Junior Witter's trainer Dominic Ingle has scoffed at accusations that the Bradford fighter cannot last the pace.

Witter struggled during the second half of his long slog against Andreas Kotelnik in Nottingham last weekend.

Despite taking a points decision to hang on to his European belt, the fall-out from the fight has not been positive for the champion.

Some critics have accused him of running out of gas in the later rounds - he also lost ground towards the end of February's otherwise-impressive win over Lovemore N'Dou in Los Angeles.

But trainer Ingle believes it was fitness that pulled Witter through a difficult night when his boxing failed to click.

Witter has fought the maximum 24 rounds in two outings this year - the equivalent distance of the previous ten which he blew away early.

And Ingle insists that his man does prepare properly in the gym.

"We don't train for two or three rounds, we never have done," he said. "We always train for a 12-round fight whoever Junior is fighting because if you don't, you get found out.

"We over-estimate and over-compensate and view it that no fight is going to be easy.

"Look at what happened to Vivian Harris

(former WBA champion) the other week. It was a similar kind of situation because he had been over to Germany and beaten Oktay Urkal and then slips up against a pub fighter.

"You wonder how that sort of thing can

happen but it does. And Junior could have done the same thing but he didn't because he had trained to go the distance.

"In the end, his fitness has pulled him through."

Witter plans to fight again in September and talks are ongoing with promoters Mick Hennessy and Oscar De La Hoya to see whether that will take place in London or America.

Witter is just pleading for one of the big four ranking bodies to give him a shot.

He said: "I'm not saying the European isn't a great level because it is but I know I'm beyond that.

"You're seeing world-ranked fighters facing people a lot easier than Kotelnik in title fights. So we'll hammer it out with the governing

bodies because it's time for me to take that final step and get the belt I deserve.

"I know I can fight a lot better. But I was happy enough going the full 12 because I've got the stamina to stay the distance."

After 15 straight knock-outs, Ingle is not

surprised that Witter has not stopped his two opponents this year.

"Junior is now moving up another two steps of opponents compared to what he's been boxing. Now he's getting in the upper echelons of the ratings it becomes a lot more difficult.

"But maybe Saturday was just what Junior needed. He's 31 now and has two or three years left in the game so he's got to get it right.

"He's got to become world champion in the next six to eight months."