Let's not put Witter on the same level as Hatton any more.

Please. I hope tonight's performance ends that talk once and for all. Different levels of fighter. Witter almost certainly wouldn't have come out for the second round against Pacquiao.

 

Agreed. Perhaps there was an element of risk / reward in the fight not happening - Afterall, Witter draws peanuts and is pretty unorthodox, so maybe it didn't make sense but that happens in boxing all the time - Look at the career of greats like Roy Jones for evidence. You don't "duck" Witter out of fear yet face off against Tszyu, Mayweather & Pacquiao.

 

Hatton had bigger fish to fry by then. Witter won the title in September 06, Hatton fought Urango in Jan 07, Castillo (a bigger fight than Witter with which to set up Mayweather) followed by Mayweather followed by an ostensibly "easy" comeback fight (which Hatton made a meal of) against Lazcano with Malignaggi (Witter had been made to look inept by the light-punching Bradley by this point, further diminishing his marketability) prior to Pacquiao.

There's no realistic window for a Witter fight after his title win.

 

Ahh, I forget. I mean, another prime example of ducking must surely be Lennox Lewis' cowardly refusal to enter the ring to face John 'Quiet Man' Ruiz.