Danny Batchelder may be the best fighter nobody knows.

The 28-year-old Saratoga, N.Y. native, who won the Vermont Golden Gloves title three times, claimed a New England Golden Gloves crown and a championship in the Empire State Games, recently defeated Arthur Williams to claim the NABC cruiserweight title in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Fighting professionally since he was 19, Batchelder has been terrifically successful (22-1-1) but has been cursed by the fact that he doesn't get a lot of bouts.

Competing most recently as a light heavyweight, Batchelder has accepted bouts as a super middleweight, where he had to suck weight, or as a cruiserweight, where he had to bulk up.

Despite moving up in weight class and bulk (the light heavyweight ceiling is 175 pounds, while cruiserweight is 200 pounds), Batchelder was glad to bump up just to get a fight.

Batchelder added that he had several bouts, including one with Fabrico Tiozzo, cancelled when his opponents backed out.

"I walk around at 200 pounds, so I knew I could hold the weight, so the cruiserweight was no problem," said Batchelder in an interview from his Phoenix, Ariz., home.

"But that's really not the point. Honestly, I think I could beat any of those guys (light heavyweights) but I've got to get a hold of them first. These light heavyweights don't want to take a risk."

Having no promoter to work on his behalf is part of the reason Batchelder has had trouble attracting opponents. He has had some stunning wins, including a fight in January 2004 when he knocked off previously unbeaten Laudelino Jose Barros at Foxwoods Casino to win the WBA Federation light heavyweight title. Even with the big win on his resume, the promoters stayed away.

"If you don't have a big promoter behind you, you don't get a shot," Batchelder said. "But I'm going to keep fighting and maybe I'll get a shot at one of these guys soon."

Actually, it was a matter of good fortune that Batchelder got a shot at Williams, a former IBF cruiserweight champ. A boxing friend, James Walton, was fighting on the Salt Lake City card and said that Williams' opponent had backed out.

"He called and asked me if I'd consider it and I told him 'Why not?'" Batchelder said.

Batchelder more than held his own against Williams.

"Arthur Williams is a big guy but I was able back him off a few times," Batchelder said. "I had to definitely fight smart and box him, but I felt comfortable out there."

The victory over Williams and the fact that Batchelder stepped in to fill the void landed him a contract with Lionheart Promotions. Tentatively, Lionheart has lined up another bout in Utah for Batchelder on June 25. They have plans to send him to South Africa in August and are looking toward a possible bout in Albany or Glens Falls, N.Y., later this year.

He plans to stay at cruiserweight and to continue to work with trainer Rich Rodriguez, who handled him for the Williams bout, after his former trainer, Scott Ardrey, was called away.

"I'm not scared to put my record on the line," Batchelder said. "We're working on something in Albany or Glens Falls or maybe Saratoga," Batchelder said. "I might get a shot at O'Neil Bell, who beat Dale Brown for the IBF cruiserweight title. But I'd take anybody really, anybody who's willing to give me a shot. I'm not picky."