Furious Kevin Mitchell says he'll finally punish Michael Katsidis for snubbing him when he was an up-and-coming fighter.
The Dagenham star will aim to become a world champion when he fights the 29-year-old Australian for the interim WBO lightweight title on May 15 at West Ham's Boleyn Ground at Upton Park, televised live on Sky Sports HD1.
But it won't be the first time the pair have come face to face after a frosty meeting at Wembley three years ago.
That night, Katsidis impressed with a thrilling win over Graham Earl, while Mitchell got a solid victory on the undercard.
At the end of the night, Mitchell approached Katsidis and praised him for the win.
But the arrogant Aussie could barely be bothered to return the compliment.
"I've always remember that and it's stuck with me to this day," stormed Mitchell. "His fight against Earl was one of the best I have ever seen, and I went up to him to tell him that.
"But rather than show me the kind of respect that fighters usually have for each other, he looked at me like I was a nobody.
"I couldn't believe it. I was just a young kid who wanted to big up a fighter who'd just put it all on the line.
"I've meet a lot of champions in my time, and his behaviour that night was the worst I have come across.
"From Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Mike Tyson to Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton, they have all been great with loads of time to talk to me, but Katsidis is one arrogant sod. Now it's payback time.
"Until that moment I was one of his biggest fans - but afterwards I was desperate to knock him out.
"Right there and then I thought to myself 'You're going to pay for that'.
"I've been waiting for my chance ever since, so it was an added incentive when Frank Warren offered me the fight.
"One things for sure and that is Katsidis will definitely know who I am on May 15, and he will definitely be giving me respect after I've knocked him out and taken away his title."
'Hammer Time' is headlined by Kevin Mitchell's challenge for the WBO Interim World Lightweight Championship against Michael Katsidis. A quality packed undercard includes the British and Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship between Danny Williams and Sam Sexton; Olympic Gold medallist James DeGale challenges for the first title in his career - the WBA International Super-Middleweight Championship; unbeaten heavyweight star Derek Chisora; and Britain's hottest young prospects Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders.
Tickets for 'Hammer Time', priced at £30, £40, £50, £80, £150, £200 & £250, are available from:
West Ham Ticket Hotline: 0871 222 2700*
Website: www.whufc.com
See Tickets Ticket Hotline: 0871 2200 260*
Website: www.seetickets.com
Ticketmaster: 0844 847 2500*
Website: www.ticketmaster.co.uk
BROOKS: BEATING HERBIE HIDE WILL BE A MASSIVE SCALP FOR ME
WELSHMAN Wayne Brooks is confident he can stun the boxing world and defeat former WBO heavyweight champion Herbie Hide on Friday.
The pair are two of the eight contenders in Barry Hearn’s latest one-night Prizefighter tournament - Cruiserweights II – at the York Hall in London’s East End.
Hide, 38, has won 48 of 52 professional contests and is close to a shot at the WBC world title, while Brooks is a 23-year-old prospect who has only had five professional wins.
But they have been paired together in the quarter-final of Prizefighter Cruiserweights II and Brooks is eyeing up an upset.
“Beating Herbie Hide will be a massive scalp for me and I’m looking forward to fighting him,” said Cardiff-based Brooks.
“It’s a privilege to be in Prizefighter but what a scalp it will be to beat the big names. It’s all about what happens on the night.
“Herbie Hide, Darren Corbett and Mark Krence have got a lot of experience and I take my hat off to them but they are all beatable.
“People will definitely under-estimate me but that will be the biggest mistake they make.
“I want to reach high levels in my career and this will boost my career. I’ve got nothing to lose and hopefully I can go out there and do what I’m best at and win.
“I’m in it to win it. I’m young, fit, keen and hungry and I’m not here to lose - I fancy my chances.”
Brooks has suffered two defeats from his nine fights, although in one of them he was beating Shon Davies before being stopped by a bad cut.
His other loss saw him knocked down in the third in an incredible scrap with Nick Bellew that won undercard fight of the year in 2007.
However, Brooks, who is also an expert in taekwondo, believes his glittering amateur career will help him defeat Hide.
“I won two Welsh amateur titles, won the four-nations and boxed in the Europeans so I had a really good amateur career,” added Brooks, who hopes to be the second Welshman to win a Prizefighter event after Gavin Rees triumphed at light-welterweights in December.
“Most of my amateur fights were stoppages and I struggled to get fights as I was stopping so many people and everyone was scared to fight me.
“That experience will help me a lot and I’m used to tournaments, which will help me win Prizefighter.
“Some great boxers have come from Wales so hopefully I can follow in Gavin Rees’s footsteps and do the Welsh crowd proud by winning Prizefighter.”
The draw for the quarter-finals is Mark Krence v Zahid Kahut, Leon Williams v Jon-Lewis Dickinson, John Anthony v Darren Corbett and Wayne Brooks v Herbie Hide.
Tickets cost £35 and £60 and are available from 01277 359900. The show will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports 2 from 9pm on Friday.
DICKINSON CONFIDENT OF REMAINING UNDEFEATED AND BEING £32,000 RICHER
JON-LEWIS DICKINSON is confident he will be £32,000 richer and still undefeated at the end of Friday’s Prizefighter Cruiserweights II tournament.
Durham-based Dickinson, 24 on Monday, is one of eight men in Barry Hearn’s latest one-night Prizefighter event and believes he will have a career-changing night.
“I want the glory,” said Dickinson, who has won all of his five professional contests. “I’m very confident I’m going to win and the money will help me focus completely on boxing – it will be a big change in my life.
“I’m really looking forward to it and this competition has brought a lot back to boxing, but I’m not willing to lose my unbeaten record and I want to be 8-0.
“An undefeated record is something every fighter wants to keep and you don’t want any losses on your record. I believe I was made for Prizefighter with the way I box.”
The Prizefighter contenders include former WBO heavyweight champion Herbie Hide, ex Commonwealth champion Darren Corbett and Mark Krence, who has fought for the British heavyweight belt.
Four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final take place in an action-packed three hours, with each fight lasting a maximum of three rounds.
North east fighters David Dolan and Chris Burton have both reached Prizefighter finals in the past and Dickinson believes he can go one step further.
“I’m expecting to be Prizefighter champion, I’m not looking for anything less,” added Dickinson.
“The likes of David Dolan and Chris Burton have both reached Prizefighter finals and in the north east you get some tough fighters.
“We have a lot of heart so you will see that I will give it everything I’ve got and I’m going to prove why I’m in Prizefighter.
“I know David Dolan and have sparred with him quite a few times and he’s a good lad and a good sparring partner ahead of this with his experience.
“When I heard cruiserweights was going to be the next one I was over the moon and knew there would be a big name in it. Herbie Hide has entered it so that makes it even better and I like a challenge and having something to work towards.
“Back in the day Herbie Hide was great but he is getting on a bit, getting older and lost a lot of speed.
“The favourites are all experienced and used to 12 round distance but it will be a lot different 3 x 3 minutes as it’s a sprint and you have to be there right from the start.
“At the minute I’m not ready for 12 rounders but three rounds suits me down to the ground. No one has seen what I can do. You will see a lot of movement and I will just out box people.
The draw for the quarter-finals is Mark Krence v Zahid Kahut, Leon Williams v Jon-Lewis Dickinson, John Anthony v Darren Corbett and Wayne Brooks v Herbie Hide.
Tickets cost £35 and £60 and are available from 01277 359900. The show will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports 2 from 9pm on Friday.
