Connor Mitchell, a two-time U.K. amateur national champion and son of British boxing icon Kevin Mitchell, has signed a “long-term deal” with Matchroom Boxing, the promoter announced Thursday.
A 20-year-old from Essex, Connor Mitchell will begin his professional career at junior featherweight. Matchroom expects to announce details of his debut soon.
"I’m buzzing,” Mitchell said. "I’ve wanted to do this since I was a kid and sign with Matchroom Boxing, so I’m excited to start things off.”
Mitchell – who describes himself as a right-handed southpaw who can punch” – said he began boxing at age 10 but gave it up because of the pressure involved being the son of a famed fighter. Connor Mitchell played soccer but “hated” having comparatively less control over wins and losses, and eventually returned to the ring, initially without telling his father.
"My dad should’ve been a world champion,” Mitchell said. “He got so close, but I want to show him I can go better and lift the world title.”
Kevin Mitchell went 39-4 (29 KOs) as a pro, falling to Michael Katsidis and Jorge Linares in his two cracks at world belts. A national favorite, he is often cited as the best British fighter never to have won a title.
"We’re very alike as people, but we decided to have a father-and-son relationship rather than a coach and fighter,” Connor said. “I’ve trained with him since I was 14, but he’s happy for me and will be behind me the whole way.”
The younger Mitchell will continue to work under his amateur coach, Lewis Passfield, and will be managed by Conor Benn, whose experiences with father-son boxing dynamics could be particularly valuable to Mitchell.
“He’s helping me with stuff behind the scenes, even seeing him at the recent press conference and seeing how it works up close,” Mitchell said of Benn, speaking to Matchroom Boxing’s “Flash Knockdown Podcast.”
Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn naturally has high hopes for MItchell: “He’s from good stock and he's in great hands.
"We truly are thrilled to be working with Connor and his team. The plan is to get him out for his debut before the end of the year, then keep him active and learning throughout 2026. I’ve got no doubt he’ll be a massive ticket seller like his dad – and he has bundles of ability to entertain fans up and down the country. The road to becoming a world champion starts now."
