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PittyPat,
the Carl Johanneson fight is his defining one so far. Rallied back after coming close to being stopped in the mid-rounds to score an impressive TKO later in the fight. I think there are copies in the Video Trading Block if you search.
Elsewhere,
Kevin Mitchell vs. Slimane Kebaili [7th pro fight, May 13th 2004]
Kevin Mitchell vs. Imad Ben Khalifa [July 8th 2006]
Kevin Mitchell vs. George Ashie [vacant Commonwealth title, October 28th 2006]
Kevin Mitchell vs. Harry Ramogoadi [Commonwealth title, March 10th 2007]
Kevin Mitchell vs. Walter Estrada [US debut, June 7th 2008]
Kevin Mitchell vs. Lanquaye Wilson [May 22nd 2009]
His US debut a year ago against Walter Estrada was a nightmare. It's not been talked of much since, but Mitchell was getting the **** smacked out of him and was somewhat blessed to win an odd stoppage. He was apparently ill-prepared to be fighting a lefty, but even allowing for the lack of southpaw sparring he looked worryingly hittable against the first really decent and experienced journeyman he stepped to outside the British domestic scene. Which, honestly, didn't surprise me - I was expecting it to happen. Warren's demeanour at Mitchell's post-fight interview said it all (he did more talking than Kevin).
I like Mitchell a lot. He's a lovely kid, massive heart and he's great to watch. But his style needs some fine-tuning, some attention paid to defence and strategy, before he steps up to world-class, and the coaching in this country just isn't attentive enough to the elements that need work.
Cheering news is, he was looking at going over to work with Freddy Roach to prepare for the mooted world title tilt against Roman Martinez. When a Martinez-Mitchell fight was first projected after Martinez beat Cook, I thought Mitchell was not at all ready and would be knocked out. Based on what I've seen since (I saw him on the Khan under a fortnight ago) -- coming off a lengthy injury layoff following the dicey Estrada performance -- nothing has changed for me. I see him getting knocked smooth out by Martinez. Getting with Roach should do Mitchell a world of good, if they've hooked up, but the benefits need to be instant if he's fighting Martinez as soon as he seems to want to.
the Carl Johanneson fight is his defining one so far. Rallied back after coming close to being stopped in the mid-rounds to score an impressive TKO later in the fight. I think there are copies in the Video Trading Block if you search.
Elsewhere,
Kevin Mitchell vs. Slimane Kebaili [7th pro fight, May 13th 2004]
Kevin Mitchell vs. Imad Ben Khalifa [July 8th 2006]
Kevin Mitchell vs. George Ashie [vacant Commonwealth title, October 28th 2006]
Kevin Mitchell vs. Harry Ramogoadi [Commonwealth title, March 10th 2007]
Kevin Mitchell vs. Walter Estrada [US debut, June 7th 2008]
Kevin Mitchell vs. Lanquaye Wilson [May 22nd 2009]
His US debut a year ago against Walter Estrada was a nightmare. It's not been talked of much since, but Mitchell was getting the **** smacked out of him and was somewhat blessed to win an odd stoppage. He was apparently ill-prepared to be fighting a lefty, but even allowing for the lack of southpaw sparring he looked worryingly hittable against the first really decent and experienced journeyman he stepped to outside the British domestic scene. Which, honestly, didn't surprise me - I was expecting it to happen. Warren's demeanour at Mitchell's post-fight interview said it all (he did more talking than Kevin).
I like Mitchell a lot. He's a lovely kid, massive heart and he's great to watch. But his style needs some fine-tuning, some attention paid to defence and strategy, before he steps up to world-class, and the coaching in this country just isn't attentive enough to the elements that need work.
Cheering news is, he was looking at going over to work with Freddy Roach to prepare for the mooted world title tilt against Roman Martinez. When a Martinez-Mitchell fight was first projected after Martinez beat Cook, I thought Mitchell was not at all ready and would be knocked out. Based on what I've seen since (I saw him on the Khan under a fortnight ago) -- coming off a lengthy injury layoff following the dicey Estrada performance -- nothing has changed for me. I see him getting knocked smooth out by Martinez. Getting with Roach should do Mitchell a world of good, if they've hooked up, but the benefits need to be instant if he's fighting Martinez as soon as he seems to want to.
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