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Title glory or end of the world for Witter
JUNIOR Witter was today warned he must win back his world title on August 1 in Palm Springs - or lose any chance of getting it again.
The Sheffield-trained Doncaster-based light-welterweight will face 22-year-old unbeaten American Devon Alexander at Agua Caliente Casino, Rancho Mirage, California, to dispute the WBC title.
It is a fantastic opportunity for the Ingle-camp craftsman to regain the famous green belt he surrendered to Timothy Bradley at Nottingham Arena in May last year.
The WBC kept faith in Witter (won 37 (KO 22) lost 2 drawn 2) after that disappointing performance and result, keeping among the elite in their rankings.
But, says Wincobank trainer Dominic Ingle, Witter will have to beat southpaw Alexander or that privilege will be withdrawn.
"We are going to America to win and I know Junior is capable of doing that even if he boxes at 90 per cent," said Ingle.
"But if he loses and gets knocked out he would drop down the ratings back possibly to European level, and he certainly doesn't want that.
"It would be hard to get back up to the top again and he may even lose interest in the sport.
"On the other hand, ifhe turns up on the day and beats Alexander he might get a chance in the future of boxing Bradley, who appears on the same bill."
Bradley faces another American, Nate Campbell, with the pair contesting the WBO title.
The winner of that bout would almost certainly fancy a unification battle with Witter should he be successful in landing the WBC version.
At 35, Witter is now at a crossroads. He's either heading for the glamour of winning back a world title he first claimed in 2006 and a possible revenge mission against Bradley or comparative obscurity.
Witter will relish the opportunity of beating Missouri-native Alexander (won 18 (KO 11) lost 0) "in his own backyard".
However, Alexander warned: "A world championship is what I have been working towards my whole life."
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Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 24 May 2012
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