Just watched the Witter fight...

[GrovesVDegale]

... and I cannot believe he quit like he did.

This is a guy who was in the last chance saloon. His is a style that has never attracted favourable media attention or big crowds or big money fights. And he knows this. He's had to work hard to get everything and he knew that if he lost against Alexander he probably wont get another shot. Not at 35 with his style and 2 losses in 3 fights. So he simply HAD to win. And yet, he quit.

Ok, so he wasn't boxing great, his timing was off, he may have had an injury, BUT he wasn't getting a beating, he did manage to land a few good shots here and there, and it was still a close fight he could have turned round.

He was still throwing big shots off both hands in rounds 6, 7, & 8 and I find it hard to believe he had an injury. Even so, he could've carried on. He just didn't look like he wanted it enough. It was a tough fight, not everything was going his way - so what? That's normal for top-level boxing. If he really put himself on the line and engaged he could've won but at no point prior or post his fake injusry did he look like he was prepared to do that.

No heart, no courage, no desire. He strikes me as an exhibitionist boxer. Might look good in the gym with pads but he is no fighter.

I'm embarrassed to be his fan.

Should he retire? I couldn't care less

[trotter]

Totally agree, any injury was minor at most

He didn't quit because of injury, he quit because his head was wrong for some reason


Poor show and he kinda disgraced himself a bit

[GrovesVDegale]

Totally agree, any injury was minor at most

He didn't quit because of injury, he quit because his head was wrong for some reason


Poor show and he kinda disgraced himself a bit

Yep. You could see afterwards he looked completely dejected but I think that was because he regretted quitting rather than being annoyed at any injury. It just goes to show how hard it is to be a genuine elite level fighter. Witter is talented but he doesn't have that extra quality, that extra few percent to make him elite.

[Billy-Willins]

And he's probs 5 years to old some boxers can box well into their 30's some cant

[PowerPuncher]

Rewatched it, Witter was taking some helacious shots early in the fight, Junior was fighting well and got some good shots off early but Alezander was just boxing and fighting better and rounds 3-5 really turned the heat up. Because of some of those shots Junior got negative, nothing he tried worked, he was hitting and holding and didnt want to fight inside. He knew he wasnt going to win after the 8th. The ref told him 'no more holding', he knew his only shot to win/survive was if he grabbed and jabbed and thought 'fuck it, its over, I'm beat'. He should have gone for it in the 9th before quiting but in all honesty he was beat and nothing was going to work

I think both Alexander and Bradley will go on to be very good, maybe 1 will make P4P lists

[Bonavena25]

Witter was at his peak when he fought N'Dou. He's missed the boat.

[hitman_hatton1]

yeah it was poor form from witter.

he was hardly getting worked over in there.

alexander was hardly busting a gut himself.

to just wrap it up like that was baffling really.

taxi for witter. :hi:

[hitman_hatton1]

I think both Alexander and Bradley will go on to be very good, maybe 1 will make P4P lists

maybe tim bradley.

even then i'm not certain he'd make the list one day.

don't think much of alexander tbh.

would definitely favour amir khan to outbox him. :bbb

[KCD]

I didnt think Witter looked any different from when he first won the title.

As in the Bradley fight when he gets pressured and things dont go his own way he goes into a negative shell (why ive always believed Hatton would beat him).

Witter won his title off an old Corley, beat a journeyman in Morua and then beat an under achiever in Harris.

When he did fight a guy who wasnt willing to be bullied he lost.

He came back against a no hoper and looked good, then he fought against another very good fighter in Alexander and lost.

Im not knocking Witter, but i think people over the years have hyped him into being better than he is/was.

[Gaz S]

I haven't seen the fight, but was disappointed to learn the result. I've always championed Witter and been a fan (still am), and he's a really sound bloke too (despite his "media" persona, he's a very grounded guy), but I find it hard to see where he goes from here.
He was always the president of "The Who Needs Him Club" and this was the worst possible thing that could have happened.

Whatever happens from here I do sincerely wish him the very best. He did things the old fashioned way - British, Commonwealth and European titles before winning world honours and he was never given any breaks, he had to work for any opportunities he had.

I do echo the sentiment that he "missed the boat" though, not necessarily his fault. Kind of strange to think of a guy as an underachiever when he was a world champion (and not of the XYZ kind but a legit WBC champ) and a multi title holder before that. I suppose that's a testament to the potential many felt he had. Kind of similar in situation to Naz who won all those featherweight world titles and dominated the division, yet many feel he underachieved in relation to his potential.

[JIM KELLY]

you have to think about it, his style of fighting has been played out. Unless you have super speed and power, it can work, but not for the aged witter.

[Darni187]

I saw the fight earlier today, and Witter was way off balance, his timing was off, and he looked 35 years old in there. See his style is based around reflex, speed, timing, and balance, but at 35 all these start becoming harder to pull off.

I think Witter should now call it a day, yeah nearly forgot that counter hook which caught Witter in the 5th i think, wow great punch and timing from Devon.

BTW Devon is a good little fighter, seems well tuned for his young age. Now that he is the WBC 140 champ, maybe Roach and ****** should look at Devon for Khan. I think it is a winnable fight for Khan.

[timber]

I also couldnt believe in how easily he quit.
His cornerman asked "Done?", to which Witter replied, "done" and that was it,fight over??

[Farmboxer]

Any proof he had an injury?

[Jeff Young]

as much as i dont like khan, i would favor him to beat alexander....

i cant believe witter quit as well, he was either really injured or felt he was far behind....which i had it 77-75 alexander at the time of the stoppage, a close fight till witter quit...

[KCD]

I think his speed and reflexes where still good.

As i said its just that he is now fighting good opponents who can work him out.

[DamonD]

He knew he wasnt going to win after the 8th. The ref told him 'no more holding', he knew his only shot to win/survive was if he grabbed and jabbed and thought 'fuck it, its over, I'm beat'.
That's how it felt to me as well. Injury reasons have come up but it did seem like a kind of flash decision on the night, even in the way he rushed to his feet and across the ring...a bit like someone doing something in agitated irritation.

It's a disaster for Witter, plain and simple. As said, when you're the President of the Who Needs 'Em club, you have to push like hell all the time to force people to fight you and this result is just handing ammo over to your critics. Even a wide points loss, boxing one-handed, wouldn't have been as bad.

[mrbassie]

I haven't seen the fight, but was disappointed to learn the result. I've always championed Witter and been a fan (still am), and he's a really sound bloke too (despite his "media" persona, he's a very grounded guy), but I find it hard to see where he goes from here.
He was always the president of "The Who Needs Him Club" and this was the worst possible thing that could have happened.

Whatever happens from here I do sincerely wish him the very best. He did things the old fashioned way - British, Commonwealth and European titles before winning world honours and he was never given any breaks, he had to work for any opportunities he had.

I do echo the sentiment that he "missed the boat" though, not necessarily his fault. Kind of strange to think of a guy as an underachiever when he was a world champion (and not of the XYZ kind but a legit WBC champ) and a multi title holder before that. I suppose that's a testament to the potential many felt he had. Kind of similar in situation to Naz who won all those featherweight world titles and dominated the division, yet many feel he underachieved in relation to his potential.

Good post. I personally think Witter's been on the slide for a couple of years. His reflexes are definitely going. He had a good first round but it became clear after that that his timing was off. Sad viewing, there's nowhere for him to go now. I hope he's looked after his money.

[sitiyzal]

I haven't seen the fight, but was disappointed to learn the result. I've always championed Witter and been a fan (still am), and he's a really sound bloke too (despite his "media" persona, he's a very grounded guy), but I find it hard to see where he goes from here.
He was always the president of "The Who Needs Him Club" and this was the worst possible thing that could have happened.

Whatever happens from here I do sincerely wish him the very best. He did things the old fashioned way - British, Commonwealth and European titles before winning world honours and he was never given any breaks, he had to work for any opportunities he had.

I do echo the sentiment that he "missed the boat" though, not necessarily his fault. Kind of strange to think of a guy as an underachiever when he was a world champion (and not of the XYZ kind but a legit WBC champ) and a multi title holder before that. I suppose that's a testament to the potential many felt he had. Kind of similar in situation to Naz who won all those featherweight world titles and dominated the division, yet many feel he underachieved in relation to his potential.

An abc title holder is exactly what he was.

[Utter1]

wonder if Hatton finally fancies meeting his biggest domestic rival of the last decade.