BoxRec

RICKY HATTON has launched a savage attack on his light- welterweight rival Junior Witter, insisting they will never meet in the ring.

The Hitman bids to regain his IBF world crown from Juan Urango here on Saturday — the same night Bradford boxer Witter defends his 140lb WBC belt against Arturo Morua at London’s Alexandra Palace.

It has led to calls for a unification bout between the Brits as they both fight on Sky TV. But Mancunian Hatton has reacted angrily to a stream of abuse from Witter.

As Hatton, 28, put the finishing touches to his preparations for the showdown at the Paris Casino Hotel, he told me: “There is no way I am ever going to fight Witter.

“What he has to realise is that he is so far off my radar it’s untrue.

“All he has ever done throughout his career is slag me off and show me nothing but disrespect.

“He has gone out of his way to get any publicity he can by using my name and seems to think that, because he is the WBC champion, he has something that I want.

“I’m taking delight in all this because I know it will be the biggest payday of his life if he fights me — and it ain’t gonna happen.

“Witter was calling me out last week trying to tell people that my career was on the slide because of injuries and inactivity.

“Well, at 33, I think Witter is on the slide and he needs to get a move on if he wants to make his name.

“OK, he has the highly-regarded WBC belt but he is nowhere near being in my league and fighting him will not add one iota to my legacy.

“He has got absolutely nothing that I want. I have vacated three world titles — more than Witter has won — because I did not want to fight mandatory opponents who had nothing to offer me.

“I want to be the best-ever British champion and I’ve asked myself whether Junior Witter’s scalp would help me climb higher in the pound-for-pound list.

thesun

Much as I like Hatton I disagree with this almost word for word.

I can believe it - Witter is the one fighter that Hatton has blatantly ducked.

But right now Hatton has a good HBO deal - he will be matched in exciting style matchups until he wears out.

Witter was very negative in his fights with Ndou, Kotelnik, Lynes and even in his accomplished psych job on Corley...Witter is good but he can't help turning people off.

If he had managed to continue his long KO streak at world class, there would be more than just message board demand for a fight.

That said, it's hard to call someone a duck when they're facing a wrecking ball on the weekend, followed by Castillo, isn't it?

Hatton can backtrack all he likes.

Leagues above him In what? In Skill Witter's the better fighter.

Hatton said he wanted all the belts too and you won't see him touch even the winner of the Interim between Mosley and Callazo.

Hatton doesn't realise how easy he got to the top.

What was it he said;

"I want unification fights"

"Witter needs to get a belt before we can fight"

"Witter won't affecxt my legacy if I don't fight him"

He has, he has and he will....Fat Boy

OLD-LONDON-RULES wrote:Bet some of u fannys still can't believe this has actually come out of Hattons own mouth can ya?

I just can't wait for this SOAB to get a horrible beat down.

You're a fvcking mug..... Hatton is one of the most down-to-earth likeable fighters, which you would know if you had ever met him....

He is the best thing to happen to British Boxing in the last few years.

Any ex-fighter who never talk about a classy pro in this manner - you are clearly one of those soft, pathetic pudenda who has never been in a ring and just tries to slag off those who are tough, true warriors.
Fvck off.

emma wrote: “There is no way I am ever going to fight Witter.

“What he has to realise is that he is so far off my radar it’s untrue.

“All he has ever done throughout his career is slag me off and show me nothing but disrespect.

“He has gone out of his way to get any publicity he can by using my name and seems to think that, because he is the WBC champion, he has something that I want.

“I’m taking delight in all this because I know it will be the biggest payday of his life if he fights me — and it ain’t gonna happen.

Although HAtton-Witter is the best UK fight there along with Macca-Haye, I can totally understand Hatton's logic.

Win or lose Witter will make loads of money - he can't get a similar payday anywhere else.

And frankly Witter and Ingle's disrespectful tirade after the Thaxton fight when Ricky had just come through 12 hard and bloody rounds is unforgiveable.

Why should Ricky give Junior Sh1tter the opportunity to make proper money?

Also noone in the US where Hatton is now a big name is interested in Up the Sh1tter.

PS very much unlike Ricky who is always highly friendly and down to earth when I have met him, I found Juior to be aloof and disinterested.

viciousmaussa wrote: That said, it's hard to call someone a duck when they're facing a wrecking ball on the weekend, followed by Castillo, isn't it?

NO

E wrote:

OLD-LONDON-RULES wrote:Bet some of u fannys still can't believe this has actually come out of Hattons own mouth can ya?

I just can't wait for this SOAB to get a horrible beat down.

You're a fvcking mug..... Hatton is one of the most down-to-earth likeable fighters, which you would know if you had ever met him....

He is the best thing to happen to British Boxing in the last few years.

Any ex-fighter who never talk about a classy pro in this manner - you are clearly one of those soft, pathetic pudenda who has never been in a ring and just tries to slag off those who are tough, true warriors.
Fvck off.

Hatton is a PR friendly Monkey.

E wrote:

emma wrote:
PS very much unlike Ricky who is always highly friendly and down to earth when I have met him, I found Juior to be aloof and disinterested.

Probably coz your a twat, maybe he doesn't take too kindly to Combat 18 sorts like yourself, Witters always seemed down to earth and friendly when Ive met him.

Shameful stuff from Ricky

As I've said on previous occasions Hatton and Graham don't like the style match-up, so they come up with every excuse in the book.

Ricky reckons "fighting him will not add one iota to my legacy" MAYBE not on the World scene, but Ricky will always be known by the UK fans as the man who constantly refused to fight his arch-rival over a period of 6+ years, if he doesn't fight Junior.

If he wants to be the "best-ever British Champion", how can he not fight the best Britain at his weight

Phenomenal-Nutrition wrote:

viciousmaussa wrote: That said, it's hard to call someone a duck when they're facing a wrecking ball on the weekend, followed by Castillo, isn't it?

NO

Ultimately, Witter has to make more of a demand. With his style it's always going to be difficult to get foes. But his last few fights have been cold, dry and downright weird at times.

For Hatton-Witter, the landscape has to seriously change. i.e. Hatton coming unstuck.

E wrote:

emma wrote: “There is no way I am ever going to fight Witter.

“What he has to realise is that he is so far off my radar it’s untrue.

“All he has ever done throughout his career is slag me off and show me nothing but disrespect.

“He has gone out of his way to get any publicity he can by using my name and seems to think that, because he is the WBC champion, he has something that I want.

“I’m taking delight in all this because I know it will be the biggest payday of his life if he fights me — and it ain’t gonna happen.

Although HAtton-Witter is the best UK fight there along with Macca-Haye, I can totally understand Hatton's logic.

Win or lose Witter will make loads of money - he can't get a similar payday anywhere else.

And frankly Witter and Ingle's disrespectful tirade after the Thaxton fight when Ricky had just come through 12 hard and bloody rounds is unforgiveable.

Why should Ricky give Junior Sh1tter the opportunity to make proper money?

Also noone in the US where Hatton is now a big name is interested in Up the Sh1tter.

PS very much unlike Ricky who is always highly friendly and down to earth when I have met him, I found Juior to be aloof and disinterested.

Is Hatton really that big In the US though? ALot were downplaying him after Callazo.

Whats wrong with chasing a payday with your rival?

viciousmaussa wrote:

Phenomenal-Nutrition wrote:

viciousmaussa wrote: That said, it's hard to call someone a duck when they're facing a wrecking ball on the weekend, followed by Castillo, isn't it?

NO

Ultimately, Witter has to make more of a demand. With his style it's always going to be difficult to get foes. But his last few fights have been cold, dry and downright weird at times.

For Hatton-Witter, the landscape has to seriously change. i.e. Hatton coming unstuck.

Well I was only answering the question of ducking (which can be part of boxing but Hatton takes it quite far) - Witter, Mayweather, Judah, Cotto and to a lesser extent Harris, Mitchell, Corley have all been ducked by Hatton over the years.

The funny thing is hatton talks about Witter been 33 - how old is Castillo going to be come fight night (33) and how old was Tyszu (was it 35 nut 3 months short of 36)....what about Phillips (39 - 4months short of 40)? Olivera (36)? Give Witter another 3years, well make it 5 to be safe and he'll be a perfect Hatton opponent

Is it a coincidence that Ricky has fought none of the big challenges from younger prime fighters and feasted upon old men and is still doing so?

Hatton's using age as an excuse to say Witter's on the slide. Witter's using better logic of mentioning Hatton's lifestyle which Hatton does mention his lifestyle In his own book.

Max Molyneux wrote:Hatton's using age as an excuse to say Witter's on the slide. Witter's using better logic of mentioning Hatton's lifestyle which Hatton does mention his lifestyle In his own book.

They're both on the slide

Aye but Hatton might be a little worse. Witter's suffered less damage In his career and lives a healthier lifestyle so he can't be as bad as on the slide as Hatton.

Max Molyneux wrote:Aye but Hatton might be a little worse. Witter's suffered less damage In his career and lives a healthier lifestyle so he can't be as bad as on the slide as Hatton.

But Hatton throws none stop for 12rounds, Witter gasses after 5rounds partly due to not pacing himself, Witter has probably learnt from not pacing himself so it'll be interesting to see how his next few fights go. Another problem Witter has is not throwing any combinations

But Witter is a reflex orientated fighter who has never been noted for his stamina. It's hard to tell which one has slipped further but i'm sure we'll find out on Saturday.

All Witter can do now is concerntrate on beating Moura and the Lazcano/Harris winner in style. I think we've all known for some time Hatton v Witter is not going to happen. If it was then it would have been one of the times Witter offered to step in late notice when someone pulled out only to have a Pederson chosen ahead of him.

Hatton seems like a nice guy but bollocks to that, he's forced us to miss out on a fight everyone wants to. If he hates Witter that much then be a fighter and want to knock him out, less of this not wanting to give him a payday crap.

Lenny Albert wrote: Hatton seems like a nice guy but bollocks to that, he's forced us to miss out on a fight everyone wants to. If he hates Witter that much then be a fighter and want to knock him out, less of this not wanting to give him a payday crap.

Exactly, I do't understand why many Hatton fans don't want to see this, I suppose in their eyes Ricky can do no wrong

Hatton and Witter are the best 2 10 stoners in Britain by quite a way - the fight shouldn't need another reason to happen. It SHOULD be a matter of pride by proving your the best in your home country.

Great reporting by the scum as usual - he never said he wouldn't fight Witter, he said he's not on his radar at the moment. They've just picked bits from his statement and surmised the rest.

I find anything reported in the sun very hard to believe, this is obviously a load of bollox taken out of context or loads of seperate quotes taken out of context, hbo dont want witter so maybe they could make this fight after hattons deal runs out.

HBO put Barrera VS Fana on PPV and shown lesser fighters than Witter though.

G-man wrote:Great reporting by the scum as usual - he never said he wouldn't fight Witter, he said he's not on his radar at the moment. They've just picked bits from his statement and surmised the rest.

“I’m taking delight in all this because I know it will be the biggest payday of his life if he fights me — and it ain’t gonna happen." said Ricky Hatton