Hatton v Witter..

Hatton would have lost because lets be honest he could have had this fight made anytime he wanted and he would have got a,big payday as well.
He didn't want the fight because he knew he might lose its really that simple.

 

Witter had quit in him, confirmed by Devon Alexander, and it didn't take too intense a degree of duress to bring it out. If Alexander made him retire tamely, it isn't at all hard to imagine Ricky doing the same. Can be argued that Junior was past his best when he fought Devon, but he fought on for years after that, so he wasn't done.

If anything, Witter tended to fall off more often than going from strength to strength as his bouts against decent opposition went deep.

He was a spotty fighter, prone to abrupt lapsing and unravelling, and Hatton's consistent, constant style is not the one to be ****ing with if you're a hot and cold guy.



Sidenote;

I attended two out of Witter's last three world level matches. Witter-Harris at Doncaster Dome and Bradley-Witter at the Nottingham Arena (undercard of Froch-Rybacki).

Also saw him in an exhibition bout circa early 2013 on one of the cards St. Paul's put together to showcase its talent after the gym went professional. They put a fresh pro named Nathon Smith in with him. Junior was doing the old Ingle working mens' club schtick, mainly evasion and occasionally touching the body while Nathon tried with little success to hit him anywhere for three rounds.

 

a prime zab couldnt stop witter but wicky could gtfoh

 

Something else that I thought at the time.

Hatton imo didn't seem interested in some of the slick boxer movers
Yes he fought Magee but that was after the Magee/Neary fight

He was mandatory for Corley who was undefeated WBO champ and didn't take the fight
He didn't to my knowledge seem interested in Judah
For whatever reason I don't think Ricky wanted to face Witter.
He didn't face him after winning the British title and had several fights that I think the Witter fight would have been a bigger fight and event. Arguably any fight between winning the British title and facing Tsyzu imo

 

On the same note
I guess everyone understandably looks for what works for them
Witter I guess looking for the Hatton fight as it would have been a big money fight

I don't think Witter was interested in facing Pinto at the time when I recall that being mentioned
Pinto around that time was 21-0 with 19kos



Looking back alot of credit to Cotto, who was facing top comp to get to the top

Look at who Cotto fought in his first 27 fights

Bazan
Bailey 28-4 (27 kos)
Abdullaev
Branco 36-1-1
Mallignaggi 21-0
Corley before Witter fought him
Ndou before Witter fought him


Pinto 21-0 (19 kos) Cottos 21st fight
Maussa 17-0 (16 kos) Cottos 18th fight
Torres 28-0 (26 kos) Cottos 25th fight

To not even name all

Cottos competition then was very very underated when you look at Hatton and Witters first 27 fights

 

Looking back alot of credit to Cotto, who was facing top comp to get to the top

Look at who Cotto fought in his first 27 fights

Bazan
Bailey 28-4 (27 kos)
Abdullaev
Branco 36-1-1
Mallignaggi 21-0
Corley before Witter fought him
Ndou before Witter fought him


Pinto 21-0 (19 kos) Cottos 21st fight
Maussa 17-0 (16 kos) Cottos 18th fight
Torres 28-0 (26 kos) Cottos 25th fight

To not even name all

Cottos competition then was very very underated when you look at Hatton and Witters first 27 fights

 

Ricky would have Witter following the yellow brick road

 

Styles. Judah didn't deal in the kind of mauling pressure Hatton dealt in.

Should also be mentioned that Witter turned in a legendarily negative showing against Judah (who was visibly bemused and scornful of Junior's flat refusal to make any kind of contest), eschewing all engagement and essentially boxing in survival mode all night, due to being out of his depth at that point in his career. Kudos to him for getting in with a highly rated talent like Judah on short notice while a green, developing fighter, but he offered nothing except for posing and running — it was always going to be difficult for a young guy like Zab, whose style doesn't commit to all-out offense, and who himself was not yet the seasoned campaigner who managed to get rid of a contrary Cory Spinks, to put enough hurt to force a stoppage on a guy who set his stall out like that.

I give Witter a pass for his performance due to the short notice and where he was at in his development, but, outside of his willingness to get in the ring with Zab, that fight isn't really a feather in his cap.

 

The way posters talk about Hatton you'd think he just ran onto his opponents fists and threw random haymakers. You can tell most posters don't even watch much film of the fighters they talk about.

 

Hatton decisions him.

 

Hatton suffers from chronic Mike Tyson Syndrome.

For those unfamiliar with (c)MTS, it is a long recognized but still little understood disease state, by which a fighter both during his active campaign and then doubly more so after retirement, exists in a Schrödinger's catesque contradictory state of being both massively underrated and yet also somehow massively overrated.

 

witter was a paper weak champ. never beat no one, won a vacant title and lost it quickly

hatton definitely would have beaten him. Far more proven, far better career.

 

No doubt that Hatton had the greater career overall, but when the fight was being talked about frequently they were the top 2 in the UK at LWW.
Before Hatton fought Tsyzu (which was something like over 35 fights), I don't think there was much between them in the level they were fighting at

Hatton had been British champ but relinquished when I believe Witter was the challenger in line and won and defended the WBU title which wasn't considered a major world title

Witter had won British, Commonwealth and European titles as well as WBF title which wasn't considered a major world title

I would think that the European title is the most highly rated of those titles

 

Well said !

 

Same was said about Khan brook
Alot fell for Khan's lies
Even more fell for I'm wicky just a working lad from manchester