Kevin Mitchell: “20,000 to 30,000 supporters will be turning out” – for Katsidis bout

By Boxing News - 04/15/2010 - Comments

Image: Kevin Mitchell: "20,000 to 30,000 supporters will be turning out" - for Katsidis boutBy Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten British lightweight contender Kevin Mitchell (31-0, 23 KO’s) believes that there will be a huge crowd turning out for his title bout against World Boxing Organization lightweight interim champion Michael Katsidis (26-2, 21 KO’s) on May 15th at the Upton Park, in London, England. Mitchell, 25, says in an interview at Sky Sports news, I think I’m going to have tremendous support and it’s big show for West Ham. It’s the first time they’ve ever held boxing in the stadium. The first of many I hope. And it’s unbelievable that I’m associated with it.”

If Mitchell can bring in those kinds of numbers, I would be frankly surprised because he hasn’t had any real meaningful fights in his seven year pro career outside of his 12 round decision win over lightweight knockout artist Breidis Prescott last year in December 2009. And I wasn’t in the least impressed by Mitchell’s performance in that fight. In fact, I think he did enough to lose that fight by at least eight rounds.

I gave Mitchell four rounds, but even those rounds I felt could have gone to Prescott because he was landing the much bigger shots and was having to chase after the constantly moving Mitchell to try land anything. Katsidis, a huge puncher with a pressuring style of fighting that literally forces his opponents to engage with him, will be on Mitchell all night long trying to force him to fight and not run. Katsidis saw Mitchell’s victory over Prescott and like me, wasn’t impressed with him.

Katsidis saw a lot of running and felt that Mitchell ran like a scared rabbit. Hopefully, Mitchell doesn’t decide to run all night long against Katsidis because this good be a real downer for the huge crowd – if it does turn out to be huge like Mitchell thinks it will be. I would hate to come see Mitchell, the local fighter, and then be disappointed beyond belief in watching him run like a rabbit for 12 rounds.

I want to see fighters engage, especially when you’re talking lightweights. At that weight class, fighters are expected to go toe-to-toe and fight it out until the bitter end. If Katsidis has to chase Mitchell down all night long just to get him to exchange, I can see some angry Brits who might no be pleased at paying good hard-earned money and then having sit through a track meet with a local sprinter. I’ll respect Mitchell if he stands and trades with Katsidis no matter what happens.

If Mitchell can take Katsidis’ best shots and put him down and beat him at his own game, then I”ll have massive respect for Mitchell. I’ll also have a lot of respect for him of he goes down swinging and ends up on his back. If he gave it his best, then that’s all I ask for. But I wont’ respect Mitchell if he runs like he did in the Prescott fight. That will be awful to watch and I only hope that Katsidis has a good pair of running shoes so that he can catch up to Mitchell and force him to fight.



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