WBC light-welterweight champ Junior Witter was so confident heading into Saturday's bout against Timothy Bradley that Witter already was making noise about next facing British rival Ricky Hatton.
Witter's plans have changed.
Bradley, in his first professional fight outside his native California, had amassed a perfect 21-0 record, but he had never been tested at the highest level. But the sizable betting underdog shocked Witter with a split decision in Nottingham, England.
"He kept talking about Ricky Hatton," Bradley said of the days before the fight. "He was not really ready for the show ahead. He was fit enough but his mind was on Ricky Hatton and not on me."
Bradley, 10 years younger than the 34-year-old Witter, caught him with a looping right that sent him down in the sixth round. It was the first knockdown in Witter's career.
"I always knew I would get to Junior in the second half of the fight," Bradley said. "He pulls back his chin in the air so I felt I could throw a counter right and it worked in the sixth."
During the last three or four rounds the age gap between the boxers started to become apparent and Bradley, sensing victory, took control against an exhausted Witter.
Two judges scored the contest 115-113 and 114-113 for Bradley, the third making it 115-112 for Witter. Without the knockdown, meaning another point for Witter on all cards, it would have been a draw and Witter would have retained his title.Bradley can now turn his attention towards the other champions in the division - Andreas Kotelnik (WBA), Paulie Malignaggi (IBF) and Ricardo Torres (WBO).
The idea of facing Hatton, still widely considered as the division's best boxer, also attracts Bradley. "I love Ricky Hatton and I would love to fight him. If the fight took place in the USA and the money was right, I would fight Junior again too," he said.
Witter said: "My timing and speed just wasn't there. I always thought if I just turned up I would win, but I didn't turn up."
Witter may look for a rematch, otherwise he could move up to welterweight.
"There is no way I am retiring after that," he said. "I will go for the European title and come back that way."
NOW WHAT FOR JUDAH? Last week, former undisputed welterweight champion Zab Judah suffered a right arm injury, forcing his May 31 fight against fellow former champ Shane Mosley to be postponed.Judah (36-5, 25 KOs) severely cut his right forearm and needed 50 stitches to close the wounds, which will keep him out of training for four weeks.
Mosley (44-5, 37 KOs), a former three-division champion, lost a unanimous decision to Miguel Cotto in his last fight Nov. 10. When he couldn't nail down a rematch, Mosley settled for Judah in a non-title bout in Las Vegas.
According to Yoel Judah, Zab's father and trainer, the fight with Mosley will not be rescheduled.
Some rumors hitting the Web are that Mosley may try to fight Ricardo Mayorga instead. Mayorga hasn't fought since beating Fernando Vargas last November.
PETER-KLITSCHKO: Nigerian fighter Samuel Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) will defend his WBC heavyweight title in October against Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) and he hopes to set up a title unification showdown with Wladimir Klitschko.
Vitali, the older brother of IBF and WBO heavyweight champ Wladimir, was entitled to a fight with Peter because the WBC named him its "interim champion" nearly four years ago when he first left the sport with a series of injuries.
Peter's only loss came in 2005 to Wladimir Klitschko at Atlantic City, but he has won six bouts in a row since dropping that unanimous decision.
Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs), who lost his WBC title to Lennox Lewis by knockout in June 2003, hasn't fought since reclaiming the WBC title by knocking out Danny Williams in December 2004. He announced a comeback last year, but hasn't been healthy enough to fight since then.
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