Page 2 of 2
Posted: 08 Mar 2005, 11:01
by Phenomenal-Nutrition
jamesmcdonnell wrote:josh fg wrote:I think what Witter needs to do is make a couple more good fights so that the americans understand they have to take him seriously, possibly a defence of his european title then someone like Takki who is a respected bench mark and then the fight will make its self. I think those fights will make him more accustom to top level fights and also it will mean that he is an opponent that the American audiance will want to see in their with Gatti, mayweather et al.
I think it is important for him to try to make a fight with gatti particularly while he is still world champion becuase he is a big name who is maybe a little over rated, I also fully respect him for calling Gatti out, however if he dosen't get this fight then in the time it takes Gatti to fight one opponent he should come back from his injury and fight maybe two or three so that Gatti's likely next fight in the views of the all important amreican audiance is him.
There's no point fighting Tackie at all. N'dou was fresher than Tackie was and so a fight against the now largely inactive tackie would be a step back.
Witter needs to keep busy whilst waiting for a shot at gatti though, needs to keep attuned and ready for that big fight if and when it comes.
I'd love to see it happen, but I am not sure how keen Gatti's backers would be.
tACKIE WOULD GIVE HIM ANOTHER 12 ROUNDS THOUGH. AND HE NEEDS TO STAY SHARP - GOOD FIGHT IF HE STOPS HIM
Posted: 09 Mar 2005, 12:56
by josh fg
The reson I said Takki is because he is a respected and hard fight at that weight, he is also a former Hatton victim and would send another clear message. ALso I believe he should stay busy and that is a good hard fight wich he should get some rounds out of which will surve him well when and if he gets a shot.
Posted: 09 Mar 2005, 13:14
by josh fg
What dose everyone think Gianluca Branco's game is? he seems to be hanging around waiting for a nother shot at the WBC without fighting anyone meaningful to earn it, have you seen the joke he is fighting in his next fight it is embarrassing although the WBC don't seem to be willing to relegate him from the No. 2 Spot dispite this.
Surely WItter has done enough to be above Branco by now.
http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=014444
Posted: 09 Mar 2005, 13:59
by liamlion
I always think that if a fighter is chasing a particluar opponent he should tread exactly the same path as that fighter and fight the very same opponents.
ie Witter should fight Jesse James, Witter would batter f*ck out of that tough, but static little fellow. Witter can then hold up his performance directly against Gatti's, thus removing the excuse that so many champions level at worthy contenders ..."yeah but who have you fought, you havent earnt your shot, youve got to prove yourself...".
Plus, even if Witter was to do shite (but win) against Jesse James, then Witter at least enhances his reputation as he's fought another fighter that the people in America recognise.
Posted: 09 Mar 2005, 14:17
by josh fg
Interesting Idea, not sure if I subscribe to it myself though. The thing is if you are chaising a title shot your main aim must be to fight respectible opponents often when someone has bean beaten there are claims that the fighter has lost "it" as a result of that hard fight or as we can see with Hoye a fighter is exposed as not that great anyhow.
I think meaningful opponents yes but slavishly fighting everyone Gatti dose probably will not happen. Also I imagen that Jesse James's promoter may have reservations about putting a fighter who he trying to re build in such a dangorouse fight in his first fight back.
Posted: 09 Mar 2005, 14:53
by liamlion
Josh FG. Your contradicting yourself a wee bit.
If Jesse James in losing to Gatti has "lost his credibility", then surely Ben Tackie having lost to Hatton (who is somewhat of an unknown outside of the UK) would be an even less "credible" step for Witter.
All Im saying is that, Gatti is not gonna belittle any of Witter's opponents if Gatti himself has recently shared the ring with them.
Whereas should Witter fight and beat Tackie or the like, Gatti can say "oh well Tackie is shit anyway...he got hammered by Hatton the WBU champion who battered a 38yrs old Vince Phillips and got decked by some unknown Paddy called Eamonn Magee...".
Posted: 09 Mar 2005, 15:03
by josh fg
Tacki is not coming directly off a loss in the same way which will damage his credability. Also Tacki is certainly not an unknown in the US having gon 12 rounds with both Tszyu and Mitchell and having beaten Teddy Reid and Ray Oliveira. I do take your point that it seems contradictory but look at the way williams was Able to discredet Sean Robinson when Harrision fought him saying "he was a different fighter after he had bean beaten by me"
Posted: 09 Mar 2005, 15:26
by liamlion
Sorry mate, I not saying that Ben Tackie is not well known in America just that the last man to beat him wasnt, thus its easier for the Americans to dismiss Tackie as "over the hill" or "shot", and such a fight would be of little value to someone like Witter.
But yeah fair point mate, Once the shine has been taken off a fighter, youre never gonna get the same credit for beating them as the last man. Someone Like Ryan Rhodes for example, Lee Blundell doesnt get the credit he probably deserves because Jason Matthews had done the same job (almost identically) before hand.
Posted: 09 Mar 2005, 15:39
by josh fg
To be fair I think both would be very valuble fights for Witter not because of the names but because they are fighters who are likely to test him but who I believe he can beat.
I question weather the Jessy James one could be made though ether he ment it when he announced his retirement after the fight or he will want to re build his carrer against easy fighters. I can't see him comming back against a hard fighter like Witter if he can't see any gains in it for him.