Kevin Mitchell tells Brandon Rios ”Put your money where your mouth is”

Down at York Hall, Bethnal Green on the 10th February, you could well be witnessing Britain’s next world champion making his last performance at this intimate yet legendary boxing venue. Kevin ‘The Hammer’ Mitchell is the headliner next month against an as yet unnamed opponent. The Dagenham Lightweight is joined by the latest barrage of talent to emerge from Jimmy and Mark Tibbs at the TKO gym – Frank Buglioni, Billy Morgan and Gary Corcoran, who all appear on a talented and entertaining card.

Mitchell, who won the 2011 British boxing board of control fight of the year award along with opponent John Murray in his last fight back in July, is in prime form and a destructive mood, as he revealed to Undisputed;

’For me, this is a very serious fight. I want to prove my body’s in good shape and in good nick, I want to prove this to my fans.’’ Mitchell said.

‘’This next fight will stand me in good stead for bigger and better things. I’m going to get in there fully fit and in good shape to impress. Feeling good feeling strong, I’ve been sparring yesterday and I’m sparring today, I start solid sparring next week (16th January). I’ve been getting my body endured in the sparring and it’s going good, really well.’’

Mitchell likened the aftermath of his recent fights against Katsidis and Murray where he spent time away from the ring, but insists the best is yet to come;

‘’Those fights were not the end of me; they are not even the start of what we’re going to be doing. What me and Jimmy Tibbs are doing now is getting ready for a world title, defending it a few times then moving up to Light Welterweight and winning a title there.’’

‘’The Hammer’’ missed out on a showdown with Brandon Rios last month after legal problems prevented him from travelling to the states, although he revealed the purse he was offered showed that team Rios were not serious about fighting him, and he had a few choice words for the American who has been trash talking him;

‘’Rios talks rubbish’’ insisted Mitchell. ‘’If Rios wanted to fight me he’d have come over here. I knocked a guy out in eight rounds (John Murray), he fights him five months later after I’ve given him a beating, he goes 11 rounds with him and he couldn’t even make weight! If he was serious, he wouldn’t be offering silly money, something like 60,000 dollars for me to go out to the states, where we’d have filled up Madison Square Garden – for a world title fight;

If he wants to talk serious he should get over here and we’ll get a big fight on, if he wanted me to go out there it’d have had to be a quarter of a million all day long.’’

Mitchell continued;

‘’First he said he’s moving up to Light Welterweight, now we hear he’s staying at 135? Like I said, he talks rubbish. He can’t fight. Don’t get me wrong he’s a good fighter but he’s well overrated and he’s giving it the big I am over there in the states. I don’t know whether he gets homesick or he’s just got a big mouth and he can’t back it up. If he wants to get it on he can come over here and put his money where his mouth is.’’

Mitchell vs. Rios would undoubtedly be a fight that would gain much interest. It would pit the tough Mitchell’s ring cunning against the hard come forward aggressive Rios. Whatever happens, it looks like Ricky Burns will be next with June looking the date;

‘’Me versus Burns will be a very hard fight for 12 rounds. We’ve been talking about him for months. He’s good at everything – it’s all the basics, but he’s very good at them – he’s very steely and he’s never been knocked out. If I can catch anyone I can knock them out but we’ll be looking at going the full 12. I fancy outmatching him in every area.’’

In the meantime, boxing fans should get on to ticket outlets for 10th February at York Hall because it is highly unlikely the popular Lightweight will fight there again;

”I think it will be the last ever night I fight in a small show.’’ Mitchell said. ‘’I never thought I’d be back at York Hall but I’m told that tickets have already been sold out on my side. But if you want to see me close up at York hall for the last time ever for cheap prices then get in there quick because they’re selling out sharpish!”

All interested in tickets for the upcoming event have several options for purchasing tickets. You can get them through Alice O’Conner (via Kevin Mitchell) on Facebook. You can go through Frank Buglioni by looking up Lee Hurst on Facebook, through Billy Morgan on Facebook or Twitter and of course, Frank Warren’s main website.

@LeeElford

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