Junior Witter chased Ricky Hatton for years. Now he's setting his sights on Amir Khan. (via static.guim.co.uk)

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Junior Witter is at it again. He's spent the bulk of his career trying to build his name more on bashing Ricky Hatton than anything he actually does in the ring, and now he's turning his attention to Amir Khan:

[Witter] believes new WBA champ Khan cannot count himself as the true king of the light-welterweight division — unless he defeats him first.

Witter, 35, said: "I'd knock Khan out in three rounds and I definitely want to avenge the defeat to Bradley.

"There's only two fights out there that interest me after Alexander — Bradley and Khan.

"I should have been mentioned already when it comes to Khan but as soon I've got my title back I will be."

Witter says he's focused on his August 1 fight with Devon Alexander for the vacant WBC 140-pound title, but he sure doesn't seem to be. I only mention this at all because the last time Witter fought an unbeaten American prospect and didn't seem prepared for him, he lost his title to Timothy Bradley in one of the bigger upsets of 2008.

I still rank Witter as a top five guy at junior welter. I do think he's a pretty talented fighter, and I think he got downgraded a bit too much for losing to Bradley, too, especially considering Bradley has since beaten Edner Cherry (a decent scrappers) and Kendall Holt (then a fellow titlist). Bradley headlines on August 1 against Nate Campbell, with Witter-Alexander on the undercard.

Oh, and for the record, there's obviously no way Witter could talk without Hatton entering his brain:

"Hatton should hang his gloves up. He's made his money and should retire, although I don't think he's going to as he'll try and get the Khan fight.

"He's capable of winning if he can pin Khan down in four rounds. But if he doesn't he's going to lose on points and be made to look stupid.

"I don't think I'll ever face Hatton. You never know but I think there's more chance of me facing Khan at the moment."

I remember a few years ago, I said I figured we would never see Hatton-Witter (who were then 1-2 in almost everybody's 140 rankings) unless it came as a fight when Hatton was 34, 35, which would make Witter 39 or 40, a domestic grudge match to make money for both at the end of their careers. Hatton-Witter could still be quite big in the UK. And I still think Witter is a bad style matchup for Ricky. But Junior's probably right: He'll never face Hatton.

Khan-Witter would be a big UK fight, too, and would serve Khan better from a fan perspective. Witter has never come close to Hatton's level of fan love across the pond or anywhere except perhaps Witter family reunions. It would depend on how Witter looks against Alexander for me to make any kind of serious, even if pointless, pick on a Khan-Witter fight, but as it stands right now, Witter's like a lot of guys: If he can get to Amir and hit him, Amir's in trouble. If he can't, Amir probably isn't in trouble.