BoxRec

Hennessy: Harris a real threat



Promoter Mick Hennessy sees Junior Witter’s WBC light-welterweight title defence against Vivian Harris as tougher than Ricky Hatton’s last fight.

The Yorkshire boxer faces Guyana’s New York-based former world champion at the The Dome at Doncaster Lakeside on Friday, September 7 in a show to be screened live on Sky Sports.

Harris will not be daunted about facing Witter on his own turf after travelling to Germany twice to beat Oktay Urkal in defence of his WBA version of the world title in 2004.

Hennessy believes Witter’s task against Harris is more difficult than the one Manchester’s unbeaten Hatton faced when he stopped Mexican Jose Luis Castillo in four rounds in America in June.

“I think what Ricky did by going out to Las Vegas and stopping Castillo the way he did was brilliant, but I feel Junior has got a tougher opponent in front of him on September 7th,” said Hennessy.

“Harris is a far harder opponent than Castillo who wasn’t I believe a proven fighter at light-welterweight like Harris is, who is a former world champion in this division and big at the weight.

“Harris is a dangerous opponent and this is a chance for Junior to really make a name for himself in a competitive world title fight.

“This could be an explosive fight and if Junior wins – which I’m confident he will do in style – then the public will be demanding a fight between Witter and Hatton like never before, what ever the outcome of Ricky against Floyd Mayweather.

“Since losing his WBA title in a shock defeat to Carlos Maussa, Harris has won three on the trot and is back to his best.

“He has beat some good men like Juan Lazcano and former world champion Stevie Johnston, who he stopped in seven.

“When Harris is on top of his game, which he has been in recent fights, he is a real threat.

“He has lost just twice in 31 fights and made three defences of the world title so he is well experienced at this level.”

Witter, who is trained by the Ingle family in Sheffield and is originally from Bradford, does not expect Harris to be anxious about facing the champion in his home town of Doncaster in front of a large crowd.

“He’s been abroad and done it before so I don’t think he will be too bothered about coming over here to fight me,” said former British, Commonwealth and European champion Witter.

“I’m going to be in great shape for this because I’ve had some extra time to prepare after the fight date was put back a couple times.

“He’s got a lot of skills, has come back from defeat and in America he might even be seen as the favourite, so this is a competitive fight. I’ve just got to do a job that I know I can and will do to move on to bigger things.”

What is it with Hennessy and the need to compare what his guys are doing with Sports Network or former Sports Network guys?

Just do it.

so he plays down hattons win against castillo as castillo wasnt proven at the weight then goes on to big up harris wins over lazcano and johnson who weren't natural 140lbers, even tho he freely admits that harris is big at the weight...

Yeah, Steve "Little but ancient" Johnson, what a scalp.

anyway, isnt harris carlos maussa's leftovers??

Because SN are the benchmark he aspires to I suppose. Can't fault him for that can you?

By the way 'Gum Boot'. Very, very good poster.

Harris is obviously a real threat. I just don't think he has the hunger that he had when he chased PBF a few years back.

Witter needs, not just a win, but a good performance. Otherwise he'll be confined to these meaningless fights for the rest of his career. He has the attitude of win for winning's sake, which is completely wrong for someone who wants what he does.

Cannibal wrote:What is it with Hennessy and the need to compare what his guys are doing with Sports Network or former Sports Network guys?

Just do it.

this has nothing to do with SN. Hennessey's just doing his job to talk up the fight

Because SN are the benchmark he aspires to I suppose. Can't fault him for that can you?

Frank's had a long time to get it right though hasn't he? How many world champs did he have in the mid 80s-mid '90s. Pre Naz I remember a lot of good nearly men losing the big ones.

I see it as positive that we have more than 1 promoter who's relevant on the world title scene. Witter, like him or loathe, did work hard and long to get a world title belt. Murray looks very promising. And Froch was good enough that Warren tried to stage that Commonwealth defense. Good enouhg perhaps to be Calzaghe's successor.

If only they - SN, Hennessey, FA, Maloney - could all get together for the big ones when necessary.

boxingchat wrote:Because SN are the benchmark he aspires to I suppose. Can't fault him for that can you?

By the way 'Gum Boot'. Very, very good poster.

Got to be said, the lads at Hennessy always turn out very very eye catching posters, very stylised and modern.

I think Harris will be up for this 1 and that means he could be. Harris is the hardest hitter at 140lbs, huge reach, and very compact fast punching. If that isn't a threat I don't know what is.

As for Harris recent outings. Lazcano was a good, touch pressure fighter and handled. Johnston was past prime but hes the man that was once P4P material, the man many thought beat Castillo and Harris put him away.

I'm still not sure which way this 1 will go.

Actually, I think Hennessey is a worthy number 2. He beats the socks off
the also rans.

Pinch me, I must be dreaming! Did I just 'hear' you say that. Has Jason Frost infiltrated your account?

I think it's quite possible that Harris will be coming with more ambition that Castillo had last month.

Can you believe Harris once turned down $750,000 to fight Hatton. That's up there with Ali thinking Frazier was shot before the third fight.
"They lied."

Well, that's what you get when you listen to Manny Steward isn't it?

Harris is definetly a threat, I've not seen him fight in a while, but an on form hungry Harris is a threat to anyone at 140.

I smell an upset here. Don't ask me why, but I just do! What are the odds on a Harris victory?

If Witter were to lose, all the talk about a Hatton will remain just that, TALK!

IMO this will be a tremendous fight,
I just see there two styles meshing well

A true test for Witter!

Rocky Balboa wrote:I smell an upset here. Don't ask me why, but I just do! What are the odds on a Harris victory?

If Witter were to lose, all the talk about a Hatton will remain just that, TALK!

I think the last 6 rounds of this fight could be the dullest of all time. One's got crap stamina, and the other has got crap stamina also. Could be a hug fest.

First 6 rounds could be critical... an upset could happen definately.

I've said all along that this is going to be dull as dishwater. I agree with you about the last 6 rounds Stu, but I think the first 6 will be tough to watch as well. Junior has been cautious enough against opponents with far less firepower than Harris recently. I see very few bursts of action in the fight, but a lot of staring. I hope I'm wrong, naturally.

Forget the haters, this is a very good fight for Junior Witter, a taller, bigger, younger opponent who is proven at the world level. Both can hit, I'm in the minority here but I think there will be more than just a "fair share" of action in this one.

Witter by KO.

This is a good match up, and I don't really think there is an underdog as such in this fight.

If both produce their best form on the night, I think Harris will nick it.

It's a good match, I agree. I want Witter to win. I saw him on that Curtis Woodhouse program last night (Is it worth it) & he seems a really down to earth bloke. He's a good fighter at what he does, which is admittedly weird. He has found a niche for winning the fight as a mind game, however ungainly he can look.

If Witter can't win this, then he's nowehere near as good as he professes. Harris got spanked by Maussa. Harris is at least 2 years past his best.

Looks to me that his promoter is just trying to lay the foundations for his fighter to lose.

Harris is not of the same pedigree as Castillo. He's not as mentally strong either. But his physucal tools up at 140-pounds are more formidable.

Phenomenal-Nutrition wrote:I think Harris will be up for this 1 and that means he could be. Harris is the hardest hitter at 140lbs, huge reach, and very compact fast punching. If that isn't a threat I don't know what is.

As for Harris recent outings. Lazcano was a good, touch pressure fighter and handled. Johnston was past prime but hes the man that was once P4P material, the man many thought beat Castillo and Harris put him away.

I'm still not sure which way this 1 will go.

I agree with you, Harris is a real threat to anyone at 140 and has looked good in his last few fights. I think he may KO Witter in a brutal fight.