Witter succumbs to the Desert Storm by Jim Wright May 11th 2008

Junior Witter was dethroned as WBC light-welterweight king by unbeaten American sensation Timothy Bradley via split decision after twelve toe to toe rounds at the Trent FM arena, Nottingham. Witter started the brighter, dictating the pace by flicking out his range finder and fencing the challenger who is ten years younger than the Bradford battler. But by the second, Bradley started to ominously find the stance switching Witter with a lightening fast right hand single shot that was too quick and accurate for the champion to evade. Junior proved to be no slouch himself in this battle of the back hand shoot-out. He was doing his best to deter the young buck with uppercuts to slow the raids from the desert storm visitor. It was two rounds apiece after four on my card but Bradley looked like he was warming to the task, smiling to himself as he returned to the sanctuary of his corner to be met by his increasingly animated seconds. The American added the left hook to his repertoire in the fifth whereas Witter was looking to re-establish himself by showing good shot variation and working to a nice rhythm. Any notion of the champion getting on top was dispelled by the right hands of the challenger that were exploding on the head of Witter in the sixth. With his back to the corner, the soon to be former champion's 34 year old legs and reflexes couldn't get him out of the way from the one that put him down heavily and subsequently clinching to survive to the bell that soon followed. It was difficult to assess whether fathertime was catching up with Witter, slightly slowing his trademark reflexes or if it was just the case that Bradley had the package to undo the Ingle style of fighting. Bradley was up on his toes and looking to press the advantage but it was soon apparent that the between round respite had done its trick for the champion. Yet the challenger's superb footwork was getting him in range to let the right go that Junior found himself eating all night. Bradley was now looking the real deal, showing elusive head movement and to and fro feints into the dangerzone but showing the scars of battle through swelling to the left eye. The challenger pressed home his advantage down the home stretch through applying his superior speed, looking to repeat the sixth round knock down right hand and letting the left hook go that looks equally impressive. By the eleventh Witter was cut over the left eye and marked up like never before. In the final round, Witter, sensing the need for a big round came out with added purpose and determination. He used the jab as a battering ram to try and break down the resolute defences of the soon to be new world ruler. Bradley tightened his guard to repel Witter's last ditch effort to cling onto the title. With a minute to go promoter Mick Hennessy barked advice to Junior that he needed to go for it. Witter responded by contemplating going suicide but Bradley capitalised on the openings and looked to finish Witter off in style. The decision went to the scorecards and somehow the WBC judges at ringside collaborated into making the outcome a split decision. The American must have feared the worst when the first judge gave it 115-112 to Witter! The other two however had it 115-113 and 114-113 to the NEW champion Timothy Bradley. It was a close fight, I had it 116-113 to Bradley, two rounds plus the 10-8 for the knockdown in the sixth, but there was a clear winner; any other decision would have been a travesty. Although it looks like a long road back for Witter at world level and his Hatton aspirations further from the radar he said afterwards, “I'm still going to carry on, no way am I retiring after that. There's a lot more in the tank. There are better nights for me to come and Junior Witter will be back as a world champion." Whereas the new Californian champion said, “I would fight Witter again if the money was right but would also love a crack at Hatton.” With Hatton being the big draw in the 140 pound division it could be insult to injury for Witter if Bradley takes the ‘Hitman' route. Photos Copyright Geoff Roughton and Klick Photography

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toe to toe - reply May 13th 2008, 15:11:24 by jim wright I take it you didn't enjoy the fight then! I for one did. I thought the fight was intriguing and on a knife edge throughout. I used the term toe to toe as a way of describing the way each fighter set themselves to connect with the back hand shot and take the other out. Although I accept that the pace was not exactly electrifying at times but still the fight excited for other reasons. Having followed Witter's career from the beginning, seeing him matched for speed and agility certainly got my juices flowing. I think Bradley won the fight more than Witter lost it. Sat ten feet from the action amid the unravelling drama added to the theatre of the clash. Sensational - it was from where I was sat!   I agree May 12th 2008, 13:31:38 by randy I agree this fight certainly wasn't toe to toe, Timothy Bradley had done his homework on Witter and kept catching him with rights. Witter must have skipped his homework and been thinking about fighting Ricky Hatton instead, and so he delivered a well below par performance. Sad, as I believe Witter would still be World Champion if he had researched his opponent.   I hope your being ironic May 11th 2008, 13:04:45 by johnty1888 the first paragraph of the article says "toe to toe action". This is a blatant example of sensationalism, the fight was garbage. It wasnt even absorbing never mind toe to toe. Toe to toe was Michael Ayres v Wayne Rigby or George Feeney v Ray Cattouse. This fight, was at best a clash of styles- at its worst it was rubbish! Dont try and fob this fight off as toe to toe!