Witter stunned by Bradley
by Mark Doyle, 11 May 2008
Junior Witter's career was left in tatters after the Englishman was dethroned as WBC light-welterweight champion by Timothy Bradley in Nottingham on Saturday night.
Witter was the overwhelming favourite to triumph but he performed poorly and, after being floored in the sixth round, never looked even remotely capable of turning the fight around against an opponent ten years his junior.
The undefeated 24-year-old American deservedly claimed the title on a split decision, with Bradley getting the nod on two of the three scorecards [115-113, 114-113, 112-115].
Witter could have little complaint with the outcome.
The first round was a cagey affair, with Witter content to back on the back foot and evaluate the merits and style of his mandatory challenger.
The Bradford native switched stance a couple of times during the opening stanza and to some success, Witter landing a couple of decent left hooks towards the end of the round.
Bradley was busy without being very threatening but, in saying that, he did look to land his right hand – his most potent weapon - with every opportunity. He continued that policy in the second, a round in which we saw him lead with the head for the first time, a tactic that he has used to great effect during his career.
Witter managed to stay out of range, though, and, in truth, looked quite confident in the early exchanges. He appeared to be fighting within himself, as if certain that he would soon begin to find away through.
However, he barely troubled Bradley in a quiet third round and, by the fourth, it was obvious that the challenger was warming to his task.
Indeed, while Witter was edging the fight, he was just not landing enough shots to discourage Bradley from coming forward, which proved key because, in the sixth, the American, buoyed by seeing two fine shots land square on Witter’s chin, he heaped the pressure on and was rewarded with a stunning knockdown.
What was surprising was that it was not in any way surprising, Bradley decking the defending champion with a huge overhand right. It had been coming.
Luckily for Witter, the knockdown occurred with just over 10 seconds remaining and he just about survived the Bradley onslaught to make it back to his corner for some much-needed recuperation.
Bradley came out swinging in the seventh but Witter managed to keep him at bay and get through the round. The Hitter even managed to connect with a big left hand towards the end of the round after being briefly rocked by a couple more heavy right hooks.
Witter’s head had cleared and he perhaps nicked the eighth. The rounds were proving very difficult to score, however, with the ninth proving just as closely-contested.
It would all come down to who finished the stronger – and that was undoubtedly Bradley.
He had the better of the tenth and, at times, looked capable of perhaps even forcing a stoppage, so dangerous and powerful did his left hooks appear to those watching.
Bradley connected with a succession of fine rights in the penultimate round, too, and one of those shots resulted in a gash opening up above Witter's left eye.
Witter needed a stoppage in the last. He did not even come close to getting one and he must have known when the final bell sounded that his title and his dreams of a bout with Ricky Hatton had gone.