Witter masterclass too much for Harris

Junior Witter turned on the style to defend his WBC light-welterweight title

against Vivian Harris in Doncaster last night, before revealing that an injury

playing football on the hallowed turf at Wembley had almost forced him to pull

out of the fight.

The Bradford switch-hitter produced a power-packed boxing masterclass to

overcome the tough US-based Guyanan, sending the challenger to the canvas twice

on his way to a comprehensive seventh-round knockout win.

But afterwards Witter, 33, admitted that at one stage the bout had looked set

to be KOd altogether after he suffered a leg injury playing in a charity match

at the new national stadium last month.

"I was playing football in a celebrity five-aside match at Wembley and I got

injured," he said.

"I thought I would just be on for a few minutes and then I would come off, so

what could go wrong? But I came away limping.

"Dominic (Ingle, Witter's trainer) nearly killed me!

"I have been training since May and it has been a long, hard struggle," he

added. "In the end I have had a knee problem, an ankle problem and I have done

my thumb in.

"There were times when I thought I could have to pull out of the fight.

"But it all came together over the last few weeks and I just knew I was going

to win."

Reflecting on his near miss Witter added: "I think I am better off just

watching. I have decided I am a boxer, not a footballer!"

That was well and truly confirmed in front of a boisterous home crowd at the

Doncaster Dome as the Yorkshireman dismantled Harris to reassert his claim as

the best light-welterweight around.

On a night when the big American matchmakers - and arch-rival Ricky Hatton -

would have been watching with interest, Witter knew there was no place for the

somewhat negative style which had characterised some of his previous fights, and

he established the tone early on.

By the second round he was already beginning to call the shots as Harris twice

walked on to the left hook and was shaken, before he responded with a superb

short right hand of his own.

As Witter continued to find his range Harris shrugged his shoulders defiantly,

but the champion's hurtful punches were having an effect.

Harris was bundled to the canvas midway through the fourth, only for the

referee to rule a push, but before the end of the round the first knockdown had

come - this time legally - as Witter's sweet right over the top connected flush

on the temple.

When the end came in the seventh it arrived in the most emphatic style.

Witter's left had looked dangerous all night and when he unleashed it with fury

a minute into the round Harris had no response.

He was already wobbling when The Hitter followed up with a chopping right to

make sure, and Harris was knocked out for the count.

Witter admitted the decisive blow was one of the best punches he had ever

thrown.

"I hit him with some seriously powerful shots and he got up, he wobbled, but

when the shot landed it was sweet," he said.

"I landed extremely devastating power out there.

"Harris has got a good chin and I knew I would have to land very strong, but

it worked."