I'm feeling Champion!

Witter became Bradford's first boxing world champion last night with a super-slick demolition of DeMarcus Corley at Alexandra Palace.

The American, in his sixth world-title fight, was barely able to lay a glove on Witter, who walked a unanimous decision 117-111, 118-112 and 115-113 on the judges' scorecards.

"I was in control more than I thought I would be," said a delighted Witter. "Corley is a good fighter but once he felt the power he didn't want to risk it too much.

"It allowed me to stand outside and pick him off. Every time he came close I managed to catch him with a good shot, wobbled him and hurt him. He's a good thinking fighter with a strong chin and I knew I couldn't rush in or I'd have walked on to a shot myself. I took my time and stuck to the boxing.

"I'd have loved a knock-out but winning was what I had to do."

Witter was always in command on the biggest night of his career, throwing down the gauntlet to the other big names in the light-welterweight division. Corley, seen by many as a dangerous opponent, never threatened to break up his rhythm.

Witter added: "He caught me with a couple of shots and I just smiled. It's good to get hit every now and again because you know your chin can take it. But his power didn't worry me. I never thought he was capable of knocking me out."

Witter, who had been in training for 20 weeks, plans to have a short rest at home. But he will soon be back in the gym.

"I'm going home first to spend time with my family and woman. I've got to fix my kitchen, put some solar panels in the roof so that I'm saving the environment and I need a new car.

"I'll have a couple of weeks off but then I'll be training again. I've got to train, it's part of who I am."

Untouchable Witter fulfils his destiny with cracking display

Rumour has it that the cleaner walked into Alexandra Palace this morning and disturbed a frustrated American in the boxing ring.

Apparently DeMarcus Corley was still trying to work out a way of landing a punch on his ghost-like opponent.

He might as well have been hitting thin air as attempting - and failing dismally - to pin anything meaningful on Junior Witter last night.

Corley may have mixed it in the past with some of the best in Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto but Witter had warned him: "You've not seen anything like me."

Bradford's finest was true to his word. In fact Corley saw little of him as he flitted one way then the next, in out, southpaw, orthodox...

The man from Washington was reduced to washing by a masterclass in counter-punching.

Witter said that he had no gameplan. But I thought it went something like this: he swings and swishes, I duck and hit back - and I land time and again.

Corley showed plenty of heart to go the 12-round distance. Nobody would have blamed him for running up the white flag as Witter surged further and further clear on the scorecards of the WBC judges.

He took some hefty shots - and was juddered several times - but did not go down. At least that was the view from Italian referee Massimo Barrovecchio, who brushed aside a clear knee to the canvas early on as a slip.

Ultimately the point he should have lost did not matter. There was never any danger of a Bobby Vanzie-style robbery.

Witter had maintained throughout his long and punishing build-up to the fight that this was his time. Having taken the traditional route of British, Commonwealth and European champion, it was his destiny to wear the coveted green belt which signifies the best in the world.

And the way he oozed style and belief from the opening bell showed that his bullish confidence was completely justified.

Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, two British warriors from the past who were equally sure of their own talents, sat ringside and looked as spellbound as the rest.

It was impossible to take your eyes off Witter because nobody knew what he would try next.

But one move above all others epitomised the cocky arrogance of his display. Witter came out for round four with one arm bent 90 degrees at the elbow and held stock still in front of him.

Corley seemed hypnotised as if it was about to turn into a spitting cobra. Given his opponent's never-ending box of tricks, perhaps he was right to be wary.

He remained motionless watching this arm as suddenly Witter flicked it into his face as if he was knocking a door. It was the sort of move you wouldn't make up on a Playstation.

Brendan Ingle, when asked to give it a name, jokingly referred to the "Paddy move". Witter, himself, had no name for something he had not even planned.

It was just instinctive, something new to bamboozle Corley that little bit more.

"It's just me, it's what I do," said Witter. "I don't need to think of names for things, it just feels natural to me at the time and it's good when it works."

It is a style honed by the Ingles and you won't find it in any coaching manual.

"Boxing is about using your brain, not just throwing lefts then rights," said Brendan, sounding like a proud uncle. "There is a lot of thinking involved and you could see Corley asking himself what's he doing'."

But he does know somebody who had Witter's number - a former amateur from the same gym called Jason Barker, who beat him four times. Brendan smiled: "At least he went on to university. But when he hears that Junior's now a world champion he'll be kicking himself!"

Promoter Mick Hennessy was straight on the phone to Oscar De La Hoya, the legend who oversees Witter in America, with the result. But good news travels fast and De La Hoya already knew.

Suddenly Witter will find himself very marketable across the water. The fighter who became a leper after losing to Zab Judah six years ago is going to be big box office. It's amazing what difference a green belt can make.

Witter has opened the door to the bank vault. Not through kicking the door down but by patiently picking the lock - and he deserves all the riches that lay waiting within.

Names like Lazcano and Castillo have been banded around but the biggest of them all, of course, is Ricky Hatton. And all the post-fight clamour focused on the battle of Britain that, surely, has now got to happen.

"We're interested in the Hatton fight in a big way," said promoter Mick Hennessy. "Junior's always wanted it since day one but it's whether they do.

"If everybody's reasonable then we'll sit down and it could be the biggest fight in British boxing history. The logical place would be a football ground like Manchester City and it should happen as soon as possible like spring or early summer next year.

"Junior won't swerve anyone but they can come chasing me now. We've got the WBC champion."

Money could be the sticking point. Hennessy believes in a straight 50-50 split given that Witter has the title. Hatton would argue that his fanbase sell the tickets.

There is plenty of haggling to be done before that one gets off the ground.

For now, let Witter savour his special moment. Bradford and Britain salutes the new champion of the world.