Kevin Mitchell has promised Ricky Burns he will be ringside on Friday night – and says he is more than happy to face the Scotsman if he wins the Commonwealth super-featherweight title. Yesterday Burns blasted British champ Mitchell and said he would be too scared to watch him challenge for the Commonwealth belt against Osumana Akaba at Bethnal Green’s York Hall..
Burns also accused Mitchell of running from him instead of accepting a real challenge from the Coatbridge slickster.
But today a fired up Mitchell hit back.
“Ricky’s a funny kid, I’ll give him that,” said the Dagenham Destroyer. “But he can’t crack an egg and if he steps in the ring with me then I’ll beat him up good and proper. I’m more than happy to knock him out next up.
“Carl Johanneson played with him, and I stopped Johanneson, so what does he think is going to happen when he fights me? It will be like man against boy.
“He’s a good fighter but he’s not in my league, and I’ll tell him on Friday because I’ll definitely be there.”
Burns also called out new WBO super-featherweight champion Nicky Cook, and he too will be at historic York Hall to watch the 25-year-old take on Ghanaian toughman Akaba.
Meanwhile Mitchell is targetting a return by the end of the year after spending time out of the ring following surgery on his knuckle.
“I can’t wait to get back into action,” said Mitchell, who made a successful American debut in Atlantic City earlier this year.
“I’ve been back in the gym doing shadow boxing and running for a few weeks now, and it’s not long before I’m allowed to go full contact.
“All this nonsense that Burns has been coming out with has put me in the mood for a proper tear up.”
Thaxton kicks off exciting new ITV series
Jon Thaxton is promising to show why he can still become a genuine world title contender when he boxes Juan Carlos Diaz Melero for the vacant European Lightweight Title at Norfolk Showground in Norwich on Saturday, 4th October 2008.
The former British champion last fought in a European Title fight and after a courageous effort the Norwich boxer was stopped by a nasty cut over his right eye that needed 12 stitches against world top ten ranked Yuri Romanov (Russia) at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, London.
Six months on from his last European challenge, promoter Mick Hennessy has presented Thaxton with another chance to win the coveted crown, this time in his home city and live on ITV4.
Melero (36-1, Spain) gave Romanov a scare when he floored the Russian before being stopped himself in the third round two years ago.
Jono is aware of Melero’s danger but is confident he will have an answer to anything his co-challenger brings and get the win to gatecrash the world title scene next year.
“Damn right, I have got a point to prove against Melero,” said Thaxton (33-8), who made two defences of his British Title before relinquishing it earlier this year.
“I hate getting beaten and am determined to put it right this time in front of my home fans in Norwich and in front of a big TV audience on ITV4.
“I got off to a pretty bad start, but by the fourth or fifth rounds I felt like I was coming into my own against Romanov. The corner stopped the fight because of the cut and at the time I was upset about it, but of course it was the right thing to do.
“Now I’ve got a second chance I intend to take it because you don’t get many second chances in life. I’ve left no stone unturned for this fight and that’s why I’ve got the likes of Junior Witter in for sparring.
“I’ve got a point to prove and I will prove it. Forget about last time – I was slow and I had a bad night. But this one will be different.
“Melero had Romanov down before Romanov came back to stop him, but Romanov never put me down. Melero is a very capable boxer and he’s adaptable, but we’ve prepared for every situation.”
The ‘Let’s Be Having You’ show is the first promotion of the new season from Hennessy Sports, whose shows will now be screened by ITV Sport.