Junior Witter
Encyclopedia
Junior Witter is a professional boxer from Bradford
, West Yorkshire
, England
. He is the former WBC
, European, British, and Commonwealth light welterweight
champion.
. He scored his first win as a professional in his next fight, travelling to Yarm
to beat John Green over six rounds. Five more fights happened in 1997 (all wins) for Witter to end the year with a record of 6-0-1. Witters next year as a professional started in the same way as his first; a draw over Mark Grundy! Despite this he fought four more times during the year meaning that at the end of only his second year as a pro he had compiled of record of 12-0-2 scoring decent wins along the way over the likes of Jan Piet Bergman (35-1) and Mark Winters (13-1). The beginning of 1999 begun with a two-round win over Malcolm Melvin.
. The fight, which took place in Glasgow in Scotland on the undercard of Mike Tyson
's fight with Lou Savarese
, ended with first career defeat for the Englishman. Witter lasted the distance but lost on points to the champion. Speaking of the fight later on in his career and when he himself had finally won a World title, Witter said "It was a shot in the dark. During my first few years as a pro, I was struggling like mad financially, so when the shot came about it meant a really big payday. I thought: if I don't take it, I've got nothing - all my savings were gone and all my loans were on top of me. As far as the fight went, I didn't have enough experience. I wasn't even British champion and I had nine days to prepare for a shot at Judah, one of the best fighters in the world. I lost on points, but I learned so much. It taught me that I deserved to be at that level."
(TKO 4) and Colin Mayisela (TKO 2) before, in March 2002, meeting Alan Bosworth
for the vacant British light welterweight title claiming the belt with a stoppage in the third round. Witter's next fight saw him pick up the vacant Commonwealth
title with a win over Ghanain Laatekwei Hammond. Two more fights in 2002 saw him beat Lucky Sambo in a non-title fight and Italian Giuseppe Lauri in an eliminator for the WBO light welterweight title.
Only two fights in 2003 saw the double champion add to his collection when in April 2003 he beat Belgian Jurgen Haeck for the European Union
title. A first defence of his Commonwealth title took place in September at the MEN Arena in Manchester
with a win in the 2nd round giving victory over Kenyan Fred Kinuthia. Witter finally challenged for the full European title in June 2004 beating Italian Salvatore Battaglia
at the Ice Arena in Nottingham. The year ended for Witter with a first defence of his European crown at the Conference Center in Wembley
beating Polish fighter Krzyztof Bienias.
for a WBC
Light Welterweight eliminator against Australian-based Lovemore N'dou
. The fight which also doubled as a further defence of his Commonwealth title ended with a 12 round points decision win for the man from Bradford. In July of the same year Witter returned to the Ice Arena in Nottingham to score a win over Ukrainian Andriy Kotelnik in a close fought fight which was also a defence of his European title. Witter finished the year with a win over fellow Brit Colin Lynes
in a fight which saw his British, Commonwealth and European titles all on the line at the same time. The fight, this time at the York Hall
in London, ended with another points victory over 12 rounds for Witter.
for the vacant WBC
light welterweight belt at the Alexandra Palace
in Wood Green. Eighteen fights and eighteen wins since losing to Zab Judah
in 2000 Witter had finally achieved the pinnacle of his career so far. Two defences of the title followed in 2007 with wins over Mexican Arturo Morua (TKO 9) and Guyanan Vivian Harris
(KO 7) before on 10 May 2008, losing the belt to mandatory challenger Timothy Bradley
via split decision. Following his loss to Bradley, Witter declared he would continue fighting at a professional level and vowed to return to the ring to reclaim his WBC crown. Bradley commented that he would be happy to offer Witter a rematch if the money was right.
. He knocked his opponent down in the second but was unable to finish it due to the bell instead finishing the fight early in the following round. Witter was then given the chance to fight for his old WBC
title when in May 2009, Timothy Bradley
was stripped of the belt for choosing not to fight his mandatory challenger Devon Alexander
. This handed Witter an opportunity to fight Alexander for the now vacant belt. The contest took place in California
on 1 August 2009 with Alexander proving too strong for the former champion with Witter, claiming an elbow injury in round four, having to retire at the end of round eight. The injury meant that Witter did not fight again til 19 February 2011, a year and a half since the loss to Alexander. The fight, this time in Ontario, Canada, resulted in another loss for Witter as he was beaten over 10 rounds by Romanian boxer Victor Puiu for the WBC International silver welterweight title. On 7 June 2011 Witter entered the welterweight version of the Prizefighter
tournament at the York Hall in London and defeated Nathan Graham and Kevin McIntyre
on the way to the final. In the final, Witter lost a majority points decision to Moroccan born fighter Yassine El Maachi, who claimed the tournaments top prize award of £32,000.
.
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He is the former WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
, European, British, and Commonwealth light welterweight
Light welterweight
-Professional boxing:The light welterweight class is a weight division in professional boxing that has a limit of 63.5 kg or 140 pounds...
champion.
Early professional career
Witter's first fight as a professional took place in January 1997 and scored a draw over Cameron Raeside at the Green Bank Leisure Centre in DerbyshireDerbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. He scored his first win as a professional in his next fight, travelling to Yarm
Yarm
Yarm is a small town and civil parish in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees and for ceremonial purposes is in North Yorkshire...
to beat John Green over six rounds. Five more fights happened in 1997 (all wins) for Witter to end the year with a record of 6-0-1. Witters next year as a professional started in the same way as his first; a draw over Mark Grundy! Despite this he fought four more times during the year meaning that at the end of only his second year as a pro he had compiled of record of 12-0-2 scoring decent wins along the way over the likes of Jan Piet Bergman (35-1) and Mark Winters (13-1). The beginning of 1999 begun with a two-round win over Malcolm Melvin.
Defeat to Judah
Witter gained four more victories, then in June 2000, with a record of 15-0-2, he was given a late-notice shot at a world title against American Zab JudahZab Judah
Zabdiel Judah is an American professional boxer. Judah has won five world titles between the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, and is a former undisputed welterweight champion....
. The fight, which took place in Glasgow in Scotland on the undercard of Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
's fight with Lou Savarese
Lou Savarese
Lou Savarese is an Italian-American boxer, and a former professional boxer from Houston, Texas, United States.-Amateur career:...
, ended with first career defeat for the Englishman. Witter lasted the distance but lost on points to the champion. Speaking of the fight later on in his career and when he himself had finally won a World title, Witter said "It was a shot in the dark. During my first few years as a pro, I was struggling like mad financially, so when the shot came about it meant a really big payday. I thought: if I don't take it, I've got nothing - all my savings were gone and all my loans were on top of me. As far as the fight went, I didn't have enough experience. I wasn't even British champion and I had nine days to prepare for a shot at Judah, one of the best fighters in the world. I lost on points, but I learned so much. It taught me that I deserved to be at that level."
British, Commonwealth and European champion
Witter's response to his first defeat was to go the traditional route towards another crack at a World belt. Witter fought six more times since the Judah defeat beating the likes of Steve ConwaySteve Conway
Steve Conway is an Irish broadcaster and writer, formerly of the offshore pirate station Radio Caroline and most recently a presenter on the Dublin indie rock station Phantom 105.2....
(TKO 4) and Colin Mayisela (TKO 2) before, in March 2002, meeting Alan Bosworth
Alan Bosworth
Alan Bosworth , is a professional boxer, using the nickname "Bozzy". He is a light welterweight, and a former British and European title challenger at the weight....
for the vacant British light welterweight title claiming the belt with a stoppage in the third round. Witter's next fight saw him pick up the vacant Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
title with a win over Ghanain Laatekwei Hammond. Two more fights in 2002 saw him beat Lucky Sambo in a non-title fight and Italian Giuseppe Lauri in an eliminator for the WBO light welterweight title.
Only two fights in 2003 saw the double champion add to his collection when in April 2003 he beat Belgian Jurgen Haeck for the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
title. A first defence of his Commonwealth title took place in September at the MEN Arena in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
with a win in the 2nd round giving victory over Kenyan Fred Kinuthia. Witter finally challenged for the full European title in June 2004 beating Italian Salvatore Battaglia
Salvatore Battaglia
Salvatore Battaglia born 7 November 1975 in Siracuse, Italy.Salvatore is a professional Light-Welterweight boxer. He has a boxing record of 22 wins with 5 defeats....
at the Ice Arena in Nottingham. The year ended for Witter with a first defence of his European crown at the Conference Center in Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
beating Polish fighter Krzyztof Bienias.
Route to the World title
In February 2005, Witter travelled to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for a WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
Light Welterweight eliminator against Australian-based Lovemore N'dou
Lovemore N'dou
Lovemore N'dou is an Australian based South African boxer.He was the IBF world light welterweight champion, until he lost the title to Paul Malignaggi.-Fight career:...
. The fight which also doubled as a further defence of his Commonwealth title ended with a 12 round points decision win for the man from Bradford. In July of the same year Witter returned to the Ice Arena in Nottingham to score a win over Ukrainian Andriy Kotelnik in a close fought fight which was also a defence of his European title. Witter finished the year with a win over fellow Brit Colin Lynes
Colin Lynes
Colin Lynes is a British professional boxer from Hornchurch in London. He is a former IBO World, British and European champion at light welterweight and is the reigning British champion at welterweight.-Early Professional Career:...
in a fight which saw his British, Commonwealth and European titles all on the line at the same time. The fight, this time at the York Hall
York Hall
The York Hall is a health and leisure centre and one of Britain's best known boxing venues.The venue is situated on Old Ford Road in Bethnal Green, London, England. The hall, opened in 1929 with a capacity of 1,200, stages boxing as well as providing a gymnasium and swimming pool.The hall is owned...
in London, ended with another points victory over 12 rounds for Witter.
WBC champion
September 2006 finally saw Witter win a world title when he challenged American Demarcus CorleyDeMarcus Corley
DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley , is a boxer from Washington D.C., and a former WBO and USBA light welterweight champion. Corley also designs his own boxing attire.-Amateur career:...
for the vacant WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
light welterweight belt at the Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
in Wood Green. Eighteen fights and eighteen wins since losing to Zab Judah
Zab Judah
Zabdiel Judah is an American professional boxer. Judah has won five world titles between the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, and is a former undisputed welterweight champion....
in 2000 Witter had finally achieved the pinnacle of his career so far. Two defences of the title followed in 2007 with wins over Mexican Arturo Morua (TKO 9) and Guyanan Vivian Harris
Vivian Harris
"Vicious" Vivian Harris is a Guyanese professional boxer who was born in Georgetown, Guyana and now resides in Brooklyn, New York...
(KO 7) before on 10 May 2008, losing the belt to mandatory challenger Timothy Bradley
Timothy Bradley
Timothy Ray Bradley Jr. is an American boxer, fighting out of Palm Springs, California. He is the current WBO World Light Welterweight Champion. He is rated #2 in the Light Welterweight division behind Amir Khan.-Light Welterweight:...
via split decision. Following his loss to Bradley, Witter declared he would continue fighting at a professional level and vowed to return to the ring to reclaim his WBC crown. Bradley commented that he would be happy to offer Witter a rematch if the money was right.
Comeback
Following the Bradley defeat Witter returned to the ring on 8 November 2008 and scored a third round knockout of Argentinian Victor Hugo CastroVictor Hugo Castro
Victor Castro is a boxer from Argentina, who won the gold medal in the Light Welterweight at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada.Castro defeated Kelson Pinto in the final...
. He knocked his opponent down in the second but was unable to finish it due to the bell instead finishing the fight early in the following round. Witter was then given the chance to fight for his old WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
title when in May 2009, Timothy Bradley
Timothy Bradley
Timothy Ray Bradley Jr. is an American boxer, fighting out of Palm Springs, California. He is the current WBO World Light Welterweight Champion. He is rated #2 in the Light Welterweight division behind Amir Khan.-Light Welterweight:...
was stripped of the belt for choosing not to fight his mandatory challenger Devon Alexander
Devon Alexander
Devon Alexander is a professional American boxer. Nicknamed "Alexander the Great," he is the former WBC and IBF Light Welterweight champion.-Biography:...
. This handed Witter an opportunity to fight Alexander for the now vacant belt. The contest took place in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on 1 August 2009 with Alexander proving too strong for the former champion with Witter, claiming an elbow injury in round four, having to retire at the end of round eight. The injury meant that Witter did not fight again til 19 February 2011, a year and a half since the loss to Alexander. The fight, this time in Ontario, Canada, resulted in another loss for Witter as he was beaten over 10 rounds by Romanian boxer Victor Puiu for the WBC International silver welterweight title. On 7 June 2011 Witter entered the welterweight version of the Prizefighter
Prizefighter series
The Prizefighter series is a knock out boxing tournament created by boxing promoter Barry Hearn and aired on Sky Sports. The format has an initial eight fighters, who compete in four quarter-finals of 3 x 3 minute rounds followed by two semi-finals and one final all on the same night...
tournament at the York Hall in London and defeated Nathan Graham and Kevin McIntyre
Kevin McIntyre (boxer)
Kevin McIntyre is a British professional boxer who fights in the welterweight division. he is a former British champion at welterweight.-Early professional career:...
on the way to the final. In the final, Witter lost a majority points decision to Moroccan born fighter Yassine El Maachi, who claimed the tournaments top prize award of £32,000.
Personal life
Witter trained at the Police Boys Gym located in Bradford as an amateur boxer. He also supports Doncaster RoversDoncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
.