Witter misses out on Hatton chance

skysports thu 7th jul:Junior Witter's hopes of a long-awaited showdown with Ricky Hatton were dealt a massive blow after he was snubbed for an IBF eliminator bout. The European light-welterweight champion was not only overlooked by the governing body, but turned down in favour of a fighter he has already beaten - Lovemore N'Dou. Witter, who has spent the best part of two years calling out the Hitman, took N'Dou apart back in February in front of an American TV audience on the Bernard Hopkins-Howard Eastman bill at the Staples Center, Los Angeles. But despite the comfortable points win, it is South African N'Dou, who has been given an eliminator fight for Hatton's IBF belt. He will take on the Spanish-based Colombian Juan Urango, the WBC Latin American and IBF Latino champion, who is unbeaten in his 16 fights so far (15 wins, 12 KO's). The winner of the eliminator, scheduled to take place in Florida on August 19, will then be installed as Hatton's mandatory challenger, with the title fight due to take place within a 12-month timeframe. With Hatton expected to make one defence before another superfight, it is now hard to see the domestic showdown with Witter happening in the next 18 months. The news is sure to upset Witter, who defends his European belt against Andreas Kotelnik in Nottingham on Saturday. He has long claimed to be the best light-welter in Britain and began his public hunt for Hatton as soon as the Manchester man had dethroned Kostya Tszyu. Looks like the long anticipated fight between the hitman and PBF/Coralles/Cotto will be next summers highlight! Witter is ranked third in the world by the WBC and fourth by the WBO, but not recognised by the IBF, while N'Dou only makes the WBC (sixth) and IBF (fourth) ratings and is widely considered to be on the way down after losing against Miguel Cotto, Sharmba Mitchell and Witter inside the last 17 months - a period which has seen him fight no fewer than eight times. Looks like the much anticipated superfight between the hitman and either PBF/Coralles/Cotto will be next summer...CANT WAIT!

Comments (19)

Yes you have won a poster of Floyd Mayweather. I guess we will all find out about Hatton within a year, it's to early for you to overrate him. I just don't see him becoming one of the greats, I see too many flaws in his game. Thanks! I suppose we will have to wait and see and i hope he proves all the haters wrong. I dont overrate him at all, i havnt said hes going to go over to america and knock every1 out in the first round! He has flaws like any other fighter but hes still only 26 and is beginning to reach his peak. He has a good team and a great trainer in Billy 'the preacher' Graham and i believe he will go far. Maybe not 1 of the greats but i believe he will have some superb fights because he is 1 exciting MOFO! i know this may sound like im seriously bumming the hitman but he is one of the main reasons i got into boxing serously and turned me from just a casual fan....nothing wrong with a bit of love .. about time us brits were back on the map!!!

20y ago

elveiel

Hatton's been ducking Witter for a long time now. Warren & Hatton hopes that Witter will disappear. Their not ducking Witter, its only because Witter keeps calling him out do people even mention the fight. Its quite simple, Witter had the chance to impress the Hatton fans against Haeck, it that fight he was terrible and he blew his chance. Its totally different now that Hatton can make huge money elsewhere, so when Witter starts beating decent opponents and stops fucking around with bums will we see Hatton vs Witter.

20y ago

Bombardier

yes in his next fight which will probably be at end of the year beginning of next, the same time as Hatton faces N'dou/Urango. He wants to win as many belts at different weights as possible but i dont think he can go any heavier than welter ... not yet anyway, so he either fights zab/margarito/mosley but after that hasnt got anywhere to go. After each fighters next fights they'll probably call eachother out and its the fight the public are crying out for so it will have to happen sooner or later. i reckon it will happen next summer...on a hot summers night ,in cardiff at the 75,000 capacity open air Millenium Stadium! Don't know if Floyd will cross the ocean, but the rest of your assessment sounds about right. They'll probably have to meet at a catch weight since I doubt that Floyd will go all the way back down to 140 if he goes to welter. Doesn't matter, cause Hatton at that point might be looking for new challenges above his usual weight class, as well.

20y ago

Pooch

Correct! It is Thomas Hearns. Yes he will probably beat N'Dou by a close decision. But I think the big guns will be fighting each other by 2006. I don't ever see Warren letting Hatton fight one of the big guns in the US. Do i get a prize?! I think he'l knock out N'Dou middle to late rounds. Everyone wants to fight Ricky because hes the hottest thing in boxing right now and is underrated across the pond. The big guns have to fight him so i think he'l have more than enough offers next year...whether these offers turn into something is another matter. To be fair i would like ricky to go over and kick the crap out of everyone over there just to shut everyone up but it is a difficult position Warren is in. If he can get an elite fighter to come over here and sell out a 75,000 capacity stadium its quite difficult to convince him to go over to the US wouldnt you agree?

20y ago

Pooch

Floyd won't wait that long to take this fight, he's probably going to move up soon before then, I bet. He wants a superfight now. yes in his next fight which will probably be at end of the year beginning of next, the same time as Hatton faces N'dou/Urango. He wants to win as many belts at different weights as possible but i dont think he can go any heavier than welter ... not yet anyway, so he either fights zab/margarito/mosley but after that hasnt got anywhere to go. After each fighters next fights they'll probably call eachother out and its the fight the public are crying out for so it will have to happen sooner or later. i reckon it will happen next summer...on a hot summers night ,in cardiff at the 75,000 capacity open air Millenium Stadium!

20y ago

Bombardier

Looks like the much anticipated superfight between the hitman and either PBF/Coralles/Cotto will be next summer...CANT WAIT! Floyd won't wait that long to take this fight, he's probably going to move up soon before then, I bet. He wants a superfight now.

20y ago

Pooch

Wow so he will fight the winner of N'dou/Urango end of the year, I can't wait. Why wait until end of the year or 2006 to fight why he can't fight in September or October. Actually I think N'Dou has a good chance of beating Hatton, but N'Dou doesn't punch too hard, so even if it's close fight like all other N'Dou fights, Hatton will get the decision. But don't count Lovemore out. Warren has to put his boy against the big names soon or later, he can't keep running away, because Hatton will lose his IBF belt this way. I have trivia question. Who was the original HITMAN??? Thomas 'The Hitman' Hearns as far as i know... Well they are fighting on Aug 19 (refer to post again) so dont think they'll fight in September or October. i have complete faith in that 'the hitman' will beat N'Dou and then fight 1 of the big guns and beat them aswell.

20y ago

Pooch

I better not see Hatton against a bum in his next fight. He better fight one of the top fighters or no one will respect him as a champion. I want him fight one of these guys, Mayweather, Corralles, Cotto, Castillo or Witter. I have feeling that Warren will be ducking these guys for sometime. He will make BS excuse every time & blame it on the other boxers or promoters. The IBF are making him fight against the winner of N'dou/Urango. They have set up an eliminator in florida on Aug 19 with the winner facing the hitman end of the year beginning of next (refer to first post in the thread).I would prfer ricky to fight the big fights so he can prove every1 wrong and shut all the haters up but he has no choice and although these are not great fighters they are known and are not bums.

20y ago

Cletus_Funk

20y ago

Pooch

i dont think hattons ducking him i think warrens is a bit wary of witter..always has, but i think there is logic to this. witter is a dangerous fighter and although i think ricky would beat him why fight him now?hes just beaten tszyu and the ibf are making him fight ndou.after that hel fight a superfight with either PBF/Coralles/Cotto so where does leave witer?..........well i think warren is using him as backup if ricky loses his superfight what better way to get back in the big time then to fight an excellent and well known fighter in witter and at the same cash in on a massive all british payday?

20y ago

Pooch

all out war!!!but we'l have to wait and see in oct who wins. personally id love for ricky to fight any of those because i think he can beat them all with the exception of PBF but on the right night i think the hitman could take him. if he fought any of these he would finally be recognised as a top, top fighter and get all the respect he lacks from america. C'MON RICKY!

20y ago

pinkpanther

Seems a little harsh on Witter not to get an eliminator but to be fair thats how the diffrent belts work..... and thats what you get for spending 2 year (with the exception of N'dou) beating up bums.

20y ago

elveiel

with ricky fighting ndou end of this year or beginning of next year i think mayweather will either fight zab or margarito next.....and if coralles beats castillo in their rematch i think warren will match him and ricky up because chico said he was willing to come to england and floyd isnt... when he beats coralles (if its ever made) and floyd beats zab/margarito it will set up a mouthwtering end/start to 2006/07!!!long wait but good things come...... I dont see Ndou causing Hatton any real problems, he's tough but nothing special. I'm not sure about Hatton vs Corrales, Frank Warren said they couldnt agree terms, but i guess there's no harm in trying next year. I'd prefer Hatton to fight Castillo though, i think he'll win the rematch with Corrales anyway and IMO it would be better to watch than Hatton vs Corrales.

20y ago

Pooch

20y ago

elveiel

'Pretty Boy' Floyd..... How do you think the fights would go between the fighters you just mentioned? Against Judah, Corrales and Cotto - Hatton would win, i have no doubt about these opponents. Hatton's too smart for Judah and Corrales and too effectively aggressive for Cotto. Castillo's a tough match if they come in at the same weight on fight night Margarito's a tough warrior, he can punch and would be bigger than Hatton, again its a tough match up. Mayweather, its a hard call because of the styles match up I've always said Hatton can beat all of them so i'm not going to change now, obviously some would be harder than others though. its at an elite level too so i wouldnt be supprised if Hatton was to get beat by someone.

20y ago

Pooch

'Pretty Boy' Floyd..... How do you think the fights would go between the fighters you just mentioned?

20y ago

elveiel

Who is PBF? Floyd Mayweather jr It stands for pretty boy floyd, i'd rather call it fmj because i aint calling a bloke pretty!!

20y ago

mediumdeek

Who is PBF?

20y ago

elveiel

It annoys me that Ndou gets so much credit, he's been beaten by every half decent fighter he's fought. Why the hell should he get a crack at Hatton, i dont think Witter deserves a shot but he deserves the shot more than Ndou. The other guy hasnt done shit either. http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=214425 Bring on Cotto, Castillo, Corrales, Judah, Margarito and Mayweather, they are the fighters Hatton should be in with.

20y ago