The Avoided - Junior Witter to be released later this year

Junior 'The Hitter' Witter won it all as a professional boxer and is now ready to tell his story.

'The Avoided' charts the tale of how a young Girlington boy, who suffered racism growing up in 1980s Britain, went on to become his city's first world champion.

"It has been a bit of an eye-opener," Witter said.

"I have been thinking of doing a book for a few years.

"It has been an interesting thing to do.

"There are certain things I have been able to get off my chest."

The book gets its name from a word which dominated the switch hitter's 18-year pro career.

Described as "the greatest British fight to never happen", Witter talks about just why he and Ricky Hatton did not end up in a professional ring.

He also details his frustrations around how contests against all-time greats Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao failed to come off.

The 49-year-old feels he does not get the correct recognition for his career and hopes the book can right those wrongs.

Witter won the WBC world title after beating DeMarcus Corley in 2006 (Image: Newsquest)

"The biggest regret in my career is not getting the recognition for being as good as I was," he added.

"I was not your basic fighter. It was just a fight that certain people found a way to avoid.

"I was not given the correct exposure. If I was around now, I would have had social media to promote fights.

"I was the best light welterweight in the world. I was not given the credit. I don't get the credit in Bradford either.

"I think this book will help improve that. People can understand my achievements better. It is just about letting people know how good I was."

It was Jamie Boyle who suggested the idea of a book to Witter.

Boyle had already written 25 books on subjects such as true crime and sport.

The author told the T&A why he was keen to add Witter's autobiography to the list.

"Boxing shafted him, yet he still completed it. He became arguably Bradford's most successful son," Boyle said.

"I was 20 when he fought Zab Judah and from then on I followed his career religiously.

"I first met him in 2016. He gave me so much time, I did not expect him to be like that."

Boyle added: "I said yes straight away (when asked by a friend if he would write a book on Witter).

"I had this idea of him being a man of few words. He had to put that mask on during his career. He played the bad guy but he wasn't the bad guy at home.

"I got to know him really well. He has been a breath of fresh air. I will always have time for him.

"I want people to know him like I know him. I would like to see him more appreciated, certainly in the city of Bradford and Yorkshire."

The book covers the trials and tribulations of Witter's amateur and professional career and his endeavours inside the renowned Wincobank Gym.

Run by legendary trainer Brendan Ingle, the Sheffield venue was home to some of the best Britain has ever produced including Naseem Hamed and Johnny Nelson.

The latter has been chosen to write the foreword.

Of course, a chapter is also dedicated to Witter's rivalry with Hatton.

Boyle said: "In the book, Junior says Ricky Hatton was the darling (of British boxing). He was the most loved British fighter of all time.

"He describes him as Luke Skywalker and Junior was Darth Vader. He had to play the bad guy to try and get the fight.

"It is an absolute crying shame that it never happened. It is the greatest fight British boxing has never seen.

"Junior says in the book who was responsible for it not happening."

Witter added: "I was looked at as the villain.

"I was not the fan favourite, nobody could have competed with Ricky in the early noughties. He was the nation's sweetheart.

"It is not just Ricky either. Mayweather, the rematch with Judah, there are loads of fights that should have happened but they just never took them."

The Avoided - Junior Witter is set to be released this autumn.