Press Release: In London, Hennessy Sports is promoting a live show featuring a world title defense by Junior Witter that will be coupled with a pay-per-view showing of the Ricky Hatton fight on January 20, 2007. On the show at Alexandra Palace, Witter will make the first defense of his WBC light welterweight title against tough Mexican Arturo Morua, who holds a win over former WBA champion Carlos Maussa. “He looks like a handful,” appraised Witter. “Like most Mexicans he comes forward, is very aggressive and will look to win. He has fast hands and a very high work-rate. 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.
Another light welterweight champion will also make his first Defense on the bill, as Lenny Daws will put the British title up 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.”
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 2006 Boxing Writers’ Young Boxer of the Year John Murray and former ABA champion Matthew Thirlwall.
