Mitchell keen on Arthur clash
by Mark Doyle, 15 May 2008
Kevin Mitchell has confirmed his interest in fighting the newly-crowned WBO super-featherweight champion, Alex Arthur, to Setanta Sports News.
Mitchell underlined his status as one of the most promising and exciting young fighters in Britain with a thrilling stoppage win over Carl Johanneson in March of this year, a victory which saw the Londoner add the British title to the Commonwealth belt already in his possession.
The 23-year-old Mitchell is also the current WBO inter-continental champion and, for him, a clash with Arthur, who was awarded the full title on Thursday after former titleholder Joan Guzman vacated, is a real possibility.
”It’s definitely in my plans, somewhere down the line,” he told Setanta Sports News.
”I’d like to get in on somewhere like the O2 Arena, though obviously Alex would probably rather it be up in Scotland. But I’m well up for the fight.”
However, Arthur, who was also a part of the discussion on Setanta Sports News, admitted that he would be willing to travel south for what would be a mouth-watering all-British affair.
”I admire Kevin. I think we’re very similar people and very similar fighters,” the Scot stated.
”I would love it to be down the line, a big fight between myself and Kevin. It would make more sense to do it in England, in the 02.
”That’d probably be your best bet because up in Scotland, you’d probably need to put it in a football stadium. We know that Scotland and outdoor events don’t go that well!”
Meanwhile, Mitchell has been pencilled in om the undercard for the June 7 middleweight title match between undisputed champion Kelly Pavlik and Welshman Gary Lockett.
It is a massive opportunity for Mitchell to showcase his talents Stateside and he is looking forward to the bout, even though his opponent for the night has yet to be confirmed.
”I’ve been training really hard and I’m really looking forward to it," he stated. ”I think the Americans are going to see the best of me out there.
Regarding his opponent, he added: “I’d like someone along the lines of an ex-world champion, someone who’s really going to push me, someone who, if I’m not on my game, is going to beat me.
”I don’t want someone I’m going to look good against, I want someone who’s going to test me.”