BoxRec

RICKY HATTON has revealed why he will never fight Junior Witter — an awards-do insult.


Hatton, 29, makes his light-welterweight comeback on May 24 against Juan Lazcano in Manchester after losing his unbeaten record to Floyd Mayweather.


The Hitman has been taunted for years by Witter who now holds the prestigious WBC world title. Hatton was ready to bow to the pressure until the Bradford switch-hitter put his foot in it.


Hatton said: “I was half contemplating fighting him but it all changed at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in Birmingham.


“They got me up, Joe Calzaghe, Enzo Maccarinelli, Clinton Woods and Witter. We all walked to the stage and I shook hands with them all. Witter leaned over to me and whispered ‘One day.’


“I just thought, ‘You’ve just peed that up against the wall there.’ I really was thinking about getting in the ring with him.”


Witter, 34, defends his WBC belt against Tim Bradley in Nottingham on May 10.




Now we know!

"One day," - What a diabolical liberty, eh lads?

I heard Witter did something similar either at the previous BBC years awards, or the one before (the one where he wore a white suit) when they lined up all the World Champions.

As much as I respect Witter's talent, I'm just not sure I warm to him.

if this is true then ricky is just being petty

He should give the fans the fight they want

Plus he someone a fellow boxer peed me off id want to smash him in the ring

How many reasons is it now?

Yet another one to add to the pile.

I just heard it was because Ricky didn't want to feel like he was being dictated to. Because he is stubborn, he wants it to feel like he's taking the fight of his own accord.

Too big for his boots I think

Does Ricky Hatton expect Junior Witter to iron his underpants or something?

I would think that's all the more reason to fight him; shut him up & ram the taunt back down his throat.

All that will happen now is that Witter will accuse Hatton of running scared & it's difficult to argue against that viewpoint.

Hatton should be looking to shut him up once and for all not pulling out more poxy excuses.

If Hatton faced Witter and mullered him, think of the bragging rights he'd have. In the post fight interview he could bask in having humiliated his hated foe, shutting up all the naysayers, giving his fans the fight they wanted ( a genuine 'thank you'), having made millions and leaving Witter scrabbling around for the proverbial receptacle to urinate in.

The ultimate satisfaction.

Clearly Hatton doesn't think that will be the outcome.

nickd wrote:Hatton should be looking to shut him up once and for all not pulling out more poxy excuses.

Yeah. Most fighters would want to go out there and shut the other guy's mouth - prove a point. Make him shut up once and for all. Deep down, I think Hatton knows this is a risky and difficult fight. Personally, I think Hatton, at anywhere near his best, destroys Witter inside schedule.

Autobarn wrote:How many reasons is it now?

93 or 94 i think lol.

Depending on the day of the week and who is asking the question the reason always seems to change.

It all comes back to Hatton using the same tactics as Witter to land his payday against Floyd but saying he won't fight Witter for the same reasons.

He is very hypocritical it seems.

ohhhhh so the reason Hatton has ducked Witter for the past decade is because Junior said "One Day" to him These excuses get better and better

WHAT A LOAD OF TOILET!


Someone give this fool a kick.

Witter should have tumped hijm down live on TV!

Now THAT would have been funny!

If this really is the reason why Hatton won't fight Witter then that tiny bit of respect I had left for Hatton has gone.

I have never heard anything so cowardly in all the years I have followed boxing (15 years), he really should hang his head in shame.

Mayweather talked shit about him numerous times before they fought but that didn't stop Ricky fighting him.I'm bored of these excuses.

one day.

yeah not quite junior.

DG. wrote:WHAT A LOAD OF TOILET!


Someone give this fool a kick.

Witter should have tumped hijm down live on TV!

Now THAT would have been funny!

and then get on his bike for 5 minutes.

fornicating pathetic, in my world if someone pisses you off you want to hit him anyway and you don't get paid for it. Hatton should stop trying to find a valid excuses for not fighting Witter as he is seriously losing his publics respect. Witter maybe dull and he may be technically boring but fornicate me he is the WBC Champion and deserves and wants the fight as do the majority of Great Britain.

Hatton is exposing himself as a charlie IMO and the old saying 'You can fool some of the people' is looking apt in this case.

Hatton has turned down loads of easy opponents in the past and will keep doing so whilst he is earning Millions, ultimately paid for by the public, who's champion he claims to be. Would he buy a box at City if they played Derby every week, I doubt it?

Boycott his mismatch and May and hit him where it hurts, not not his beer-filled guts, but his bulging pockets and he may have to reconsider.

What I can't work out is, he got brutally exposed by Mayweather, yes Mayweather beat him not Joe Cortez and was woefully outclassed in all departments, embarrassed even, yet he wants more of that yet the WBC title at his 'natural' weight is there for him against a fighter in the same mould, yet with 25% of the talent, and he doesn't want to know. It proves that despite having earned over £20M he still isn't prepared to take risks.

He and his yes-men handlers talk about his 'legacy' but until he gets Witter out of the way the only legacy he will leave is his constant avoiding of his local rival and WBC Champion - Junior Witter. If Lazcano, as they say, has drawn a 50k crowd already, which I doubt, then Witter would draw much more and then in the event of him losing to JW, which is doubtful, think how much he would get and the crowd he would draw for a re-match and, if victoriuos, a third 'rubber-match' - it would be huge.

"One Day" said Witter is hardly insulting to his male prowess is it. Maybe Junior should knock over his pint or even eye up his bird maybe - that may bring the man in Hatton out.

The while thing is becoming farcical but why YOU the pubic pay him to perform agsint the Lascano'sof this world then if it does not happen then you only have yourself to blame. Follow Witter, boycott Hatton and the tide may turn, rather rapidly.

See you in Nottingham then - at least it's got a roof!

Hatton should give British fans what they want and get it on with Witter.

I know if I was Hatton and felt Witter had disrespected me I would wanna fight him

This is the last thing i have to say about Vicky Hatton.......PU55Y.

I much, much rather Hatton fight Witter at wembley then a second Mayweather fight.
Hatton prettyboy rematch to me is just a piss take...Hatton has utterly no chance.

Hatton, Mayweather, Delahoya is just a money making merry go round

We should get next

Hatton v Witter
Mayweather v Cotto

but i doubt we will ever see those fights next or ever

Hatton is only the people's champion in his own mind.

I'll concede he's the people's champion to the tracksuited folk of Manchester but that's about it.

Playing the 'people' for fools is what he is good at.

I'll not be putting any of my hard earned into watching Hatton until he fights Witter.

The People's Champion sponsored by Kappa.

So he's telling that interviewer that was his reason. He's telling another interviewer its because he isnt a big enough name (even tho hes fighting someone with less of a name.)

And he told Ali G 'maybe' when asked 'is it coz he is black.'