Boxing Preview: Can “Desert Storm” Knock Junior Off His Throne?

Current WBC 140 lb title holder Junior Witter, 36-1-2 (21), can be described as anything but ordinary. Just ask him and he will be the first to tell you exactly how good he is.

In fact, ask anyone who has ever spent time interviewing Witter or attended one of his press conferences and more than likely, they will tell you that Witter never stops talking about himself, although, in all fairness, Witter has earned some bragging rights.

Witter has not tasted professional defeat in almost eight years and that was a unanimous decision loss in 2000 to a young, dangerous Zab Judah, who at the time reigned as the 140 lb IBF world champion and was steamrolling anyone brave enough to step into the ring with him.

Following the loss, Witter went on a 15 bout KO streak, and those he did not KO, he defeated rather easily, eventually picking up the division’s vacant WBC belt when he faced DeMarcus Corley in September of 2006.

After two defenses of the strap since that time, one being an impressive seventh round stoppage over highly regarded former WBA titlist Vivian Harris, Witter now feels it is his time to shine as the divisionʼs premier star.

But Witter has company in the division who seem to be much in the spotlight. One of these is the undefeated brash and even more self praising IBF titlist Paulie Malignaggi, a man who, with or without a belt, talks so much it is hard not to look his way.

The other fellow is a man that Witter seems to feel has been standing in the way throughout his entire career, Ring Magazine Champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton.

While Witter has his mind on Hatton, he is not opposed to facing one of the other strap holders either, as Ricardo Torres, 32-1 (28), the current WBO titlist and WBA champion Andreas Kotelnik, a former Witter victim, are not off his radar.

If there is a possibility that someone could steal some of his thunder and add doubt to who really should be considered the divisionʼs kingpin, Witter has an open contract waiting for just one more signature at the bottom of it.

In the meantime, while the other champions are taking care of their own agendas, Witter has a defense of his title tonight against the undefeated Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley, 21-0 (11).

A young man out of California, Bradley has earned a great deal of respect, becoming one of boxing’s brightest prospects by performing to a higher standard each time out.

In 2005, he picked up the vacant WBC Youth Light Welterweight title in only his ninth pro fight and has since defended the belt five times. In 2007, he was one of the divisionʼs busiest fighters by stepping in the ring four times, against more experienced opponents in each instance.

Bradley, a slick fighter with fast hands, is being questioned by some about his decision to take this fight. His undefeated record has come by fighting opponents close to home, but in all fairness, Bradley’s CV is not a padded record because his last six opponents have all been more experienced fighters, three of them legitimate former world title challengers.

Another impressive thing about Bradley is the fact that he has come so far in just under four years as a pro. Fighting for a world title in such a short amount of time is something usually only seen with former Olympic champions or fighters with big money promotions behind them due to their stellar amateur careers.

When Bradley was asked in a recent press conference if he felt that he was making a mistake by not only taking a title fight so soon in his career and more importantly, traveling to the champion’s home country to do so, he simply replied “No”.

When the press asked Witter if he had anything to comment on Bradley, his answer was short and in true Junior Witter fashion. “Timothy Bradley has fast hands and is a good young fighter but he is going to find out May 10 that he is in the ring with THE CHAMPION,” said Witter.

Bradley, after hearing the same remarks over and over again and almost being told that this is a mistake by members of the press, has used this to his advantage and has kept humble.

“It is all motivation to me,” said Bradley. “I just need to stay focused and do my job come fight night and all will go my way,” the Californian continued, sounding like a young man who knows enough to turn a negative into his advantage, aware that if he lets his cage get rattled, there is already one strike against him before the bell even rings.

Witter, on the other hand, seems to feel this fight is just something to pass the time, almost as if the task forthcoming is not a task at all, but just another night out of the house to let the public catch a glimpse of his greatness.

This could be the same mistake that many overconfident champions, who have been more concerned with what the future may hold, have made in the past, and a mistake that Timothy Bradley is hoping can be turned into another positive come fight night.

Will Witter use this bout as a showcase and give the public the pleasure of seeing him perform while waiting for another title holder, hopefully Ricky Hatton, to add their name to that contract he speaks of or will Timothy Bradley spoil Witterʼs plans and put him back in line?

Stranger things have happened in this sport and standing in line is something that Junior Witter certainly does not want to be doing at 34 years of age.