Ricky Burns to defend WBO lightweight title against dear friend Kevin Mitchell – Boxing News
Ricky Burns, the current WBO lightweight champion, will defend his title for the second time in a row. This time the opponent will be his friend and former WBO Inter-Continental lightweight champion, Kevin Mitchell, in a 12-round bout which will be held
on September 22, 2012.
The duo will headline the pay-per-view organised and promoted by Frank Warren of Frank Warren promotions. The ring for the bout will be set at Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Ricky and Kevin are considered best friends and the upcoming bout will not only be a test of the duo’s abilities but will also decide as to who is worthy of being the number one lightweight in Britain.
The rest of the fight card is under consideration and more bouts will be added with the passage of time. The two top-notch lightweights recently met at a press conference and shared their thoughts about the engagement while announcing it.
Burns, 29, has been in a total of 36 bouts. The Coatbridge Scotland proud will place not only his title on the line but also his number one spot in country’s divisional rankings as well.
Also known as ‘Rickster’, Ricky has grabbed just nine of his total 34 wins by knockout and is considered as a resilient brawler rather than a rough-tough knockout pounder. Ricky’s below par knockout ability is being dubbed as a negative point in his arsenal
as his opponent, Kevin, though secures the second spot in British rankings yet possesses a pretty intimidating knockout ratio.
Mitchell, 27, is looking forward at building yet another win streak after his recent loss to Michael Katsidis. The young Essex lad has been in a total of 34 bouts, boasting 33 wins. Since his only career loss to Michael, Kevin has been on a two-bout win
streak and is coming off a points decision win over Felix Lora.
The aspect that gives Kevin an upper hand over his dear friend and upcoming opponent Ricky is his knockout ability. Also known as ‘Mighty’ or ‘The Hammer’, Mitchell has pinned 24 of his opponents via knockout.
During the press conference, Ricky shared his thoughts regarding the clash and stated, “For me it’s about testing myself against the best and proving how good I am. Mitchell’s the next best in Britain and I’m sure he’s going to give me the hardest fight
of my career and that’s what I’m preparing for: a real battle.”
The bout will be a classic one as the duo not only secures the top ranks in their country’s divisional rankings but also reside within the top 10 rankings of World Boxing Organisation.
Tags: