By Scott Gilfoid: It’s looking like number #1 World Boxing Organization lightweight contender Kevin Mitchell (31-0, 23 KO’s) will be having to go to Australia to face World Boxing Organization lightweight interim champion Michael Katsidis (26-2, 21 KO’s), according to the Mirror. This is bad news for the 25-year-old Mitchell, because he was hoping to have Katsidis brought to the UK where he could fight in front of a large home crowd. Instead, it’s looking like Mitchell will have to go fight in Katsidis’ neck of the woods where Mitchell will have to fight well to win a decision.

Katsidis’ manager Brendon Smith says “I don’t believe an agreement will be reached and therefore I have called for the purse bid to be brought forward.” Mitchell looked good in winning his last fight against an overmatched Ignacio Mendoza on February 13th, stopping him in the 2nd round with a big right hand. It was the perfect opponent for Mitchell.

However, Mitchell didn’t look all that impressive in beating Breidis Prescott by a 12 round decision last December. Mitchell ran most of the right and mainly threw jabs and pot shots. Prescott landed the harder shots and even thought he missed a lot of punches, I think he won the majority of the rounds.

Mitchell rarely tried to mix it up with Prescott, perhaps knowing he might suffer the same fate as fellow countryman Amir Khan, who was knocked out in the 1st round by Prescott in 2008. Katsidis hits hard, and is an excellent pressure fighter. I see him easily beating Mitchell as long as Katsidis can catch up to him. Mitchell will probably be running all night long trying to avoid Katsidis’ powerful shots.

The Australian will probably be booing their heads off at all Mitchell’s running, but just as long as the judges get the scores right this time that’s all that matters. I see Katsidis either brutally knocking Mitchell out, if Mitchell actually engages him instead of running, or Katsidis will win by a lopsided 12 round decision. In other words, I don’t see the fight being at all close.

Katsidis has too much talent for the likes of Mitchell. I like Mitchell as a fighter, but I see him more as a local fighter rather than a top world contender. I think he would European contender for the Euro crown. Maybe not necessarily the Euro lightweight champion, but a good number #3 or #4 guy.