By Scott Gilfoid: The currently non-top 15 ranked lightweight Kevin Mitchell (32-1, 24 KO’s) is hoping to get a bump up in the World Boxing Organization lightweight ranking so that he can get a big fight. Mitchell, 26, recently beat lightweight contender John Murray by an 8th round TKO on July 16th. Mitchell wants to use that fight to get a big fight against WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez.

That obviously won’t be happening any time soon given that Marquez is facing WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in November. Mitchell will likely be fighting on the undercard of the Marquez-Pacquiao fight, possibly against WBA regular lightweight champion Brandon Rios. If that turns out to be the case, Mitchell can pretty much forget all about wanting to fight Marquez in the future because Rios will almost surely knock Mitchell out.

There has also been talk of Mitchell facing Michael Katsidis in a rematch. That might be better option for Mitchell, because at least he would have a chance at winning the fight. However, Katisidis already destroyed Mitchell in a 3rd round TKO last year in May, so I’m not giving Mitchell much of a chance even against Katisdis.

Mitchell was too weak compared to the powerful Katsidis and wasn’t able to slow him down when he rushed him and overwhelmed him with power shots. This wasn’t a fight where Mitchell could punch and run. Katsidis simply closed the distance and tagged him with a left hook, hurting him, and then flurried until Mitchell submitted by turning his back to Katasidis in what appeared to be a signal of surrender.

A rematch will likely end with the same result. Mitchell does good against fighters like Murray, but Katsidis is a huge step up in class and Rios is really big jump. The WBO can give Mitchell a boost, but it hardly matters if he doesn’t have the ability to compete with the better fighters. Mitchell will just get knocked down again and put back in his place.