The WBO World Lightweight Championship
Ricky Burns - WBO World Lightweight Champion
If you missed it, you missed a night of unadulterated boxing,
pure and simple. Burns v Mitchell, friends outside the ring; it
wasn't about the war of the words, in this the Battle of
Britain.
No, this fight was about two world class boxers proving that
they deserve to share the ring, and that they deserved their stage
on Saturday.
Fittingly, legendary ring announcer Michael Buffer welcomed the
two fighters into a power-keg Glasgow atmoshpere.
Four Rounds
Round one was a relatively even affair, with a few calling it in
favour of Mitchell - but not by much. Burns looked cool and calm
the whole way through, though the Englishman led the punch count
going into round two.
It was then, in the second, that Ricky showed his unexpected
game plan. He stepped up, toe to toe with his adversary, and
launched a big attack a minute and a half through, before finishing
the round with a couple of quality right hooks.
Into the third round, Mitchell looked like he might edge back
into it, but Burns wasn't having any of his advances and continued
to force the pace. The home favourite landed a few blinding hooks
that would've floored most average boxers, to which Mitchell could
only hit his chest and roar back in defiance. Burns wasn't fooled
by the display, and it was into the fourth and final round.
The Coatbridge-born WBO champ continued to land punch after
punch, mixing up body shots and hooks to Mitchell's head. For those
that thought this fight was going to points - and many did - they
were to be proved wrong. A couple of minutes into the round Burns
launched another attack which saw Mitchell twice hit the
canvas.
The referee let the fight continue, albeit only temporarily.
With seconds to go before the end of the round, and with Ricky
seemingly unstoppable, landing punch after punch, the referee
called the fight.
A gentlemen's sport
The fight might have ended with disappointment for the
challenger Mitchell, but it only took a couple of minutes after the
bell before the two were arm in arm singing each other's
praises.
Frank Warren joined the boys at the side of the ring in the
aftermath to say, "It was a good fight. Kevin trained really hard
for this. They're both two great fellas, but Ricky did the business
and he's going to go from strength to strength. He's going to fight
again in December."
Bring on December...
The undercards
We were warmed up to the main event on Saturday night with
displays from Scotland's finest young talents (and old!).
Michael Roberts took Gavin Reid the distance, for his 10th
professional victory.
BoxNation favourite, Bradley Saunders, knocked down Ivan Godor
of Slovakia one too many times for the referee's liking, and,
despite hopping on one foot in an attempt to prove his sobriety,
the fight was stopped. Saunders looks strong for such a young
boxer.
Next up was Stephen Simmons against Tahar Mehmed, and he kept up
his winning streak to make it six on the trot.
John Thain went the distance against Lee Noble, despite
sustaining a bloody nose in the first minute of the fight. Noble
simply didn't do enough to win the judges over, and the scores
finished 60-55.
John Simpson followed, fighting Dai Davies of Wales, and won
another Scottish victory. The Celtic Super-Featherweight
Championship was an entertaining affair, John Simpson landing
several perfect hooks to the side of Dai's head putting him on the
floor in the second round for a technical knockout.
The main undercard was Glaswegian favourite, Scott Harrison,
making his second fight after a seven-year hiatus. Joe Elfidh was
the challenger, and by the reception from the crowd, it was clear
they didn't want him to win. Many expected, and hoped, that this
fight would end in a knockout, and it looked certain after the
first minute when Harrison tried to land a knockout blow with every
shot.
Elfidh survived however, despite one tumble onto the ring floor,
and took the fight the distance with Harrison winning 60 points to
53. Joe Elfidh may have lost the fight - but he left the ring with
more respect that when he entered, and should count going the
distance as a small victory for himself.
Pre-Fight, Burns v Mitchell: The Battle of Britain
Scottish hero and WBO World Lightweight Champion Ricky Burns
welcomes London's Kevin Mitchell onto his home soil of Glasgow for
a ding-dong, all-British battle.
Burns v Mitchell has been billed as "The Battle of Britain", and
it sets two great friends against one another with WBO World
Lightweight glory at stake.
Away from the ring, Burns and Mitchell are good
friends.
Burns faces a stern test
Burns, 29, won the interim WBO strap in November 2011 against
Michael Katsidis, and then cemented the full belt in March against
Namibia's Paulus Moses.
The Bellshill-born right-hander will enter the ring with a 34 -
2 fight record, and will be wary of a fiery opponent who has a
similar 33 - 1 history.
Burns will have huge support in the Glasgow SECC. He was
similarly supported in March against Paulus Moses, and Kevin
Mitchell will know he's in for a hostile welcome.
Mitchell gets a second challenge
For Kevin Mitchell, the "Dagenham Destroyer", this fight is a
second WBO World title challenge at lightweight. His previous
attempt saw him bested by Michael Katsidis in 2010 after a third
round TKO.
Kevin Mitchell knocks down Felix Lora
Essex boy Mitchell, 27, has won 24 of his 33 fights prematurely,
a percentage of 70.59, while Burns has only nine knockouts to his
name. He will be hoping his superior punch power will see him
through against the quick and slick Burns.
