Boxing News: Junior Witter Meets Challenger, Predicts Emphatic Victory

By Ben Lettman

Yesterday afternoon, with winds of up to 100 mph whipping across London, WBC Junior Welterweight Champion Junior “The Hitter” Witter came face-to-face with the man who will attempt to wrest his title from him on Saturday night.

At the press conference, held by Hennessy Sports, Witter showed the utmost respect for his Mexican challenger, Arturo Morua, labeling him “a worthy opponent”.

“He’s a very good challenger,” said Witter. “He’s very tough, very durable, likes to fight, and has a good chin. He may not be well known here but he’s well known throughout the world. But when we get in the ring I will remain champion.”

The 32 year-old was accompanied by long-time trainers Brendan and Dominic Ingle, while Morua was seated alongside his manager and translator, Rafael Mendoza.

Witter, who after reeling off 15 consecutive knockouts has been extended 12 rounds in his last four fights, captured the vacant WBC title last November with a decisive points victory over Demarcus Corley.

Morua, who at 27 is four years younger than Witter, is perhaps best known for beating perennial contender Emanuel Augustus last March and being outscored by Ben Rabah in 2005. Although most do not consider him a serious threat to Witter’s crown, he was very upbeat about his chances, confirming to reporters that he had recently referred to the switch-hitting champion as a “clown”.

“Yes, I said it,” he said bluntly. “Sometimes in some rounds he clowns around. I plan to do to him what Barrera did with Naseem Hamed.”

It was a comparison that prompted Dominic Ingle to intervene. “The difference is when Hamed boxed Barrera he was not being trained by us,” he blasted. “He had lost the plot. Fortunately Junior is still with us.

“If Naseem Hamed had still been training with us he would have beat Barrera. He put up a quarter of a decent fight and he had been sparring with monkeys. Junior and Naseem are about the same age. Junior is a world champion and Hamed has been a has-been for about five years.”

When predictably asked about a potential domestic showdown with arch-nemesis Ricky Hatton, who is also in action on Saturday night against IBF champion Juan Urango, Witter replied:

“Yeah I would like to do it (fight Hatton) but the man seems to be a coward. I’m not interested in that right now I got other things on my mind. I am arguably the best light welterweight in the world. I will remain the best light welterweight in the world. But the only way I will do that is to focus on my opponent Morua.”

Witter is one of the few British boxers willing to fight outside of Britain. In 2005, he fought and defeated division gatekeeper Lovemore N’dou on a high profile undercard at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, catching the eye of many respected boxing scribes in the process.

“I’m looking to go back out to the U.S once or twice this year it just depends with title fights, mandatories and voluntaries,” he said. “I plan to go back to America to box this year. No one has had an easy fight against N’dou.

“They looked at me and just thought ‘He’s from England. He’s going to get beaten’ and I went in there, knocked him down twice and won the fight comfortably.

“I damaged my hand early on in that fight. It feels fine now though. I had some psychological pressure when I first started boxing with it again but it doesn’t seem to bother me anymore. Injuries happen. You have got to deal with them and move on. I have dealt with it and now I am moving on.”

Despite being unbeaten since June 2000, when he lost a unanimous decision to former undisputed welterweight champion Zab Judah in only his 19th pro fight, the media continue to be very critical of the majority his performances, with some quarters suggesting that he is more style than substance.

“Even when Junior was going through the stage of fights when he was knocking everyone out in two or three rounds, he always trained for twelve rounds because when you have trained for twelve rounds you can do it,” said Dominic Ingle. “From day one, Junior has trained for twelve rounds. If the stoppage comes early on it’s a bonus.

“When he had the run of 13 or 14 knockouts in a row people were saying, ‘that’s all well and good but when he starts fighting world title opposition can he do twelve rounds?’ Then he boxed twelve rounds and since Lovemore N’dou all his fights have gone the distance and people started saying why isn’t he knocking them out? You can’t please everybody.

“He can do twelve rounds and he can knock them out. We don’t know what’s going to happen on Saturday night. He might knock him out, it might go the distance. But whatever it is he has got the equipment to do either. He is ready. The only prediction that I could make is that Junior is going to win. It’s not going to be an easy fight but I think Junior is going to shine on Saturday night.

“Hatton is ducking and diving away from Junior. He has reached a comfort zone. He had his great win against Kostya Tszyu and from then there has been nothing fantastic from him. He’s been on a bit of a dip (in form). He could have a great fight on Saturday night he could have a bad fight but whatever he does it is not going to effect Junior. Junior will still be champion on Saturday night.

“He’ll get good publicity, he’ll get negative publicity but as long as he retains his belt it does not matter what he gets. As they say, all publicity is good publicity.”

Witter may not be the most popular fighter in the country, but as Britain’s only WBC champion, he has to be respected. His defence against Morua takes place this Saturday night at London’s Alexandra Palace and can be watched live on Sky box office. For more information call 08700600615.

Courtesy www.frankmaloney.com