Junior Witter returns as a welterweight.

Witter will be back in the ring on February 19th in Ontario, TO - facing 18-1-2 Victor Puiu, a locally-based Romanian.

This will be Witter's first prizefight in the year and a half since retiring - literally - after being stymied by Devon Alexander over 8 rounds (claiming aggravation of an old left hand injury halfway through). He recently called out Matthew "Magic" Hatton following the middling Mancunian's third round KO of Roberto Belge; Matthew's brother and promoter Ricky Hatton had indicated some mutual interest in making the fight, but the younger Hatton has gone on to the greener pastures of a date with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

Witter has fought at welterweight several times dating back to the start of his career in 1997 - mostly knockout wins and mostly low-level opposition save for his recent third-round victim, Argentine gatekeeper Victor Castro in 2008...which stands as Witter's last professional victory to date.

Puiu has actually made the welterweight limit of 147 lbs only once since 2005, competing most often as a light middleweight - and recently dropped out of a scheduled 154lb bout with Montreal prospect Antonin Decarie for reasons unknown (and was substituted with Irving Garcia, who stepped up and unexpectedly held Decarie to a MD).

There is no fight video or tale of the tape available on Puiu, but here he is (far right) with his pal and countryman Lucian Bute:

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We can deduce that he's at least 4" shorter than his nation's pride, who stands 6'2". Puiu is therefore maybe around 5'9" or 5'10". In any event, he's bigger than Witter who would certainly not even stand taller than Bute's shoulder at only 5'7".

For further perspective, here he is weighing in against the 6'0" Ulises Jimenez:

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He looks, yeah...about two inches shorter. 5'10" seems right.

Despite a weathered countenance, Puiu is actually five years Junior's junior.

The revolution will not be televised.

 

Nice detective work on the opponent :good

Is this not being broadcast in Canada then? Thought there were some good Canadian prospects on the card. Hopefully something can be sorted with Premier here in the UK.

 

Hope Junior does okay...:good

 

Junior you're my boy. But its over. The fat lady is screaming. Too inactive and he's clearly lost a step.

 

i hope he gets this fight out the way then decides to call it quits

 

That guy looking like he's caught a few with his face.

 

Well if he is going to do anything he needs to move quickly and be exciting and who knows he may get some sort decent fights. The problem is he was looking a bit past it against Devon add another year and a half of activity onto that.....

I think he definitely could eke out an existence as a gatekeeper at welter but realistically major titles are unlikely.

 

Still not too late for Hatton-Witter at a catchweight of around 200 pounds.

 

He needs to realise it's over.

 

Tag line: "Hatton-Witter: Shot to ****".

 

She's so hoarse she sounds like Lemmy.
I think he's been on the slide for a few years, plus he was never consistent to begin with...I hope he does well but fighting young hungry guys is dangerous as we saw in his 2 recent defeats.
I don't know if he needs the money but he really should consider hanging them up permanently, an ageing fighter with a good chin whose reflexes are going, moving up in weight to a stacked division...d'you know what I mean? Those are the kind of circumstances that could see a guy getting hurt.

 

A good bit past it now but glad he is at least making a go of it

 

:rofl

 

I can see this ending in tears. Not necessarily this fight as I don't know much about the opponent, but before too long. I don't think Witter would ever have been effective against the top welters in the first place, but at 37(?) and having not won a meaningful fight in 3 1/2 years plus only fighting once in the last 2 1/2 it doesn't bode well. Plus he clearly looked to have lost a step v Alexander. I reckon he can maybe get to Euro title level buy would a once proud world champ really be satisfied being a trial horse?

 

Yeah, Witter's comeback is not great to be honest. I can't see him doing anything really and I'm half expecting him to lose to some nobody.