cotto holds the WBO title, and i wouldn't want Witter to face him as i see him as the best in the division, but Witter might not have a choice if all the other champs are busy.
Best Witter can hope for is that Mayweather gets a bad result in his court case and can't box Gatti in June, just right for Witter to step in.

I'm not sure that Gatti vs Witter will be made anytime soon. Trouble at 140 is that everyone is chasing someone else Witter is chasing Gatti, Harris is chasing Mayweather etc.

Assuming Mayweather sorts his court trouble out then I think he will face Gatti. He'll be favourite for that and if he does the issue is whether Mayweather wants to face Witter or Witter can make himself mandatory and bide his time. Even then Mayweather might give up his title for super fights with Cotto and the winner of Hatton/Tszyu.

Harris is a possibility but the WBA don't rank Witter and Harris persists in dreaming of million dollar purses against people who don't need him.

Cotto would be an interesting match. Witter is WBO ranked and I don't think Cotto's people will have been too scared by saturday's fight - yes Witter has power and can be awkward but Cotto is just the sort of cute fighter with power of his own and a chin on his chest would be a nightmare for Witter.

For what its worth I think Gatti is the best shot that Witter has of winning a world title. Against Gatti Witter has a boxer's chance, against PBF he has a puncher's chance. Against Cotto he loses big. Tszyu will have no interest in fighting him and Hatton neither - at least not for another year.

I have to say, and I really hope this is proved wrong, that I think it extremely unlikely that Witter will fight for a belt in 2005.

Cottos the most overated fighter of the moment and I think Witter beats him. Whos he beat - blow up lightweights, Pinto (whos only real win was against Azumah Nelson on points who just shows up for the pay) and Ndou who nearly beat Cotto. Ndous the best name and Cotto nearly lost.

If Corley gives him problems then Witter can beat him. If he blows Corley out its a big win but Junior can still win.

azumah nelson only turned up for the pay

and he fought pinto


me thinks you have been drinking.

I'm still trying to work out who on earth he's got Azumah Nelson confused with.

f*ck knows its a goodie though!!

i mnean azumah only turned up the pay f*ck me! one of the top five featherweights of all time in my book!!!

sorry phenom not meant to be nasty, made me chuckle i mess up all the time.

Kilburn wrote:I'm still trying to work out who on earth he's got Azumah Nelson confused with.

Damn Emanuelle Augustus, I remembered wrong

Cottos still overated though

Ok let's dissect this bizzare argument.

1 Nelson never fought Pinto, I don't know who on earth you meant, but Azumah Nelson was retired by then.

2 Cotto may have had problems with N'dou, but he fought a very controlled fight, and was pretty much in command of what was going on throughout. Witter's bout was much more see-saw.

3 Although I agree that Cotto hasn't really beaten anyone of note, technically he is better than anyone else in the division save Tszyu and possibly Leija.

4 Cotto has a very good chin, and a very good orthodox defence, he also counterpunches very well and has excellent timing. For me, this is the worst combination for Witter, who leaves himself unguarded whilst he unleashes big shots, and doesn't really duck and weave, but rather pulls back and wheels away from shots.

I don't see how Cotto is overated, he does everything you'd want a top prospect to do plus he holds a win over N'Dou (without getting tired), he battered punchers Pinto and Bailey and will probably stop Corley at some point.

If he were being recognised as #1 then I'd say yeah hold back a bit, but it's impossible not to be impressed by his all round ability not to mention maturity.

He's going to be hard to beat.

There are still unknowns about Cotto - such as his workrate and stamina which I think which I think a pressure fighter like Ricky may give him problems (if he doesn't ko Ricky).

We haven't seen Cotto with a slick southpaw and I think anyone who jabs and moves will give Cotto nightmares. If Witter jabs and moves and doesn't go for 1shot bombs all the time he can win a UD over Cotto

Right, and so Witter ISN'T unproven? Who has Witter beaten who sticks and moves exactly? The only real name on his resume is N'dou. Cotto got their first, and has fought a better level of opponent overall.

Your argument just doesn't hold water. You may think he would beat Cotto, but there's nothing in Witter's record to suggest that. N'dou is nothing like Cotto stylewise. Cotto moves a lot better, cuts off the ring better, has a defence, and is technically superior in just about every way to N'dou, as well as being a far bigger puncher.

Phenomenal-Nutrition wrote:There are still unknowns about Cotto - such as his workrate and stamina which I think which I think a pressure fighter like Ricky may give him problems (if he doesn't ko Ricky).

We haven't seen Cotto with a slick southpaw and I think anyone who jabs and moves will give Cotto nightmares. If Witter jabs and moves and doesn't go for 1shot bombs all the time he can win a UD over Cotto

Who doesn't have problems with slick southpaws?
Ricky Hatton would give anyone problems including Cotto, but i think Cotto's chin looks good and i don't agree that theres a question mark over his stamina, in any fight when he's gone the distance he seems to still keep up an accurate workrate.
I'd see him stopping Witter in 8 or 9 rounds, Cotto to me looks the business, he just has that solid all-round look about him, good power, good stamina, and accurate.

Yes, that's what is most impressive, he's an all rounder. He is composed at all times, and totally focussed on what he is doing whether he is under fire or attacking. He has a solid orthodox defensive technique, he has good footwork and uses the ring well, he can punch with either hand well enough to sting his opponent, he is patient, can adapt his tactics

Whilst Hatton is an excellent body puncher, and has better than average boxing skills, he has to be on the front foot to be effective, even against Tackie he was coming forward though boxing conservatively, and he lacks power in his head shots, thought this has improved a little lately. His style of attack by it's nature leaves him exposed, and this against a good counterpuncher with power, such as Cotto, Mayweather or Tszyu is likely to be his downfall.

Similarly, Witter's strengths are his punchpower, speed of hand and foot and unorthodox technique, but his reliance on reflexes rather than sound fundamentals will make him similarly vulnerable to counters.

After Tszyu, Cotto is the only other solid all rounder with the talent neccessary to become a top fighter, Mayweather may do it on talent alone, Witter and Hatton may do it based on their strengths, but Cotto for me has the best chance of being a durable champion.

Witter would stop Gatti.

Gatti only really got battered and came back against superfeathers and light weights if you think about it.

Witter is too strong for Gatti - but Junior would have to keep his hands up more and box in a more orthodox fashion.

He stops a badly swollen Gatti in 4 rounds.

Gatti doesn't really get too much these days, although Witter would definetly be his stiffest test since DLH. Gatti himself hits extremely hard, especially his straight shots, and his timing is pretty good.

I would make Witter or Hatton favourite against Gatti.

I don't think Gatti's backers will be keen to have him face Witter.

I'd still make Gatti a favourite over Hatton and Witter. His movement and punching skills are way better than anything either has had to deal with so far, and he's got so much experience behind him.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Right, and so Witter ISN'T unproven? Who has Witter beaten who sticks and moves exactly? The only real name on his resume is N'dou. Cotto got their first, and has fought a better level of opponent overall.

Your argument just doesn't hold water. You may think he would beat Cotto, but there's nothing in Witter's record to suggest that. N'dou is nothing like Cotto stylewise. Cotto moves a lot better, cuts off the ring better, has a defence, and is technically superior in just about every way to N'dou, as well as being a far bigger puncher.

I'm not saying Cotto isn't good, my problem is people rank him higher than Witter and Hatton when he has achieved 0 more than either. People assume any PR prospect is the next Trinidad/Benitez. Some people are even asssuming he'll beat Zoo yet he ducked Harris worse than Hatton did (at least Hatton offered him a fight Cotto said he wasn't ready for Harris)

Cotto doesn't bang that hard either (although he hits hard hes below Witter & Zoo in the 140 punchers) he wins largely on size advantage.

Ndous the best name on Witter and Cottos CV. If Witter fights the right fight he can beat Cotto, if he fights the wrong fight Cotto will counter him all night.

My point is Cotto is certainly not a level above Witter or Hatton, they all have their unique advantages.