JUNIOR Witter is calling for a European Union title rematch after labelling champion Ahmed El Mousaoui a "bad joke".

Bradford's former world title holder was involved in a Twitter spat with the Frenchman, who beat him in a contentious split decision for the welterweight belt in April.

El Mousaoui suggested the 41-year-old should give up boxing but Witter has no intention of hanging up his gloves – and wants to make that point emphatically in the ring.

Witter was ahead on one judge's card in Alpes-Maritimes and the scoring in the home fighter's favour was widely questioned.

But pleas for a second crack at the title with the European Boxing Union have hit a brick wall.

Witter said: "They are trying to brush it under the carpet like it never happened.

"If I was him (Mousaoui), I would personally want to take the fight to try and right a wrong. If I knew that I'd had a bad performance like that, I'd want to show that I deserve to be champion by winning fair and square.

"But I've been told that he's got a defence coming up very soon – when he should be sorting out a rematch with me."

Witter aims to be back in action before the end of the year and is eyeing two shows in November. The former WBC, European and British champion hopes promoter Mick Hennessy will give him the chance to return to the limelight.

He said: "I've still got to push hard. It's not as easy as it should be.

"That belt would have opened a lot more doors. That was the massive appeal for me to take that fight in the first place.

"I was going into the lion's den and knew how difficult it would be but there was a lot to gain from it.

"It would have put me back to where I feel I should be; where I should be now. But I'll keep banging on the doors and I'm not going away."