Kevin Mitchell has promised to win a world title this year after a nightmare 2011.
The Dagenham Destroyer returns to action on Friday 10th February to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental Lightweight title at London’s York Hall.
Unbeaten Irishman Stephen Ormond pulled out of the fight and promoter Frank Warren is looking at a new challenger for Mitchell.
The 28-year-old had well documented problems outside of the ring last year despite his sensational eighth round stoppage win over rival John Murray in July.
Mitchell said, “I was on a downward spiral and could have ended up in prison because of my drinking, but I’ve had a good kick up the backside and I realise that I want to become a world champion,”
“I lost it last year even though I had a great win over Murray, but I’m looking forward to returning to the York Hall with my home crowd behind me,”
“I’m not a playboy anymore and from now on I’m serious about winning the world title and making plenty of money to secure my future,”
Warren is aiming to get Kevin a world title shot that could see him in a Battle of Britain with Scottish WBO World Champion, possibly a return to West Ham United’s ground where he lost to Michael Katsidis in 2010.
Also, Warren has spoken to American promoter Bob Arum about a possible fight with WBA title-holder Brandon Rios who beat Murray in December.
“The obvious fight would be Ricky Burns in the summer with West Ham’s ground being an option,” said Warren.
“My relationship with Kevin went off the rails towards the end of last year, but I’m delighted to say that we are back on track and we’re both working towards the world title,”
“This is about Kevin going back to basics, his problems are behind him now and it’s all about moving forward and achieving what I believe he can achieve.”
“I’m really disappointed that Ormond pulled out of the fight for whatever reason, he was training for a fight in December that fell through and we lined him up with Kevin so he would have been ready.”
Mitchell added, “I’d love Ricky Burns at West Ham which would be an absolute dream to return to the stadium again,”
“Although if Rios was offered to me I’d fancy doing a number on him, in fact I reckon I’d knock him out,”
“To me he’s sluggish and one dimensional and if I got him in the ring it would be like a cat playing with a mouse.”
GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS BEGINS 2012 WITH SHOBOX DOUBLEHEADER AT FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO
LOS ANGELES, January 5 – The 2012 boxing season gets off to a rousing start this Friday night at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, when Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME present a hard-hitting doubleheader featuring the WBA Fedelatin lightweight title fight between undefeated Luis Ramos Jr. and veteran Raymundo Beltran and a battle for the vacant WBO Intercontinental Youth lightweight crown between unbeatens Michael Perez and Omar Figueroa Jr.
Before the SHOWTIME cameras deliver the first ShoBox: The New Generation of 2012 to boxing fans across the country, fans in Indio will be treated to a full slate of undercard action headlined by the return of unbeaten Las Vegas knockout artist Michael Finney.
Ramos vs. Beltran and Perez vs. Figueroa are presented by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T and will be televised live on ShoBox: The New Generation at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) on SHOWTIME free during the premium network’s Free Preview Weekend, available in more than 60 million homes.
Tickets, priced at $25, $35 and $45, are on sale now and available for purchase at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com. Doors at Fantasy Springs will open at 6:00pm PT on fight night and the first bell rings at 6:30pm PT.
Alabama native Michael Finney (7-0, 7 KO’s) has settled into his new home in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, and with knockout wins in each one of his seven professional fights, the 20-year-old phenom is proving that he as the power to end any fight in an instant. He’s ready to kick off his 2012 campaign following his last fight in March of 2011 when he had an impressive knockout over Josh Beeman. Finney is looking to keep his knockout ratio intact when he meets Hopkins, Minnesota’s Hector Orozco (4-9) in a six round welterweight bout.
In other undercard action, Troutwood, Ohio’s former amateur star Christopher Pearson (1-0, 1 KO) faces Long Beach middleweight Cleven Ishe (3-4, 1 KO) in a four round middleweight battle, Santa Ana’s Naphi Mohammad (0-1) will attempt to secure his first professional victory in a four round junior lightweight fight against Las Vegas’ Rocco Espinoza (1-2) and Santa Ana’s Ricardo Malfavon (1-7-1, 1 KO) takes on Stephen Rubalcava (0-7) of Exetan in a four round middleweight contest.
Teymur Mammadov joins Baku Fires
Lausanne, Switzerland, 10 January 2012 – In a move that will send shockwaves through the Light Heavyweight division, the Azeri based World Series of Boxing Franchise the Baku Fires have just announced that local hero Teymur Mammadov has officially joined their ranks for the second part of the season.
The current National and European Champion, who most recently won a silver medal at the AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011, Mammadov will add great value to his team and enhance the strength of the competition.
Only turning 19 this year, Mammadov is a one of the rising stars of the world of boxing, a tall and extremely technically gifted fighter. The Azeri orthodox has a repertoire of combination punches in his arsenal that is the envy of many of his contemporaries. He will be the one to watch in WSB and also keep an eye on him at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
This capture by the Baku Fires is a real message of intent to the rest of their rivals, the objective in the camp is to win the WSB Team Competition and with Mammadov on their roster, be sure that the action will be nothing short of explosive when the Azeri Franchise takes to the ring.
With many more signings set to be announced in the next few days, this WSB season will be a true spectacle for all boxing fans.
See Mammadov’s path to the silver medal at the AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011
Round of 16: http://www.youtube.com/user/AIBABoxing#p/search/0/8U4q1yoLnWc
Quarter-finals: http://www.youtube.com/user/AIBABoxing#p/search/3/WnkfWl3ICZY
Semi-finals: http://www.youtube.com/user/AIBABoxing#p/search/2/k1hjZLHS_EM
Final: http://www.youtube.com/user/AIBABoxing#p/search/1/YV5fRrp85Vo
His path to the European title
Semi-finals: http://www.youtube.com/user/AIBABoxing#p/search/6/QIb_gZ7jLiM
Final: http://www.youtube.com/user/AIBABoxing#p/search/4/P8DsHnzsI_0
Awards ceremony: http://www.youtube.com/user/AIBABoxing#p/search/5/S_FY9t9ng_s