Bradford power-puncher Junior Witter was fortunate to hang on to his European light welterweight title after a strange performance against Ukrainian Andreas Kotelnik at the Nottingham Arena, Nottingham, Saturday night.

Since his negative performance against Zab Judah five years ago Witter has recreated himself as an exciting switch-hitting puncher out of the Naseem Hamed mould but, after a bright start, he faded badly for the second time in a row once the fight went past six rounds.

In my reading of the uneventful 12 rounder, Witter swept the first five rounds while Kotelnik did little more than cover up in a crab-like defence. However, 'the Hitter' had difficultly landing cleanly and never hurt the 27-year-old challenger.

Once the fight went past the sixth round, things began to change. Witter, now aged 31, slowed down considerably and an encouraged Kotelnik began to clip him with right hands and left hooks.

All the best shots in the second half of the fight were from the challenger, but Witter had built up so big a lead that he held on to his belt by scores of 115-114, 115-114 and 117-111. SecondsOut had it 115-115.

Witter has looked extremely impressive for almost every fight in the last five years so was due a night where he couldn't quite get out of second gear. But he probably regrets Thursday's silly comments that if he and not Ricky Hatton had fought Kostya Tszyu last month the Australian would have been knocked cold within four rounds.

Witter is now 31-1-2 (19) while Kotelnik drops to 24-2 (11).

Witter has only been past eight round twice in his entire career: the Judah challenge (which he took at just days notice) and last time out when he looked awesome for six rounds before having to cling on to beat Lovemore Ndou in Los Angeles. Maybe at 31 he doesn't have the confidence to exert himself in the last third of the fight...