By Ben Dirs

Witter has lost only one of his 36 pro encounters

Junior Witter admits his clash with DeMarcus Corley at London's Alexandra Palace on Friday is likely to be his last chance of winning world honours.

The 32-year-old from Bradford, who is fighting Corley for the vacant WBC light welterweight belt, was outpointed by then IBF champion Zab Judah in 2000.

Witter told BBC Sport: "If I don't do it now, I don't see myself doing it.

"There's going to be fireworks. Now I'm ready and it's time for me to shine and take over the world."

Witter had not even fought for domestic honours when he met America's Judah, who was then considered to be one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Yet some sections of the media refused to take his inexperience into account in the aftermath, panning the Briton for his perceived negative tactics that night in Glasgow.

The Sheffield-based switch-hitter maintains the flak he received was unfair and says rebuilding his career has been a frustrating and gruelling process.

I've had the hard route, the long route, but I'm ready for it now Junior Witter

"You see people come and get a world-title shot, lose and two fights later they're up for a world title again," said Witter.

"But it's not worked out that way for me. I've had 18 contests since my shot and won the British, Commonwealth and European titles.

"I've had the hard route, the long route, but I'm ready for it now.

"I actually wasn't ready when I boxed for the IBF title, without a shadow of a doubt. I didn't have enough knowledge or enough belief in what I had.

"As a fighter it did me the world of good, but promotion-wise it crippled me. I wasn't protected from the media onslaught after that fight."

Corley (left) took Floyd Mayweather the distance in 2004

However, Witter still feels he proved a point in defeat.

"All the promoters looked at that fight and thought I was a lot better than I had been given credit for," he said.

"I shouldn't have been able to run against Judah even with running trainers on - he was the pound-for-pound champion.

"Then when I got on my unbeaten run, the fighters and managers didn't want to know and used excuses not to fight me - like Ricky Hatton."

Victory for Witter would bring an all-British unification clash with Hatton closer to reality.

The Manchester fighter has relinquished the WBA welterweight belt he won in May and is set to fight Juan Urango for the IBF light welterweight crown next January.

But Corley has more experience at the highest level than Witter and represents a formidable hurdle.

The 32-year-old is a former WBO title-holder, was narrowly outpointed by Judah in 2003 and took Floyd Mayweather the distance in 2004.

He also gave the highly-rated Miguel Cotto a scare last year before being stopped in the fifth round.

The 21-year-old Mancunian became the first ever Brit to lift the honour with an eighth-round technical points victory over Colombian Nacho Mendoza last December.

Murray faces Scotland's Ricky Burns in a British title eliminator next month.