By Lem Satterfield
The questions already have begun for unbeaten heavyweight prospect Seth Mitchell of Brandywine, MD., this, following the 6-foot-2, 245-pounder's impressive first-round stoppage of Nicaraguan Evans "The Sandman" Quinn of Miami during his Showtime-television debut last Friday at the 6,500 capacity Buffalo Bill's Star of The Desert Arena in Primm, Nevada.
Exactly when, Seth, do you believe that you will be ready to challenge for a legitimate title, something no American has held in nearly four years?
"My thing is, I'm the fighter and I'm just going to continue to work hard and, you know, it doesn't necessarily have to be until all the way into 2013 that I get to challenge for the title, but it's definitely not going to be this year," said the 28-year-old Mitchell, who is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
"I'm sure that maybe it will come around in, say, 2012, in my personal opinion. I will say, though, without calling out any names, that there are a lot of fighters out there that are ranked higher than me that I feel that I can beat right now," said Mithcell. "But this is a business, and the timing isn't right for right now. With that being said, anything can happen in boxing. Still, like I said, there are people out there right now that I feel that I can beat."
One of them was definitely The 6-foot-3, 217-pound Quinn (20-6-1, 18 KOs), against whom Mitchell scored his seventh consecutive knockout, his ninth stoppage in his past 10 fights, and his 20th straight victory.
Mitchell did so with perhaps his best performance to date, throwing an evenly distributed an assortment of punches to the head and body from behind a double-, and, triple-jab, all while employing competent footwork to cut off the ring and trap his opponent before a thrilled crowd.
Mitchell drove Quinn to all fours following a succession of 15-to-20 punches that was punctuated by a clubbing, overhand right that led to referee Joe Cortez reaching the 10-count before waving an end to the fight at 2 minutes, 28 seconds.
Mitchell has told BoxingScene.com on several occasions that he is perhaps 18-to-20 months or so away from challenging for a title, but that timetable, said Mitchell, has slightly changed given what the fighter has labeled "a solid performance?"
"Like I said, there are a lot of guys ranked ahead of me that I know that I can beat, and that's not being a braggart or getting a big head. That's just something that I believe within my heart," said Mitchell.
"But at the same time, they've put in the groundwork, and I'm still in the process of putting in my groundwork to be able to get those shots and things of that nature," said Mitchell. "So, realistically, I think that within the next year or so, or the next 15 months, I should get that call."
No American-born heavyweight has been champ since 2007, when Shannon Briggs was briefly WBO king. In 2006, Hasim Rahman was the the WBC champion, and Chris Byrd was the IBF titlist.
Boston's John Ruiz, a Puerto Rican American, was the first Latino heavyweight belt-holder, reigning as WBA champ in 2005.
Mostly, however, the Ukrainian-born Klitschko brothers, 35-year-old, nearly 6-7 Wladimir (55-3, 49 KOs), and 39-year-old, nearly 6-8 Vitali (55-3, 49 KO), have simply dominated, as has the 30-year-old, English titlist, David Haye (25-1, 23 KOs).
Wladimir, for example, has scored 13 straight wins, 10 of them by knockout during that time, to go with five consecutive stoppages. Wladimir has defended his IBF belt nine times, and his WBO trinket five times.
Also the IBO king, Wladimir will try to dethrone Haye as WBA champion, an effort that would end Haye's winning run of 15 consecutive bouts, including 13 by knockout in that stretch.
Vitali takes a 10-bout winning streak that includes nine stoppages into a September 10 defense of his WBC title against 34-year-old, Polish-born, former light heavyweight and cruiser weight belt-holder, Tomasz Adamek (43-1, 28 KOs).
Adamek is the owner of six straight triumphs as a heavyweight within a streak of 14 consecutive wins, having last suffered defeat in February of 2007 when he was dethroned as WBC light heavyweight titlist by Chad Dawson (29-1, 17 KOs).
Mitchell, meanwhile, said that he is willing to bide his time until the smoke clears and the time comes, perhaps first taking a shot at a fringe, USBA, or, NABF crowns before pursuing bigger belts.
"To be able to fight for one of those titles, I expect to have one of those fights within the next eight months," said Mitchell.
"There are a lot of people who are ahead of me who I feel can't beat me," said Mitchell. "But I haven't fought for one of those other fringe titles yet, so you've got to crawl before you can walk."