Linares

[Lloydy]

Is it me but there seems to be no hype about Linares at all from Sky?
I think he's by far the most talented and skilled fighter on the car and Mitchell is in very deep......
I expect a wide points win or even stoppage from Linares.

Thoughts?

[ste1983]

stops Mitchell in my view, hope I'm wrong.

to be fair the Selby and Mitchell fights don't seem to be getting the hype they need, annoying that Joshua Johnson is put (on posters and adverts etc) above on on the bill than two genuine decent world title fights.

[Lloydy]

Totally agree
AJ is clearly the draw for the casuals/PPV sales but a shame that Selby and Mitchell fight not getting more exposure/hype

[freddydoesdallas]

Yep, i'd be surprised if Mitchell pulls this out of the bag.

[Taansend]

I think it's a tough one to call. Mitchell's recent opposition marginally better than Linares's.

I was at Staples when he lost to DeMarco and maybe that fight took something out of him.

I know Kevin has a habit of failing at world level but I think he might do it this weekend.

[MrJasonM]

I would love Kevin Mitchell to do it, I think it's fantastic how he has fought back from the boxing abyss (with the help of Matchroom).

However it's an incredibly tough ask, be interesting to see what he does if he loses.

[ShadrachSimmo]

Anyone ever seen the ending of the Thompson fight?

The ref took Linares to the doc to check the cut the doc showed what looks like a red card and it's over.

[palooka]

If Kevin boxes he can win, if he goes marching in he'll lose - he is far more effective when he jabs and counters, he's just not sturdy enough to walk straight in and whack away at this level. Hopefully his head is screwed on right this time, he'd surely not get another go if he bollocks it up.

[handsofstone]

I love watching Linares, he's a superb technician and has quick hands but he also hits hard,he's a bleeder though and if Mitchell can get through first I can see him doing real damage to Jorge's face

Mitchell's flaws are always there though and Linares has power to expose them and with him being a 3 weight champ and someone who's travelled, I can't see him being overwhelmed by the occasion

I'm still sticking with Mitchell though,middle rounds stoppage, can't see Linares withstanding clean accurate punches from big punching LW

[Boxing Prospect]

Anyone ever seen the ending of the Thompson fight?

The ref took Linares to the doc to check the cut the doc showed what looks like a red card and it's over.

They use red cards in Thailand as well...it's rather odd

[Shambles]

I think it's a tough one to call. Mitchell's recent opposition marginally better than Linares's.

I was at Staples when he lost to DeMarco and maybe that fight took something out of him.

I know Kevin has a habit of failing at world level but I think he might do it this weekend.

Linares was boxing beautifully against DeMarco, until DeMarco caught up with with him and caused the cuts that eventually stopped the fight. I remember Manny Steward saying how impressed he was with Linares.

I've watched Linares more recently and he still looks too much for Mitchell in my opinion, though I would love to be proven wrong.

[ShadrachSimmo]

Anyone ever seen the ending of the Thompson fight?

The ref took Linares to the doc to check the cut the doc showed what looks like a red card and it's over.

They use red cards in Thailand as well...it's rather odd

Certainly was. There was practically no inspection of the cut. Just a straight red and off

[jonnyyorkshu]

Linares wins this but he is cutty,his face is made of biscuit
Does Mitchell have the power though
Linares wins and stops Mitchell early

[Counter-puncher]

I think it's a tough one to call. Mitchell's recent opposition marginally better than Linares's.

I was at Staples when he lost to DeMarco and maybe that fight took something out of him.

I know Kevin has a habit of failing at world level but I think he might do it this weekend.

I know what you mean mate but when I think of the type of fighter who would be kryptonite to Linares, its a mini-margarito type, a cyborg type, not someone who has shown the kind of frailties Mitchell has shown at world level

[smiling assassin]

Think this is a real 50/50 fight. Both great technically and can both dig. Hope im wrong but i think Mitchell is just below world and Linares is just about at the level. He came up short against Burns and although he stopped the very game john murray it was not a one sided fight and i believe Murray was a few levels below the top boys. I really hope im wrong and i wish Kev the best of luck

[forcefraser]

Cockney Kev is in a rich vein of form. He takes this by points.

[Emmseegee]

Slightly off topic but please tell me Joshua isnt supposed to be the main event on this show?

[MightyWarrior]

Mitchell does hit hard enough to spring a surprise here: his big hope might be that Linares has proved vunerable in the past, but something about the way Kev reacted when he got clocked a couple of times in his ( otherwise impressive ) last fight makes me think his punch resistance has gone..I reckon the slick boxing & hard hitting Linares is going to win this by KO.

[mickey1975]

Cockney Kev is in a rich vein of form. He takes this by points.

He's a wanker.

[Datsue]

I think it's a tough one to call. Mitchell's recent opposition marginally better than Linares's.

I was at Staples when he lost to DeMarco and maybe that fight took something out of him.

I know Kevin has a habit of failing at world level but I think he might do it this weekend.

I know what you mean mate but when I think of the type of fighter who would be kryptonite to Linares, its a mini-margarito type, a cyborg type, not someone who has shown the kind of frailties Mitchell has shown at world level

The three dudes who have done Linares--Thompson, DeMarco & JC Salgado-- all more or less got in his face & twatted him. Two simply jumped him early while DeMarco wore him down.

I rather think that suggests that he's doable whether you mini-cyborg him or just ambush him before he can get on his bike.

Kev's two stoppage losses (I'm beginning to think) might have had something to do with being sheerly physically outmatched (Burns was always a big fecker but seeing him so happy versus Figueroa the other day mad me think the bastard's huge at lightweight & Katsidis was hardly a small lightweight). But Linares isn't that guy. I know he was just weight-draining down but he was a featherweight early in his career & still for all his good qualities has a featherweight's chin & physically, I don't think he's gonna be throwing Mitchell around like Burns & Kats managed.

Linares late or on points is admittedly the smart money but it wouldn't be so outlandish imo if Kev lands one flush & Linares either goes or as suggested above his eyebrows begin to resemble a smashed Digestive after a savage altercation with a cup of tea.

PS: I no longer hate Jorge Linares.

[Ricky_]

I like Mitchell for this tbh, whenever I've seen Linares he struck me as a Khan-type show pony, amazing hand speed but runs out of ideas & hates getting hit. Mitchell can grit this one out i think.

[crusader]

Cockney Kev is in a rich vein of form. He takes this by points.

I don't think he looked good two fights ago against Maduma and he was down by multiple points in the 11th. Obviously he pulled through but Maduma isn't particularly good in my opinion and he was clearly inexperienced against tough opposition. For the most part Mitchell's opponents since the Burns loss have been fairly limited, and it's important to remember that before each of his earlier title shots he seemed to be in good form, widely outboxing Prescott and blowing out Mendoza prior to Katsidis and stopping Mitchell prior to Burns.

So I don't think Mitchell is boxing any better now than he was when he previously challenged for titles, but Linares is notably vulnerable and I wouldn't be surprised if Mitchell lands a win this time.

[kcharles520]

I'm surprised hardly anyone is backing Mitchell here...as long as it goes the distance he wins the fight on points. And to me, he has the slipperiness and evasiveness to frustrate Linares the full 12 rounds.

Yes, Linares has freakish power but if you can't get a clean shot on the opponent it doesn't matter *how* hard you hit -- and Mitchell is one of the toughest people in the world to hit clean IMO.

[TheGoods]

Mitchell gets banged out.

[freddydoesdallas]

I'm surprised hardly anyone is backing Mitchell here...as long as it goes the distance he wins the fight on points. And to me, he has the slipperiness and evasiveness to frustrate Linares the full 12 rounds.

Yes, Linares has freakish power but if you can't get a clean shot on the opponent it doesn't matter *how* hard you hit -- and Mitchell is one of the toughest people in the world to hit clean IMO.

Completely disagree that he's not easy to hit. Burns and katsidis landed at will and blew him away. Maduma was landing pretty cleanly as well. When he fights limited opposition hesitate obviously not going to be hit too often but when he fights anyone above half decent he's going to kop a good few shots