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Boxing

Witter loses title after split decision

11/05/2008

Junior Witter has lost his WBC light-welterweight title to Timothy Bradley after a split points decision in Nottingham.

Witter had hoped that a win would earn him the recognition he has long called for and help set up a fight with Ricky Hatton.

However, he will now have to rebuild his career after being beaten by the unheralded American challenger.

Bradley won a split decision 112-115, 115-113 and 114-113 and the decision was close enough for both fighters to believe they had done enough to win the bout as they each held their arms aloft at the end of the 12 rounds.

Witter was floored in the sixth round and that proved to be the crucial difference in deciding the fight.

Each man was able to nick rounds as their work-rates varied throughout the fight, however, it was when Bradley caught Witter with an overhand right that the momentum began to swing in his favour.

Witter had let his guard down to try and counter-punch against the American but Bradley took full advantage of the slip up.

The Bradford-born fighter did well to pick off Bradley with some well-timed blows as he tried to get himself back in the bout following the knockdown.

But Bradley then won the tenth round with a couple of vicious blows delivered from close-range. He then cut Witter near his left eye in the 11th round and landed the better shots in the final round to make sure of the victory.

The loss was Witter's second in 40 professional fights, while Bradley remains unbeaten in his 22 career bouts.