BoxRec

Terrific scrap, as expected. Shows Mitchell's level though. He's no world champ in the making. Alex Arthur would punish Mitchell, and I think we all have him booked for a defeat against Guzman.

Bunce speculated of a Mitchell-Arthur WBO clash if Arthur beats Guzman. That's the biggest IF i have heard in a long time, does Arthur even have a prayer?

Arthur has no chance against Guzman. He has the worst style possible for beating Guzman, especially with that leaky defense.

I have to eat my hat here, I predicted Johanneson, being from Leeds that had summat to do with it, but Mitchell is one tough cookie and he deserveed that win. Even when Carl was on top i felt that Mitchell was gonna come back at some point, good fighter is Mitchell.

Wow what a fight! Domestic fight of the year so far?

Credit to Mitchell - I thought he was a gonner there, it looked like Johanesson was in complete control and Mitchell showed tremendous spirit there. In the mid rounds I was texting my friends "man against boy" - thats what it looked like.... Mitchell didn't look ready, but he got his second win and showed tremendous heart. He'll improve from this.

And credit to Johanesson - he took a kicking in the opening 3 rounds but looked so composed under it all. Even early on I was thinking "a repeat of Johanneson vs Gomez?"... Why does he just fall apart vs Kiroskvyan. When there is a British fighter against him, he seems to be a inmoveable object.

Mitchell looked electric in the opening 3 rounds, really sharp and defensively quick aswell. Hopefully with more experience and man strength - he can do that for 12 rounds and that would be world class.

stujones wrote:Why does he just fall apart vs Kiroskvyan. When there is a British fighter against him, he seems to be a inmoveable object.

Because Kiroskvyan is a world-class puncher, and Mitchell, despite what he seems to think, is not. I agree that if he focuses more on his boxing ability he could move to the fringes of world class.

Deserter wrote:

stujones wrote:Why does he just fall apart vs Kiroskvyan. When there is a British fighter against him, he seems to be a inmoveable object.

Because Kiroskvyan is a world-class puncher, and Mitchell, despite what he seems to think, is not. I agree that if he focuses more on his boxing ability he could move to the fringes of world class.

Michael Gomez has a better KO percentage, against better opposition than Kiroskvyan - but Johanesson just walked though his shots also.

stujones wrote:

Deserter wrote:

stujones wrote:Why does he just fall apart vs Kiroskvyan. When there is a British fighter against him, he seems to be a inmoveable object.

Because Kiroskvyan is a world-class puncher, and Mitchell, despite what he seems to think, is not. I agree that if he focuses more on his boxing ability he could move to the fringes of world class.

Michael Gomez has a better KO percentage, against better opposition than Kiroskvyan - but Johanesson just walked though his shots also.

Well, there are two bones of contention there Stu:

1) We both know that stats never tell the whole story. From what I've seen of both fighters, Kiroskvyan carried greater one-punch power than Gomez, even if the basic stats suggested otherwise.

2) The Gomez that fought Johanesson was certainly not prime Gomez .

True maybe - I aint seen enough of Kiroksvyan to really judge his one punch power.

Yes, it wasn't a prime Gomez - but it was an "up for it" one and I don't think his power has dimished.

i called it for CJ pre fight - well done kevin mitchell.

The_Don1 wrote:I have to eat my hat here, I predicted Johanneson, being from Leeds that had summat to do with it, but Mitchell is one tough cookie and he deserveed that win. Even when Carl was on top i felt that Mitchell was gonna come back at some point, good fighter is Mitchell.

Me too.... I thought CJ would put in the performance of his life and that that would be too much for Kevin, but showed a lot last night....

You are all right though, the talk of world titles is daft at this point....

Mitchell proved he is pretty tough to have taken the shots he did. Very surprised he beat Carl who I thought would be too much for Mitchell.

Mitchell will only ever be fringe world class, I reckon, but he'll be in some entertaining scraps. He's got an excellent chin and tones of heart, but his lack of defense will see him exposed at the top level. He'll be at the top of the British and Euro tree for a while though, that's for sure.

I think Mitchell should fight Burns next.

Just watched the fight again, Mitchell has a granite chin to take some of the bombs that Carl laid on him!

I think that Carl gave everything in that fight, I don't think he could have done anymore, Mitchell is better than I thought.

I reckon its too early for a Euro shot for Mitchell, he should get back in the gym sort his defence out and concentrate on winning the Lonsdale belt outright for the time being.

Just watched the fight again, Mitchell has a granite chin to take some of the bombs that Carl laid on him!

I think that Carl gave everything in that fight, I don't think he could have done anymore, Mitchell is better than I thought.

I reckon its too early for a Euro shot for Mitchell, he should get back in the gym sort his defence out and concentrate on winning the Lonsdale belt outright for the time being.

Mitchell needs to work out whether he's a boxer or a puncher. He's sort of in between at the moment and doesn't really have the defence to box and move nor the punch power/strength to stand and trade.

Great turnaround, though. I thought Carl was pulling away at one point and was on the verge of grinding Mitchell down.

Mitchell vs Kirakosyan would be good, next.

First time I've felt compelled to watch Kevin Mitchell again. Now that he's been in a fight I'm interested in the kid.

Eraserhead wrote:Mitchell needs to work out whether he's a boxer or a puncher. He's sort of in between at the moment and doesn't really have the defence to box and move nor the punch power/strength to stand and trade.

I think at times he has got the defence - the way he was slipping shots against the ropes in the early rounds before firing in some cute uppercuts was a joy to see from a British fighter, but he got drawn into a street fight in the middle rounds. He also showed his inexperience as when he got hit clean he seemed to 'freeze' and his head would stay in the same place, allowing CJ to hit him cleanly with two or three follow-up shots.

Mitchell is a good domestic class fighter but he will struggle beyond that. I think the Johanesson of 2 years ago would have beaten him. Carl has clearly seen better days. Mitchell can't crack an egg either, a shot to shit Gomez hurt Johanesson more than Mitchell did. Mitchell is not going to win a genuine world title I can tell you that now. A good win for Mitchell and answered a few questions about his level IMO.

Why do you say that Nick - Many people have rated Carl's performance vs Ricky Burns as the finest of his career!, that was in 2007 and people were tipping him to beat Arthur... then he loses to Kirkosvyan AGAIN - just months later and he is past it.

The man is only 29, okay had one or two tough fights, but never been a man to have had 4 or 5 fights in his championship days.

He looked good vs Gomez too, his style means he is always a slow starter and takes shots - but against Gomez he looked focus, and stronger. It was as good as I have seen him.

We brits do seem to be keen to write our fighters off as slowing down a bit prematurely. Nobody was saying Barrera at 29 with a MUCH harder, much more active career was past it. Are we genetically different?

Carl Johannesson is a good opporator, solid British title level, fringe European - and always has been, and still is.

I don't know how Mitchell stayed on his feet, I really don't. He was nailed with so many left hooks it's untrue. CJ was robbed of a stoppage which was a shame, but doubt it altered the outcome.

In the end, Carl's arse just fell out of it, he'd thrown absolutely everything he had at Mitchell and couldn't budge him. I think that broke his heart and then all the energy left him.

Mitchell did well to make it out of a hellacious sixth, but he's going to have to become far cuter to cut it at European level. You don't want too many nights like that in your career. Reminded me a bit of John duddy.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:CJ was robbed of a stoppage which was a shame.

Why do you say that James?

stujones wrote:Why do you say that Nick - Many people have rated Carl's performance vs Ricky Burns as the finest of his career!, that was in 2007 and people were tipping him to beat Arthur... then he loses to Kirkosvyan AGAIN - just months later and he is past it.

The man is only 29, okay had one or two tough fights, but never been a man to have had 4 or 5 fights in his championship days.

He looked good vs Gomez too, his style means he is always a slow starter and takes shots - but against Gomez he looked focus, and stronger. It was as good as I have seen him.

We brits do seem to be keen to write our fighters off as slowing down a bit prematurely. Nobody was saying Barrera at 29 with a MUCH harder, much more active career was past it. Are we genetically different?

Carl Johannesson is a good opporator, solid British title level, fringe European - and always has been, and still is.

CJ trained with the Ingles up to the Burns fight. Like Esham Pickering, he seems to have gone downhill since

stujones wrote:Why do you say that Nick - Many people have rated Carl's performance vs Ricky Burns as the finest of his career!, that was in 2007 and people were tipping him to beat Arthur... then he loses to Kirkosvyan AGAIN - just months later and he is past it.

The man is only 29, okay had one or two tough fights, but never been a man to have had 4 or 5 fights in his championship days.

He looked good vs Gomez too, his style means he is always a slow starter and takes shots - but against Gomez he looked focus, and stronger. It was as good as I have seen him.

We brits do seem to be keen to write our fighters off as slowing down a bit prematurely. Nobody was saying Barrera at 29 with a MUCH harder, much more active career was past it. Are we genetically different?

Carl Johannesson is a good opporator, solid British title level, fringe European - and always has been, and still is.

I plucked the 2 years thing out of the air there I have to admit. But I just think a fresher Johanesson would have prevailed. Regardless I stand by my view that Mitchell won't get beyond domestic level.