Junior Witter intends to steal the thunder from boxing glamour boy Ricky Hatton in Manchester tonight.

Bradford's Witter fights on the undercard of his great light-welterweight rival when he takes on South African Colin Mayisela.

But the WBU intercontinental belt up for grabs is only the sideshow compared with the chance to knock spots off Hatton.

The Great White Hype, as Witter once described him, tops the bill at the MEN Arena against late replacement, 38-year-old American Freddie Pendleton.

Witter, still waiting impatiently to share a ring with Hatton, has ambitions to take some of the limelight away with a deadly exhibition of his own.

He said: "It's being shown live in America so there are going to be people about to impress and that's what I hope to do. I'll go out and box like I can and let people make their own minds up.

"If I can take some of the show away from Hatton all the better. He's fighting a guy who has been a pro for 20 years and is not in his prime.

"But he's still a pretty decent opponent and if Hatton struggles and doesn't look particularly good then I will."

Mayisela was brought in a week ago when the British Boxing Board shelved Witter's original plans to fight for the domestic crown vacated by Hatton.

His intended opponent Gavin Down must instead go through an eliminator next month, pushing Witter's title shot back to December at the earliest.

Southpaw Mayisela had targeted Eamonn Magee, the other member of Frank Warren's light-welterweight big three, but the Irishman turned that down.

Witter said: "Fighting him doesn't bother me. I'm fit and ready and I'll take on anyone.

"I feel that I'm the best light-welterweight in the world and I'll show it against whoever they put in the ring."

Mayisela has boxed in England before when he stopped Ghanaian George Foreman in four 18 months ago.

But that does not worry Witter. He added: "Mayisela has only lost two of his 14 fights and has a good amount of stoppages on his record.

"But I'll show him what Junior Witter does best - and if that takes a bit of attention away from Hatton as well, it's all the better for me."

Witter is first on the televised bill which starts at 7.45pm on Sky Sports 1.