Hatton Needs to be the Sacrificial Lamb for Witter
June 25th, 2009
By Scott Gilfoid: Ricky Hatton has been avoiding light welterweight Junior Witter (37-2, 22 KO’s) for as long as I can remember, and has a number of reasons for not fighting him most of it having to deal with Witter calling him out all the time. I don’t know about you, but I never realized that was such a crime that would get Hatton upset enough not to fight Witter.
I always thought that Witter was the much better fighter than Hatton by a long shot. Witter has speed, power and boxing skills that are a class above Hatton from what I can see of him. Hatton is said to be possibly looking at one more fight before he hangs up his gloves for good.
I think Hatton owes it to Witter to give him a deserving fight so that they can finally find out who the best light welterweight fighter is in the UK. Now some would say that Amir Khan should be factored into the mix, but until Khan proves that he’s good enough to beat Kotelnik, he doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same categories as Hatton and Witter.
Hatton at least has fought a few good fighters in his career like Luis Collazo, Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao, Kostya Tszyu and Paulie Malignaggi, even though Hatton lost two of the fights and probably should have lost to Collazo as well. It’s unknown what would have happened in the Tszyu fight if Hatton had been forced to fight without wrestling on the inside. I suspect Hatton would have been knocked out in the fight or disqualified for holding.
There are some people who think that Hatton will be looking for another soft touch in his next fight. I wish I could dispel this notion but I think Hatton will probably be doing just that. He won’t want to get knocked out again and because of his indecision about his career, he probably will be sticking to finding an easy opponent that he has a better chance at beating.
I’m okay with this as long as it’s not Hatton’s last fight and as long as it doesn’t develop into another lengthy habit. If this is Hatton’s last fight, then he needs to do the honorable thing and give Witter a long awaited fight.
That way Hatton could be seen in a more favorable light and not seen as a dodger as he bows out of the sport. Witter, 35, has proved his quality in the ring in the past three years holding down the WBC light welterweight title until losing it by a close decision to Timothy Bradley in a 12 round split decision loss last year.
Bradley is considered to be the best fighter in the light welterweight division and yet Witter came very close to beating him. Hatton, if he wants to prove that he’s at least the number #2 guy in the division, needs to fight Witter and prove that he’s in his league as a fighter.
Right now, I don’t consider Hatton anywhere close to being as good as Witter, so this is a good chance for Hatton to at least prove that he’s the best light welterweight in the UK.
Tags: 20 Responses to “Hatton Needs to be the Sacrificial Lamb for Witter”
Leave a Reply
please use above banner to link back to us!
hatton would kill witter
Hatton would tan witters arse, full stop. Witter wouldn’t be able 2 handle his none stop pressure, you make Hatton sound like a shocker here and he certainly is not. He’s a world class fighter, it’s just a shame he failed against the 2 best boxers in the world and thats only because he is just a tad level below them, and there is no shame in that because Mayweather and Pacquiao are world beaters.
Hatton cant beat Witter and thats a fact and if they do fight it would be like watching Naz toying
with Billy hardy Witter a 4round ko peace.
This website is the best! Keep up the sensational work!
Big fan of both boxers.
I actually like Junior Witter and I do think that Hatton’s refusal to fight him in the early part of this decade was a mistake on the part of the Hitman. But now it’s too late. Hatton’s made his money and is on a downward slide and a Witter victory would not have nearly the commercial credibility of yesteryear.
Scott, when you talk in such a negative fashion about fighters like Calzaghe + Hatton do you have any idea of how it sounds?
These are both extremely high profile and wealthy sportsmen who operate under the kind of pressure and scrutiny that someone like you could never relate to. For heaven’s sake, I know I’ve made a few sarcastic remarks directed at your writing but in all seriousness, don’t you realize how needlessly unpleasant you come across as being.
There are ways and means for a writer to get there point across without being persitantly derogitory and offensive. I would be embarrassed if a British writer started talking about American boxers the way you talk about our lot.
Witter is yet to fight a top level fighter, Bradley is good, but he is a B level fighter. Witter has some skills, but he will only beat Hatton if Hatton is totally shot. Hatton has a decent resume of wins Kostya, collazo, malinaggi, urango, castillo (wicked body punch to name a few. Witter has Lynes, Kotelnik, Ndoh. Not really a match is it and lynes gave Witter a torrid time. Witter is average quick, average power, very good reflexes, good movement.
Are we talking about the same Junior Witter that went life and death with Colin Lynes?
Another laughable Gimboid article…
Why do people think witter can beat hatton because pac did. has witter never lost? yes. to a lot worse opponents than pac and mayweather. i doubt hatton will ever take this fight, just out of pure ignorance towards witter but id rather see this than hatton/khan.
Remember a few years ago every1 said marquez was shot.
You cant jump on the Witter will smoke hatton bandwagon just because Hatton got chinned last time out, Witter is no manny. Look at the resumes of both and Hattons is far beyond Juniors.
Thats not to say Junior is not a good fighter, he clearly is and its a fight that should have been made but aside from hatton walking onto one after being too excited early on its hatton by late stoppage or large decision. Junior has never been as good as he thinks he is, Ive seen him in some right stinkers.
His power is also far over rated when he steps up in level, has been names dont count.
Witter is no Pacquiao. It will be tough, but I cant see Witter doing what Pac did. Might be a bit like the Malignaggi fight. Id say Hatton on points.
Im a fan of both but Hatton has avoided Witter, think back to when Eubank and Benn got it on how every fan, writer and ex-boxer was taling about it. Witter had the WBC belt, what more motivation did Hatton need, Hatton robbed his own fans by not giving them an all-british showdown. Checkout Youtube, ‘Witter calls out Hatton to his face’.
Witters loss to bradley was by split decision…
It was a bad night for witter, his mind was not on the fight. Its funny how bradley won by a split decision yet he wont give witter the rematch, even tho witter is willing to fight in bradleys back yard.
5 months ago i would have put money on hatton to knock witter out… but right now i dont think hatton would stand a chance against witter, i used to be a huge hatton fan, then i learnt more about the sport of boxing.. and well head on wrestling style is not very good, but you cant help but praise him for his heart and courage.
Personally i still cant get my head completely round the Hatton Pacman fight.
Im still a little shocked it was over so quick and i dont know if Hatton has lost something or just got done with shots that would of put any LWW down and out so early in a fight.
I was about 90% sure of seeing a Hatton win on the night for the reasons ive stated before and i have been proved well and truly wrong.
Thats how it is with me Oli. I dont know if he should quit or continue, i dont know what he has left.
But i do know that Gilfoids a tit who only writes contraversial articles to get a reaction.
come on scott change the record, you’d think hatton was a total no mark if youd just landed on earth and read any of your articles about him.
I think Hatton should have one more fight then retire, and if I had my way it would be against you Scott !!!
Ukadsodoff- despite everything you are still SO staunch hatton and will defend him thru thick and thin until death…it ruins ur credibility as a boxing opinionist. For the last time please just wake up and stop it man. I doubt ul change tho hattons fans neva really accept it
Does anybody take Scott’s articles serious any more? I do i think he really knows his sh$t. He doesn’t know his boxin but his sh@t comes in the bag full.
hatton wud crush witter. bradley is no hatton n he beat him. hatton will…………beat khan, then beat witter, then beat bradley, then beatpacquiao, then rematch mayweather.
Your an idiot gillfoid
hatton would smother witter
lost to bradley by close decision ? i remenber him getting knocked out mate.hmm.