Dagenham-born Mitchell faces Mexican Daniel Estrada for the vacant WBC Silver lightweight and a guaranteed shot at Jorge Linares’ recently acquired WBC strap.
It promises to be a raucous occasion with a card stacked with local interest. Not least of all John Ryder’s defence of his recently acquired WBO Inter-Continental middleweight title against late replacement Billi Godoy.
Here we will take a look at what’s in store as we kick of a huge 2015 for British boxing.
Thankfully, ‘temporarily’ is the operative term here and a year, which started in disappointment, has turned full circle with a series of announcements and upcoming events that have the fans purring and the vehicle moving forward once more.
The rule of three is a principle utilised generally by writers and suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things.
The assertion being that the reader or audience of this form of text is more likely to consume information if it is written in groups of threes. We humans tend to agree as the rule of three has been applied across our lives in theatre, film and of course boxing in the form of the fabled and beloved trilogy.
A great trilogy see’s the perfect marriage of styles, personalities and backgrounds create an unbreakable bond between fighters that will define their careers and transcend the ages.
As we settle in for 2015, it’s customary for the boxing fraternity and fans alike to state their hopes and wishes for the year ahead. Essentially dream fights which we hope will be made, which against all logic are not likely to happen. There are a few that spring to mind immediately, an end to the Floyd Mayweather/ Manny Pacquiao saga, Andre Ward v Gennady Golovkin (catch weight), Sergey Kovalev v Adonis Stevenson and of course Alex Ariza v a peak Mike Tyson.
On this occasion I have chosen to air on the side of caution and focus my attentions on an occurrence of a more realistic persuasion, which would be the collision of the current crop of Super Bantamweight World Champions. In Guillermo Rigondeaux, Leo Santa-Cruz, Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg, the division finds itself on the cusp of greatness. Greatness it enjoyed almost 15 years previous when Erik Morales won a split decision over Marco Antonio Barrera in what is widely considered one of the greatest fights of all time. Right now we have four fighters, boasting a collective 92-0-3 (61KO’s) record and a blend of styles capable of producing a series of fights that will define each of their careers.
The events of the past week have been a microcosm of the world of boxing, the good, the bad and the downright unfair unfolding before us. All of the events, euphoric, frustrating and heartbreaking in equal measure, the greatest and yet cruelest of sports ever perceived in full view once more.
The Good
When Andy Lee entered the ring against unbeaten former World Amateur champion, Matt Korobov, he did so as a huge underdog. Korobov was the house fighter and champion elect, primed for big things by his promoter Top Rank at least. Whereas Lee was a fringe world level fighter beaten twice, by Brian Vera in ’08 (a defeat he avenged in ‘11) and Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr in a ridiculous weight mismatch in ‘12.
Martin J Ward D10 Maxi Hughes – (10 x 3 – Super Featherweight British Title Eliminator)
It wasn’t just the gallant Prizefighter lightweights that York Hall was treated to this Saturday night in the hallowed ballroom in the heart of Bethnal Green. Essex based traveller and lightweight prospect Martin J Ward 10-0-1 (5KO’s) was thrust into his first bona fide test against the once beaten and very capable Yorkshireman Maxi Hughes 13-1-1 (2KO’s) a man with his own designs on progression.
It may not be for the purists and Matchroom and Sky Sports might have bigger fish to fry going forward, but when Prizefighter delivers, it delivers in spades. Tonight was one such occasion when 8 men with nothing to lose and everything to gain stepped through the ropes to provide passion-drenched non-stop action, which brought the historic York Hall to its feet. In the process providing a timely reminder of what made Prizefighter great, knockouts, all out wars, controversial decisions aplenty, not to mention the emergence of a potential star.
Prizefighter returns to home on Saturday as the York Hall, Bethnal Green plays host to the 34th edition of a format showing signs of decline and in its 7th year in desperate need of a big night. The event will mark only the 2nd Prizefighter show of the year; a promotion that has averaged 5 shows a year since its inception in 2008.
Hoping to provide the fireworks will be our third installment of lightweights, hoping to lay their hands on the prizefighter trophy, ugly though it is, and more importantly the £32,000 prize money. Previously, there was a time when the winner would move onto the next level with a British title fight a very real possibility. Unfortunately for those on show this is a carrot that has been withdrawn as the Matchroom stable has grown over the past three years in particular, especially in the saturated domestic lightweight scene.