By Lem Satterfield
After watching Saturday night's stoppage of Charles Davis, Golden Boy Protmotions' CEO, Richard Schaefer, declared that Maryland's Seth Mitchell will be the next American to win a heavyweight title.
"Seth Mitchell had a tremendous performance again today, ending it in a knockout," said Schaefer. "Some interesting opponents are available for Seth. We believe he has what it takes to bring the heavyweight title back to the states."
Mitchell dropped Davis once in the first round and three times in the second and final round of his devastating knockout win at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
"I liked the way Seth looked. Davis could never really get into the fight. I liked the feints Seth used in the fight," said Mitchell's trainer, Andre Hunter. "The feints led his opponent into some good uppercuts. I’m just ready to get Seth back in the gym and go back to work."
A native of Brandywine, MD., Mitchell ended the bout at 1:02 of the second round, this, highlighted by a series of brutal, left uppercuts that forced referee Wayne Hedgepeth to come to the rescue of Davis.
The win was the 19th straight, the 15th by knockout, the sixth straight stopppage and the eighth in the past eight bouts for Mitchell (21-0-1), a 6-foot-2, 243-pounder who is nicknamed, "Mayhem."
Mitchell controlled the first round with his jab, behind which he zeroed in with hard shots to the head and body. The first knock down was the result of a left hook just prior to the bell, which saved Davis as he rose on unsteady legs.
A right hand to the body followed by an uppercut led to the first knockdown in the second round, after which Mitchell floored Davis, yet again, thanks to another right to the body.
The game Davis rose to beat the count, yet again, before going down from a left uppercut which signaled the end.
Mitchell-Davis (19-22-3, four KOs) was on the under card of an HBO televised main event featuring Mexico's 20-year-old Saul Alvarez scoring a unanimous decision over England's Mathew Hatton.
Davis plummeted to 0-5-1 in his past five bouts, having been stopped three times during that time, and been knocked out six times during his career, even as he was coming off of January's eight-round draw with former contender, Monte Barrett.
"I thought it was an exciting fight. I did what I was supposed to do. I dictated the pace of the fight. I used my jab. I knocked my opponent down with a left hook near the end of the first round," said Mitchell, who is 28.
"I knocked him down three more times in the second round. My power was the determining factor in the fight," said Mitchell. "I feel good about the victory, and I’m excited about the future. I am looking forward to my next test."
Mitchell was was coming off of December's fifth round stoppage of 35-year-old Taurus "The Bull" Sykes (25-7-1, seven KOs).
