Tatli v Mitchell European Title

[Stuarty]

Looks like Kevin's decided to box on and he'll be taking on Edis Tatli in Finland on March 12th for the European title. Dangerous fight on paper for Mitchell although Tatlis record suggests he isn't the hardest puncher. Could be an awkward nights work coming off two stoppage defeats. How do you all see this going?

[littlepug]

Don't know anything about Tatli but fair play to Mitchell for not messing about and trying to get right back in the mix, other boxers take note...

[ShadrachSimmo]

What happened to Burns fighting Tatil for the EBU title?

[Stuarty]

What happened to Burns fighting Tatil for the EBU title?

Fell through. Apparently he's been offered another shot at a world belt if he wins his next fight in April which is meant to be some sort of an eliminator.

[ste1983]

Didn't there used to be a rule that you couldn't fight for the European title off the back of a loss?

Mitchell's coming off two on the trot

[handsofstone]

Didn't there used to be a rule that you couldn't fight for the European title off the back of a loss?

Mitchell's coming off two on the trot

Yeah i remember when Mitchell fought Murray,John's European title wasnt allowed to be on line as Kevin was coming off the Katsidis loss

[olij999]

Rule used to exist, but cannot see it any more - see http://www.boxebu.biz/#!ebu-championships-rules/cht4 , Article 3 on eligibility. But if I have missed it, let me know.

As an aside, can't see how Paulie Malinaggi will be eligible to fight for the EBU title based on Article 3.3, i.e. needing to have had 5 of last 10 fights in Europe. Unless of course it is a "special and exceptional circumstance" under Article 20...

[keirw]

What happened to Burns fighting Tatil for the EBU title?

Fell through. Apparently he's been offered another shot at a world belt if he wins his next fight in April which is meant to be some sort of an eliminator.

I remember reading somewhere that Degale was the first fighter to be allowed to challenge for the EBU off the back of a loss (against Groves).

[keirw]

It is good to see a fighter that fails at world level show a willingness to drop down to European level, rather than just treading water waiting for another shot like some do.
Credit to Mitchell (and Chisora) for doing that.
I'd like to see Murray, Paul Smith, Rose etc do the same.

[Stuarty]

It is good to see a fighter that fails at world level show a willingness to drop down to European level, rather than just treading water waiting for another shot like some do.
Credit to Mitchell (and Chisora) for doing that.
I'd like to see Murray, Paul Smith, Rose etc do the same.

Agree. Some guys reckon once they get a shot at world level then that's them 'arrived' and they refuse to go 'backwards' as some put it. Nothing wrong with going back to the drawing board. Burns lost twice to Arthur and Johansen earlier in his career then regrouped and came back better than ever. Ended up on a show that my mate fought on at a sports centre in Linwood Village and some other really small events. I know that's not world level but same kinda blueprint. It must be a hard thing to do once you have reached a certain level but it can be beneficial if done with the correct attitude.

[lefty]

I like Mitchell and think he's better than Crolla personally. I think Hearn has managed him pretty poorly to be honest. Crolla gets a fight with the distinctly average Perez whilst Mitchell has had to run the gauntlet of an unbeaten Maduma who was dangerous, Linares (who may well be the best fight in the division alongside Flanagan) and then has to fight a final eliminator against some complete unknown with a 18-0 record with 17 knockouts. A southpaw at that! He's had a tough run. Hopefully he beats Tatli.

[expe]

I like Mitchell and think he's better than Crolla personally. I think Hearn has managed him pretty poorly to be honest. Crolla gets a fight with the distinctly average Perez whilst Mitchell has had to run the gauntlet of an unbeaten Maduma who was dangerous, Linares (who may well be the best fight in the division alongside Flanagan) and then has to fight a final eliminator against some complete unknown with a 18-0 record with 17 knockouts. A southpaw at that! He's had a tough run. Hopefully he beats Tatli.

Maduma wasn't really that great, undefeated but he'd beaten no one and had done nothing except look a bit flashy against poor opposition, didn't belong anywhere near a world title eliminator. Mitchell got him as a final eliminator, at home in front of a huge crowd, with a home referee and two home judges, then fucked it up by coming in over the IBF rehydration limit, otherwise he could have had Vazquez at home.

Then he gets another final eliminator at home, this time against Estrada who was another that didn't belong at that level, which got him glass chinned, paper skinned Linares in his backyard again and he somehow managed to get ground down and outlasted by one of the most vulnerable fighters out there.

After a third failure at world level, Hearn then gets him an interim title fight and final eliminator against a completely unproven opponent with no experience anywhere near world level and he gets knocked out by a jab.

What more was he supposed to do? Mitchell's been the golden boy his whole career, Hearn has gifted him opportunities because of where he's from and who he's trained by and he hasn't performed at the level he's supposedly capable of. Even now he's got a European title fight off the back of two knockout defeats.

Crolla hasn't exactly had it easy, not had much backing through his career, then fought Derry, Rees and Murray, was supposed to fight Abril then got whacked over the head with a concrete block, by the time the opportunity to fight Perez came around Mitchell was already fighting Linares.

The Kevin Mitchell myth should be long over by now, he's had opportunity after opportunity, he just isn't good enough to win at the top level. Nothing to do with preparation, opposition, or anything else.

[Stevieb8006]

I like Mitchell and think he's better than Crolla personally. I think Hearn has managed him pretty poorly to be honest. Crolla gets a fight with the distinctly average Perez whilst Mitchell has had to run the gauntlet of an unbeaten Maduma who was dangerous, Linares (who may well be the best fight in the division alongside Flanagan) and then has to fight a final eliminator against some complete unknown with a 18-0 record with 17 knockouts. A southpaw at that! He's had a tough run. Hopefully he beats Tatli.

Mitchell was spoilt as a young starlet IMO. Instead of learning his trade vs the likes of Michael Gomez etc, he feasted on soft imports or "teak tough" but limited Ghanaians. I think his career suffered as a result when it was time to step up. I always got the impression he felt he was 'owed' a world title just cos he's so talented. Can't see it happening now tho unfortunately. If only he'd got his nut down earlier.

[lefty]

I like Mitchell and think he's better than Crolla personally. I think Hearn has managed him pretty poorly to be honest. Crolla gets a fight with the distinctly average Perez whilst Mitchell has had to run the gauntlet of an unbeaten Maduma who was dangerous, Linares (who may well be the best fight in the division alongside Flanagan) and then has to fight a final eliminator against some complete unknown with a 18-0 record with 17 knockouts. A southpaw at that! He's had a tough run. Hopefully he beats Tatli.

Maduma wasn't really that great, undefeated but he'd beaten no one and had done nothing except look a bit flashy against poor opposition, didn't belong anywhere near a world title eliminator. Mitchell got him as a final eliminator, at home in front of a huge crowd, with a home referee and two home judges, then fucked it up by coming in over the IBF rehydration limit, otherwise he could have had Vazquez at home.

Then he gets another final eliminator at home, this time against Estrada who was another that didn't belong at that level, which got him glass chinned, paper skinned Linares in his backyard again and he somehow managed to get ground down and outlasted by one of the most vulnerable fighters out there.

After a third failure at world level, Hearn then gets him an interim title fight and final eliminator against a completely unproven opponent with no experience anywhere near world level and he gets knocked out by a jab.

What more was he supposed to do? Mitchell's been the golden boy his whole career, Hearn has gifted him opportunities because of where he's from and who he's trained by and he hasn't performed at the level he's supposedly capable of. Even now he's got a European title fight off the back of two knockout defeats.

Crolla hasn't exactly had it easy, not had much backing through his career, then fought Derry, Rees and Murray, was supposed to fight Abril then got whacked over the head with a concrete block, by the time the opportunity to fight Perez came around Mitchell was already fighting Linares.

The Kevin Mitchell myth should be long over by now, he's had opportunity after opportunity, he just isn't good enough to win at the top level. Nothing to do with preparation, opposition, or anything else.

I have a strong feeling Mitchell would have beaten Perez but that's just my opinion. Crolla for me has had an easier run. Obviously getting hit over the head with a concrete slab wasnt easy but in terms of his opposition I think it's been easier than Mitchells. Matthews is basically a domestic level fighter parading about at fringe world level due to the nature of the governing bodies, Rees was basically at the end of his career when he fought Crolla, Murray was definietly washed up when they fought and before that he fought an equally washed up Stephen Foster.

Mitchell on the other hand beat Prescott in good fashion, knocked out Murray in his prime and unbeaten, lost to Katsidis but who was a genuine world level fighter, lost to Burns who again was genuinely world class fighter for a period, beat Maduma, beat Estrada, lost a pretty evenly contested fight to Linares and then lost against an unknown banger with 17 KO's in 18 fights and of whom there was hardly any footage of. Plus he was a southpaw to boot. Crolla wasnt having to go through final eliminators, he was getting straight shots at belts first with Abril and then Perez.

[lefty]

I like Mitchell and think he's better than Crolla personally. I think Hearn has managed him pretty poorly to be honest. Crolla gets a fight with the distinctly average Perez whilst Mitchell has had to run the gauntlet of an unbeaten Maduma who was dangerous, Linares (who may well be the best fight in the division alongside Flanagan) and then has to fight a final eliminator against some complete unknown with a 18-0 record with 17 knockouts. A southpaw at that! He's had a tough run. Hopefully he beats Tatli.

Mitchell was spoilt as a young starlet IMO. Instead of learning his trade vs the likes of Michael Gomez etc, he feasted on soft imports or "teak tough" but limited Ghanaians. I think his career suffered as a result when it was time to step up. I always got the impression he felt he was 'owed' a world title just cos he's so talented. Can't see it happening now tho unfortunately. If only he'd got his nut down earlier.

Fair point although the Katsidis fight was a tough matchup at the time.