15.12.06 – Hennessy Sports are promoting a championship-laden bill headlined by Junior Witter at the Alexandra Palace in London that will provide the UK leg of the Sky Box Office Pay Per View Event on January 20th featuring Ricky Hatton. On the show Witter – Hatton’s long-term rival – will make the first defence of the WBC light welterweight title he won by comprehensively out-pointing former world champion DeMarcus Corley at the same venue in September..
The Bradford man will face tough Mexican Arturo Morua, who holds a win over former WBA champion Carlos Maussa.
“He looks like a handful,” appraised Witter, the first ever Brit to hold the 140lb WBC green belt, the most prestigious in the sport. “Like most Mexicans he comes forward, is very aggressive and will look to win. He has fast hands and a very high work-rate.
“He’s not the type of fighter who is going to try to outbox me like Corley did. He is going to try to outwork me, so it will be a good indication of how a fight against Hatton could go. He can punch as well, so there will be some bombs traded, but my power will come through. It should be an exciting fight to watch. I’m going to enjoy it. It’s good to be going back to Alexandra Palace where I won my title.”
Later that night in Las Vegas and on the same Sky broadcast, Hatton will take on Juan Urango for his old IBF light welterweight crown, giving fight fans the chance to compare Britain’s two biggest rivals.
“Hatton is still on my radar,” admitted Witter. “It’s a fight I want to finally settle an old score. It’s an itch I do want to scratch, but I have the biggest prize in the sport now. I have options everywhere. Hatton has to admit his interest. Hatton has to admit that this fight has become equally as big for both of us now that I have the WBC.
“He also needs to keep winning and put in a good display. He didn’t look too good last time out. I hope his weight isn’t catching up with him. A slip up could cost us what will be the biggest fight in British Boxing history given that we should both be genuine world champions at the time.”
Another light welterweight champion will also make his ‘First Defence’ on the Alexandra Palace bill.
Robert McCracken trained Lenny Daws will put the British title he won by impressively out pointing Nigel Wright in May against mandatory contender Barry Morrison in a contest delayed from October. Morrison withdrew first time round citing injury.
The fight had initially been rescheduled for the 19th January at the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace, but was switched to a day later to the bigger venue when Hennessy Sports were asked to provide the UK leg of the Sky Box Office PPV.
“It would have been nice for my fans to see me at a venue a bit closer to home,” said Daws from Morden. “But overall, it is much better for me to be fighting at Alexandra Palace on the 20th.
“It’s a much bigger event featuring a world title and I will be chief support. There will be a lot more people watching, both at the Palace and on TV. It looks like the show will be going everywhere. It’s not much difference for my lot anyway and most of them would travel a lot further if they had to. I can always fight at Crystal Palace later in the year.”
Standout welterweight John O’Donnell also appears on the show at the historic venue in his first professional title fight. The Junior Olympic Gold Medallist meets fellow undefeated prospect Stuart Elwell for the vacant English crown.
O’Donnell’s promoter Mick Hennessy has been on record for some time now stating that the recently turned 21-year-old from Shepherds Bush is an exceptional talent and in a different league to the likes of Amir Khan. It seems many are finally cottoning on.
The slick, fast-handed southpaw sees this championship tilt as an opportunity to win over even more supporters.
“It’s good to be boxing on the same show as Junior and Lenny, especially as Lenny is my gym-mate,” said O’Donnell, who also trains under Robert McCracken at the Hennessy Sports facility in London. “I’m looking forward to fighting for my first title as well.
“I don’t know a great deal about Elwell, but like me he is a southpaw and he is undefeated. He is on a good run and has been very active, but I’m confident in my ability and I’m looking forward to putting on a show.
“After that I will be looking to get a final eliminator against Matthew Hatton for the right to fight British champion Kevin Anderson. His team keep going on about him contesting eliminators and final eliminators, but when my name is brought into the equation they don’t want to know. I will wipe the floor with him.”
The January 20th undercard will feature other members of the Hennessy Sports team, including history making WBC Youth champion and 2006 Boxing Writers’ Young Boxer of the Year John Murray and former ABA champion Matthew Thirlwall.
There will also be further light welterweight championship action with Northampton warrior Alan Bosworth going over 10 against Ashley Theophane in an eliminator for Daws’ title.
Latest Bill:
Hennessy Sports Proudly Present
‘FIRST DEFENCE’
@ Alexandra Palace
Saturday 20th January
Tickets priced £40, £80 and £200 on 0870 060 1795.
12 x 3 WBC Light Welterweight Championship
Junior Witter vs. Arturo Morua
(Bradford) (Mexico)
12 x 3 British Light Welterweight Championship
Lenny Daws vs. Barry Morrison
(Morden) (Motherwell)
10 x 3 English Welterweight Championship
John O’Donnell vs. Stuart Elwell
(Shepherds Bush) (Darlaston)
10 x 3 British Light Welterweight Championship Eliminator
Alan Bosworth vs. Ashley Theophane
(Northampton) (Paddington)
8 x 3 Lightweight
John Murray vs. TBA
(Manchester) ()
The live Sky Box Office event will be available to Sky digital viewers for £14.95 [€21.95 for ROI customers] on Sky Box Office channel 755. Viewers can order the event from Friday 13 January, by pressing the ‘box office’ button on their Sky remote handset or by calling 08705 800 888 [there is a £1 fee is for bookings made by telephone]. Cable customers should contact their local cable operator’.