Bradley Upsets Witter On The Road, Froch Rocks At Home By Jake Donovan (May 11, 2008) Photo © Tom Casino/SHOWTIME Send this page to friend Give us your feedback Affixed on his journey to one day meet with the junior welterweight king Ricky Hatton, Junior Witter didn't count on running into a new sheriff of Nottingham. Tim Bradley's dream showcase turned into Junior Witter's worst nightmare, as the undefeated American challenger scored a huge upset in the main event of SHOWTIME's ShoBox: The New Generation telecast, aired via tape-delay from the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, England. It was a slow pace to start the bout, with Witter beginning in the southpaw stance before flipping to conventional midway through the round. He didn't have much success from either side, as his best shots – consecutive left hooks – were met with Bradley right hands. It wasn't much, but sadly more than what went down in the second round, which featured more missing and posing than anything in the form of action. The third round appeared to head in the same direction, until Witter landed a leaping left hand midway through the round. It appeared to wake up both fighters, as Bradley came forward with purpose. The tactic played well into Witter's hands, as the Brit was able to land counter shots from the outside while Bradley repeatedly came in. Bradley's corner instructed him between rounds to offer more side to side movement, to which their charge obliged. Spending much of the round bouncing on his toes and maintaining a tight guard, Bradley was able to remain outside of Witter's desired punching range, no longer falling for the intended traps set by Witter. The tactical battle continued in the fifth round, with Witter landing an uppercut underneath, but both fighters doing more missing than connecting. Witter was able to close the gap, landing repeatedly to the body while slipping nearly all of Bradley's counters. A straight left from the southpaw stance connected for Witter, momentarily sending the American in reverse, though remaining poised and determined to get back in Witter's face. Things picked up in the sixth round, one that would permanently change the course of the fight. Bradley was able to impose his will for the first time in the bout, landing a left hook to the body and head, about a minute into the round. It would get a lot worse for Witter. An overhand right toward rounds end sent Witter crashing to the canvas, only the second time in his career the Brit has been dropped. He bounced up immediately, but was forced to clinch his way out of the round. The knockdown put a little extra pep in Bradley's step as he thoroughly outworked Witter throughout the seventh and eighth rounds. Witter spent most of both rounds switching back and forth between righty and left, but with minimal results and very few combinations offered. Bradley, meanwhile, was still bouncing on his toes, by far the fresher and more effective of the two fighters. Much of the final four rounds saw a return to posing and clinching, not good news for Witter, whose title reign was slipping away with each passing round. It seemed obvious heading into the final round that Witter's reign was in serious jeopardy, yet fought the final thee minutes no different than he did for most of the rest of the bout. What the fight lacked in action was atoned for on the scorecards, which provided plenty of drama. One judge absurdly had Witter winning 115-112, but was overruled by scores of 115-113 and 114-113 for Bradley, who soars to 22-0 (11KO). The win was easily the biggest of Bradley's young career, one that very few saw coming. The American was a 6-1 underdog heading into the bout, largely due to his lack of big fight experience and his career being restricted to his home state of California. Nearly ten months of inactivity was hardly a factor in the fight; Bradley insisted prior to the fight that he hadn't stopped training, after his March showdown with Jose Luis Castillo fell apart at the scales. However, he admitted afterward that he knew it would be an uphill struggle in the early goings, though always believing he'd ultimately prevail. "I always wanted to win rounds. I knew the first four would be the hardest. I saw him fade in the seventh, eighth, ninth rounds, and knew the fight was mine. (The feeling) is unbelievable." The feeling can't possibly be any worse for Junior Witter, who loses for the first time in eight years, snapping a 21-fight win streak in the process. He falls to 36-2-2 (21KO), but more importantly loses any momentum that may have previously been gained in his hopes of landing a career-defining fight against countryman Ricky Hatton. Whether or not he receives that fight remains to be seen, but it's quite obvious that Witter doesn't enter that fight or any other as the division's top challenger to the linear crown. The linear super middleweight title will presumably be up for grabs in the near future, or at least whenever Joe Calzaghe definitively announces that he's done with the division. Waiting in the wings is undefeated Carl Froch, who emerged victorious in the evening's co-feature with a 4th round stoppage over unbeaten, but sorely untested, late replacement Albert Rybacki. The bout taking place in his hometown, Froch was an overwhelming crowd favorite in what served as his SHOWTIME debut. The Brit was treated to a rock-star entrance, complete with a band of drummers wailing away before "We Will Rock You" began booming over the PA system during his ring walk. It may have seemed a bit elaborate for a perceived mismatch, but for Froch, it was a celebration of his even fighting at all on the show, seeing three separate opponent changes in less than two weeks prior to the bout. Very little of note went down in the first couple of rounds, though the crowd went nuts anytime Froch landed. Straight rights and left hands got through for The Cobra, who received nary a punch in return, as Rybacki looked every bit the part of a last-minute opponent. Rybacki landed his first significant punch of the fight early in the third, a right hand shot to the body. It was one and done, however, with the Polish challenger disinterested in sticking around long enough for potential return fire. Froch was quickly able to regain control, working behind his jab, mixing in straight rights and counter shots to the body anytime Rybacki attempted to throw. A left and straight right had Rybacki reeling in the final 30 seconds of the round, with a follow-up right uppercut driving him into the ropes, though the bell prevented Froch from causing further damage. There would be no such rescue in the fourth round. Froch patiently stalked his foe through the first minute of the round, before his right hand started landing with regularity. A looping right bloodied Rybacki's nose, and a follow-up right uppercut momentarily staggered him. Rybacki regained his senses and bravely stood his ground for as long as his legs would remain steady, but to no avail. Froch unloaded a fusillade of power shots in the final minute before referee John Keane decided the Pole had taken enough punishment. The official time was 2:35 of round four. Froch improves to 23-0 (19KO) with the win, even if not against the desired opponent. Another unbeaten challenger, Dennis Inkin of Germany, was originally slated to square off against the Brit before twice pulling out, leading to boxing's version of musical chairs before settling on Rybacki. The win doesn't advance him any further than where he was prior to the bout, which is the mandatory challenger to one of the super middleweight titles Calzaghe will soon vacate. While it appears a title shot – if not championship reign – is in his immediate future, what remains missing from Froch's resume is a notable win. Then again, it's hard to pump up your credentials, when your desired opposition is heading in the opposite direction. Rybacki heads back to Poland with the first loss of his career, falling to 15-1 (9KO). The televised doubleheader was presented by Hennessy Sports. For Questions or Comments E-mail Jake Donovan Today's Boxing Press Discuss this Topic - Go to the forums