Frankie Gavin, right, lands a blow on Junior Witter at York Hall during their British welterweight title fight. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA
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FRANKIE GAVIN BEATS JUNIOR WITTER
02/11/2012 - 9.05.34
Frankie Gavin beats Junior Witter to win British welterweight titleFrankie Gavin is the new British welterweight champion after a hard-working performance was rewarded with a unanimous decision over Junior Witter.
Gavin, 27, had looked wary of Witter's power early on but grew into the contest, landing the fight's cleanest series of shots in the eighth round. Witter dropped his workrate and hands in an attempt to lure Gavin in and was docked a point for holding in the 10th. The 38-year-old raised the tempo but had too much of a deficit to make up. "It means everything," Gavin told Box Nation. "A year ago, no-one ever thought I would even win an English title and now I am back where I belong." Gavin, who has suffered with problems away from boxing, including bereavement, relationship issues and illness, pulled out of a fight against Frank Horta in October just hours before the bout. The Birmingham fighter's win over Witter at Bethnal Green, whose tactics included switching stance for periods in the fight, extends his unbeaten professional record to 14 fights. Source: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/20165057  Frankie Gavin beats Junior Witter to claim British welterweight titleFrankie Gavin claimed the British welterweight title from the grasp of Junior Witter with a unanimous points victory at York Hall.
The bout between two fighters at opposite ends of their careers was far from a classic in Bethnal Green, with the experienced Witter having the better of things in the opening rounds.
However, once Gavin got to grips with his rival's switch-hitting style he began to grow into the contest, despite suffering a nasty cut on the bridge of his nose from an accidental clash of heads.
'The Hitter' was down in the sixth, albeit only after swinging himself off his feet trying to land a punch from distance, with the champion's biggest issues actually coming with the referee.
The Bradford-born boxer was warned by Marcus McDonnell for posturing with his hands behind his back in the ninth and then deducted a point in the next for holding on.
Gavin, who himself was given a telling off for punching his rival on the back of the head, landed a good left in the seventh as he gained control in the middle rounds.
In the end he could afford to give away the last and still win by a landslide, getting the nod 119-109, 117-110 and 117-112 from the three judges at ringside.
Victory means the 27-year-old southpaw from Birmingham now has his hands on the Lonsdale belt after just 14 professional fights.
"I'm over the moon. Last year I didn't know where my career was going, I didn't even know if I'd be in the ring again," Gavin said.
"Now I'm British champion and the world's my oyster. Believe me, I'm only going to get better.
"I had a few confidence problems last year when I had some personal problems.
"No-one looks good against Witter, but I still beat him comfortably. I felt really strong in the second half of the fight. I'm fit, a different animal to what I used to be.
"No more setbacks now. I'm 27 and will only get better. My next step is to defend the title or European."
Frankie Gavin: new British champion (Photographer credit: www.leighdawneyphotography.com)
Frankie Gavin defeats Junior Witter to claim British welterweight title• Gavin gains unanimous points victory at York Hall
• Win extends Birmingham fighter's unbeaten record Frankie Gavin seized the British welterweight title from the champion Junior Witter with a unanimous points victory at York Hall.
Gavin's professional career has failed to live up to expectations due to personal problems and indiscipline outside the ring but he delivered his finest win on Thursday night in Bethnal Green, London.
Extending his unbeaten record to 14 victories, the 27-year-old from Birmingham controlled the second half of the fight after working out Witter's awkward style. His dominance was reflected on the scorecards, which read 119-109, 117-112, 117-110
Regularly switching stance and punching from awkward angles, the former WBC world light-welterweight champion provided Gavin with his toughest test yet before fading in the later rounds.
The cagey veteran was dismantled as Gavin's class began to tell and while the fight was no classic, Britain's only world amateur championships gold medal winner could be satisfied with an emphatic triumph.
The caution of the first round was followed by a more combative second, ignited when Gavin attacked with an early combination.
Witter's unpredictability was making him difficult to hit and the 38-year-old from Sheffield bullied his opponent in a physical third that included a clash of heads.
A backhand left from Witter, who has now lost six out of his 49 fights, was the finest moment of a fifth round he controlled as Gavin struggled to land with any meaningful shots.
The sixth was a more productive round for Gavin with his aggressive work on the front foot asking more questions and a round later he was regularly connecting on the inside. Witter was warned for turning his back – something he had been doing regularly – and moments later he took a solid southpaw left on the jaw.
Wilting before Gavin's work rate, Witter was becoming a far easier target to hit in the eighth and all the momentum was behind the challenger.
Another strong left hand rocked Witter and the increasingly ragged champion had a point deducted for holding in the 10th, with the final two rounds becoming all about survival.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/nov/02/frankie-gavin-junior-witter-british-welterweight-title
The future's bright for Gavin after beating Witter to claim British welterweight titleBy Martin Domin Frankie Gavin suggested he may yet realise his undoubted potential by dethroning veteran champion Junior Witter to claim the British welterweight title at York Hall.
The 27-year-old had not fought since May and had mustered just 13 bouts since turning professional over four years ago but proved too strong for Witter who suffered his sixth career defeat in a dull affair.
Gavin, who remains Britain's only world amateur champion, extended his unbeaten record at the iconic London venue and will have his sights set on bigger prizes in 2013.
Celebrate good times: Frankie Gavin is hoisted off the canvas after beating Junior Witter by a unanimous points decision Witter, 38, won a world title six years ago and claimed the British belt for a second time earlier this year but despite starting brightly, quickly ran out of ideas and was outpointed by margins of 119-109, 117-110 and 117-112.
A tense and cagey opening round was shaded by Witter who produced the cleaner blows while an accidental clash of heads left Gavin with a small cut on the bridge of his nose.
The Birmingham man's face continued to mark up in the second as Witter, a product of the same Wincobank Gym as fellow welterweight Kell Brook, used his right hand to good effect.
Deploying his tried and tested switch-hitting style, Witter banked another round as he continued to control the fight and prevent Gavin from letting his hands go, as highlighted by the younger man's corner.
Breaking out in a sweat: Gavin connects with a savage left jab The fourth session was something of a non event with neither man boxing on the front foot but Gavin delivered a timely reminder of his punching power in the next with two solid lefts over the top and although Witter returned the favour later in the round, he conceded his first of the night.
And Gavin, the won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, continued to work his way back into the contest as it reached the halfway stage while Witter fell to the canvas when attempting a rather wild shot.
The bout may have been entering the second half but neither man looked keen to grab it by the scruff of the neck although Gavin looked to have the momentum. He was however warned for hitting the back of the head, something not helped by Witter's tendency to turn away from his opponent.
Gavin was growing in confidence as he took the fight to his opponent and Witter's reluctance to engage provoked his trainer Dominic Ingle to read the riot act at the end of the eighth round.
On the front foot: Witter feels the force of a Gavin attack But the champion failed to land a noteworthy punch in the next as the fight slipped away from him and although Gavin was far from fluent, he was doing enough to edge the rounds and increase his narrow advantage.
Witter's efforts to haul himself back into the contest resulted only in him pushing Gavin through the ropes in the tenth stanza and the messy exchanges continued until the former was deducted a point for continued holding which all but ended his brief second reign as domestic No 1.
Witter by now required a knockout to retain his title and he looked for such a punch in the penultimate session but succeeded only in falling significantly short.
The punch never came and Gavin safely saw out the final three minutes to confirm his superiority on all three scorecards.
Getting in a tangle: Gavin gets caught up in the ropes after stumbling |