By James Slater: According to both Ringtv.com and Boxrec.com, the search for unbeaten, exciting U.S heavyweight contender Seth Mitchell’s next opponent is over. “Mayhem” will face fellow 29-year-old former cruiserweight title challenger Johnathon Banks. The fight will take place at The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on the under-card of the July 14th Khan-Garcia clash..
A good test for the still-learning, still-improving Mitchell, Banks is both experienced and durable. What he isn’t is overly powerful (although he has scored the odd eye-catching KO as a heavyweight: his March 2010 stoppage of “Freight Train” Travis Walker for example.) Against Mitchell, the regular sparring partner of the Klitschko brothers figures to provide rounds.
Mitchell, 25-0-1(19) is coming off the toughest fight and the biggest scare of his pro career; when the big and powerful Chazz Witherspoon belted him with some rocking right hands in the opening round of the three-round slugfest the Brandywine warrior came back to win. Showing heart and guts and keeping his composure after being rattled – as he later said himself, more so than ever before; in the gym or in the ring – Mitchell won over more fans.
It will be interesting to see which version of Banks, 28-1-1(18) overall but 8-0-1(4) as a heavyweight, turns up in July. If he’s in the mood to rumble, wanting to take Mitchell into the deep waters in the hopes of scoring the upset, Banks could give Mitchell a fierce test. But if he adopts the “just glad to be here” mode he has done in the past (against Jason Gavern most disappointingly), Banks will lose round after round and be content with hearing the final bell. Of course, there is a chance Mitchell’s firepower will get Banks out of there even if the Detroit man does go into his sparring partner-type shell, and it would be a statement from Mitchell if he were to become the first heavyweight to halt the former IBF cruiserweight title challenger.
I think the fight will go the distance, with a determined Banks having moments of success as he opens up on occasion. Look for Mitchell to win by a clear margin, as he goes ten rounds for the very first time. Mitchell does look like the kind of warrior who is almost incapable of being in a dull fight. Let’s hope Banks makes Mitchell fight and vice-versa.