Was it an early stoppage by the ref - Mitchell vs Burns

[TopGun]

I'm a bit bored at work so thought I'd watch the Kevin Mitchell vs Ricky Burns fight again. If I was the ref I think I would have let them fight on longer. Kevin still had his guard up and it was a world title fight. Ok, he had been down twice in that round but they were not big knock downs.

Not a great topic I know but if you were the ref would you have stopped it then?

Perhaps I'm biaised as I wanted Keving to win?

The final round starts at 8:10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-9vUiCZIBY

[danconnollyeire]

No, I think the ref saved Kevin. I know it was a world title but the timing was good for:
1. He wasn't gonna come back
2. Because he didn't take a very heavy beating he can probably mix it at a very good level

He's had tough fights (Prescott, Katsidis, Murray). If it went on and he got severly beat, I think he could've gone on a Danny Williams-like downhill spiral.

[jam100]

I am always mixed on these type of stoppages, especially when it is literally a second before the round is about to end, what would have happene? my head tells me that the same would have kept happening next round, but part of it does leave open the chance of a minutes rest, Kevin getting his second wind an deciding to stay on his feet and move in and out - the first couple of rounds Mitchell was supberb, landing some great shots, he only starte to come apart when he was invovled in the brwling aspect.

cant blame the ref for stoppage though

[Old bones Ian]

I don't think Mitchell would of come back into it, there were no complaints from him after the fight. He knew he was beaten.

I was more surprised that Burns was able to hurt him so badly, as he's not a big puncher.

[Trojans44]

I think there's rarely any such thing as an early stoppage.

Did you know that if you sustain 3 concussions in your lifetime you treble your chances of parkinsons/ alzheimers. If someone hits you so hard on the head that you fall down twice thats a concussion.

Did you also know that the University of Boston studied 36 brains of deceased NFL players and every single one of them showed signs of brain damage.

Boxing is a catastrophically dangerous sport and the majority of boxers are likely to pay for it in some way - even those who 'haven't been in many wars'.

[JamesH]

I don't think Mitchell would of come back into it, there were no complaints from him after the fight. He knew he was beaten.

I was more surprised that Burns was able to hurt him so badly, as he's not a big puncher.

Exactly what I thought...

[Final round]

No the ref was correct and was heading for a worse beating. He froze when he got caught by Katsidis too, like a rabbit in the headlights.
Where next for Mitchell?

[ThereByTheGrace]

I don't think Mitchell would of come back into it, there were no complaints from him after the fight. He knew he was beaten.

I was more surprised that Burns was able to hurt him so badly, as he's not a big puncher.

Exactly what I thought...

Ditto, must be all the hard training.....

[The Enforcer]

No the ref was correct and was heading for a worse beating. He froze when he got caught by Katsidis too, like a rabbit in the headlights.
Where next for Mitchell?

Great Post. Great Stoppage. Kevin Mitchell Reaction Told The Story Gracious In Defeat. The Saying Goes A Boxer Must Be 100% Happy Outside The Ring In Every Way To Be 100% In The Ring. Kevin Mitchell Talented Enough To Win World Title. One More Chance I Reckon For Kevin.Adios
.

[squared circle]

I don't think Mitchell would of come back into it, there were no complaints from him after the fight. He knew he was beaten.

I was more surprised that Burns was able to hurt him so badly, as he's not a big puncher.

Exactly what I thought...

Ditto, must be all the hard training.....

Careful

[Emmseegee]

Think you will find that anyone who has ever even sparred with Burns comments on how hard he can actually bang. Think he has surprised a few people and will continue to do so as he is stronger at his new weight. Nearly any boxer has the ability to end it if they land the right punch.

[JamesH]

Nearly any boxer has the ability to end it if they land the right punch.

Obviously, but there are boxers who are bangers, and those who are not. It was the way almost every punch seemed to rock Mitchell that was the surprise for me.

[Old bones Ian]

Think you will find that anyone who has ever even sparred with Burns comments on how hard he can actually bang. Think he has surprised a few people and will continue to do so as he is stronger at his new weight. Nearly any boxer has the ability to end it if they land the right punch.

I don't disagree, its the punch you don't see that can KO you, Burns seems to have the power to hurt people without KO'ing them, he stung Martinez, Katsidis and Moses at times. But Mitchell seemed to fall apart after that left hook, i was just surprised that he did.

So where does Mitchell go now? he's supposed to be back out in March, still only 28 so can still do something. Be a good fight with Gethin, make or break one. Or maybe even Scott Harrison.

[JLP]

It was premature.

[lillywhite14]

Fine stoppage. Mitchell was getting beat up and he wasn't going to come back in to it.

As for where he goes next? It's tough for certain fighters to accept they aren't quite as good as they have been led to believe. Kevin could be one of these. Will he give it another go?

[Callowland]

A perfect stoppage, and this referee normally gets a lot of stick.

[billy nelson]

It was a good stoppage IMO and Kevin done great to get up from first knockdown which was a peach of a left hook,Ricky is actually punching harder again and so looking forward to this fight in march.
Kevin is a class fighter and could well still win a world title imo

[dookus]

Perfect stoppage - a 3rd knockdown could have been very messy

[stujones]

If that didn't look on the cards in the 2nd and 3rd rounds then I might have thought a tad premature - but it looked like Burns was hurting Mitchell in these rounds. A mid round stoppage looked on the cards before Mitchell went down.

Good stoppage - there is no way Mitchell can ever beat Burns at Lightweight, Burns way to strong for him.

[GreenLightning]

Nearly any boxer has the ability to end it if they land the right punch.

Obviously, but there are boxers who are bangers, and those who are not. It was the way almost every punch seemed to rock Mitchell that was the surprise for me.

I've seen burns literally knock guys out cold, he has more legit KOs than amir khan lol