In the co-main event, Seth Mitchell continued his ascent in the heavyweight ranks in overpowering fashion, connecting with a resounding left hook in the second round and continuing his assault on Timur Ibragimov until the fight was stopped at 2 minutes 48 seconds.
Mitchell’s ninth consecutive victory by knockout kept the Brandywine native unbeaten and still the best hope for an American champion in boxing’s most glamorous division, which the Klitschko brothers have ruled for the past half dozen years. Wladimir Klitschko is the WBA, IBF and WBO titleholder, and Vitali wears the WBC belt, but Mitchell has stated his intention of dethroning either or both.
Video
Professional boxer Lamont Peterson grew up on the streets of Washington D.C. and in foster care as a child. On Dec. 10, he'll fight for a world title.
With performances such as this, Mitchell (24-0-1, 18 KOs) just may get his wish. After a first round in which he measured his Uzbek opponent, Mitchell unloaded with a left hand early in the second that wobbled Ibragimov (31-4-1). Shortly thereafter, Mitchell delivered repeated blows with his right and eventually backed up Ibragimov into a neutral corner.
That’s when Mitchell continued to hammer away until the referee ceased the proceedings. That triggered wild applause from the partisan crowd that came to support the hometown boxer whose last fight in the District was on April 2, 2010, also at the convention center.
“I’m blessed with natural athletic ability,” Mitchell said. “I have the size, power and speed, but I don’t that that for granted, and I work really hard. This is the platform I want to be on. I want to continue the buzz.”
Mitchell’s rise in the heavyweight ranks has been as unusual as it has been rapid. A football star in high school at Gwynn Park, Mitchell was named All-Met Defensive Player of the Year and parlayed that acclaim into a scholarship at Michigan State. There, he sprained his right knee and missed his freshman season.
After playing in just five games as a sophomore, Mitchell spent a chunk of the next season recovering from knee surgery. It was during that time he realized football wasn’t going to be in his future once he left school with a degree in criminal justice.
Later, Mitchell happened to catch the professional boxing debut of Tom Zbikowski, who played safety for Notre Dame and in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens. After a handful of amateur bouts, Mitchell turned pro in 2008, and he since has been climbing the division.
Loading...
Comments