BoxRec

Should be a decent test for the ludicrously (over)rated Mitchell who puts his 16-0 record on the line against the tough Rodney Hernandez who's 10-7-2. Up for grabs will be Mitchell's "Junior" NABF title over 8 rounds.
I've no idea whether Mitchell can fight or not based on his record as he's yet to face a live body but Hernandez is a rough customer who can be durable & a bit of a spoiler. His best result is an 8 round draw with Joey Dawejko last year. So, he can fight a bit.

Since Mitchell has such a generous world rating I think that Joe Joyce's people should throw some good money Mitchell's way if he gets past Hernandez tomorrow night. It would give "The Juggernaut" the opportunity to beat someone in the top ten which is just what Joyce's people have been looking for.

Hernandez is always reliable. He can be sure to make Mitchell know that he's been in a fight.

Having said that the fact that Hernandez represents one of Mitchell's toughest test to date is pretty embarrassing for someone of Mitchell's age, who has been regarded as having genuine potential for as long as he has.

For the sake of his pupils I hope he shows a lot more dedication to his proper job. I've heard that he does.

Dear God, please tell me none of the Alphabet mafias have LaRon in their top 10

haven't seen much of Laron Mitchell on youtube.

moving quite slowly and isn't getting any younger.

all the baubles and 'titles' are silly, obviously

theres no way Joyce's team will put him in with a prospect...he's getting the useless ko's atm against stiffs

has mitchell proved hes really much better then a guy like lenroy thomas? mitchell simply having a hugely padded unbeaten record doesnt make him a dangerous prospect

Mitchell should be ready to face a top 100 opponent in the next 12 months.

funso banjo baby wrote: ↑30 Jun 2018, 04:56 haven't seen much of Laron Mitchell on youtube.

moving quite slowly and isn't getting any younger.

all the baubles and 'titles' are silly, obviously

theres no way Joyce's team will put him in with a prospect...he's getting the useless ko's atm against stiffs

Complete tripe. for just five fights he has fought quality opposition.

agree, and lol at laron mitchell being framed as some 'too dangerous' opponent for joyce. look at mitchells record then watch him in the right. would be run over.

Joe Joyce's people have been clamoring for a "step up" opponent in order to get into the world ratings but neither Chisora nor Miller has been willing to risk their places in the world ratings against a 5-0 pro despite very good money being offers. It would seem that a guy like Mitchell would jump at the opportunity though. Of course, it would be contingent upon his winning against Hernandez tonight. Which is no sure thing as Hernandez is just the type of opponent that can produce an upset.
Hernandez is better than his 10-7-2 record indicates but with only two kayos to his credit he's not much of a banger. But, he's shown that he can be a busy puncher that can outwork opponents down the stretch. He's also beaten Scott Alexander which was Mitchell's best opponent/result to date. Alexander then turned around to give Travis Kaufmann a very tough, tight fight. So, both men have some skills.
Hell, if Hernandez pulls an upset tonight he'd make for a good keep busy fight for Joyce as well. It wouldn't be nearly as attractive as a matchup vs an unbeaten, world rated opponent though but it would be a decent gauge as to where Joyce stands skills-wise.

jamamb wrote: ↑30 Jun 2018, 06:03 has mitchell proved hes really much better then a guy like lenroy thomas? mitchell simply having a hugely padded unbeaten record doesnt make him a dangerous prospect

Only in that he has wins over two respectable journeymen and is going for his third. Of course Thomas also has some decent if unspectacular wins.

Neither has he been blown away by a guy having had less than six pro fights, there again he might not be able to claim that had he been Joe Joyce's 5th opponent, in fact I suspect that would be the case.

If I had a heavyweight who I believed in and wanted to build his experience with genuine learning fights against solid pros who will give him good rounds without being likely to upset the apple cart, then if I'm UK based my first thought would be Kamil Sokolowski. When I can afford to bring in opponents from overseas then Avery Gibson and Rodney Hernandez top my list. Jamaal Woods is respectably placed too.

Laron Mitchell is not on the radar for Joyce's team.

Joyce went in deep for his debut and struggled to dent Lewison (wrong choice of opp) since then they've looked to pad his record with KO's...the last guy Joyce fought threw the fight. it was silly.

there's no way Mitchell will be the kind of opp they want.

funso banjo baby wrote: ↑30 Jun 2018, 18:30 Laron Mitchell is not on the radar for Joyce's team.

Joyce went in deep for his debut and struggled to dent Lewison (wrong choice of opp) since then they've looked to pad his record with KO's...the last guy Joyce fought threw the fight. it was silly.

there's no way Mitchell will be the kind of opp they want.

That last opponent did put forth a pathetic "effort" & should have had his purse withheld but he was a last-minute replacement opponent for a last-minute opponent. At this stage of his career, they're finding it difficult to find him, appropriate opponents. He's too good for the usual opponent types that most debutant pros face but the upper echelon of heavyweights like Chisora & Jamaal Miller won't fight him for fear of losing to a 5-0 fighter. Even if he is an Olympian.
That's why I'd like for Joyce's people to begin bringing in some mid-level heavyweights like Joey Dawejko, Joey Abell, Travis Kaufmann etc. And, yes, eventually match him up with some of the fellow unbeaten heavies like Mitchell, Rivas, Jean Pierre Augustin, Wallin etc.

joyce easily won every round vs lewison and stopped him, stopped him faster then whyte did

laron mitchell is nearly 40 and has a totally padded record. barely beat mario heredia and got put on his ass. if its being suggested that joyces team see him as too dangerous, i dont buy it. he doesnt look good at all and has about as much value on his record as lenroy thomas does. hes also just a part timer.

id say hes one of the weakest hws with a world ranking. with that ranking and unbeaten record i can see him becoming a target for someone actually

jamamb wrote: ↑30 Jun 2018, 20:01 joyce easily won every round vs lewison and stopped him, stopped him faster then whyte did

laron mitchell is nearly 40 and has a totally padded record. barely beat mario heredia and got put on his ass. if its being suggested that joyces team see him as too dangerous, i dont buy it. he doesnt look good at all and has about as much value on his record as lenroy thomas does. hes also just a part timer.

id say hes one of the weakest hws with a world ranking. with that ranking and unbeaten record i can see him becoming a target for someone actually

My feelings exactly.

mitchell lost

but ya funso, way too dangerous for joyce

LaRon Mitchell 16 0 0
vs
Rodney Hernandez 10 7 2

Hernandez won by SD
Mitchell hurt at the end of round 7




FULL CARD HIGHLIGHTS HERE:
http://www.the13thround.com/phpBB2/view ... 5#p1806125


ENJOY!

you had to have the feeling this was coming soon for mitchell.

Good for Hernandez. It's nice to see a solid journeyman/spoiler like him get the nod in a close fight.
So much for Mitchell's unbeaten record & WBO world rating. Something tells me that Hernandez won't take his spot in the rankings either. They'll just find another fighter with a glossy unbeaten mark to take Mitchell's spot.
What I'd like to see now is for Hernandez to being given a decent payday against another up & coming fighter like a Joe Joyce, a Dubois or a Spong.

Speaking of young up & coming heavies, tonight's result makes one wonder about the unbeaten Nigerian currently fighting out of Texas, Efe Ajagba. He just stopped Hernandez in five rounds this past November in what was only his third pro fight. It's the only time that Hernandez has been beaten inside the distance.

funso banjo baby wrote: ↑30 Jun 2018, 18:30 Laron Mitchell is not on the radar for Joyce's team.

Joyce went in deep for his debut and struggled to dent Lewison (wrong choice of opp) since then they've looked to pad his record with KO's...the last guy Joyce fought threw the fight. it was silly.

there's no way Mitchell will be the kind of opp they want.

Joyce's people don't have the luxury of who they want, they have to settle for who will fight him.

People like Chisora and Miller have made their excuses, and I for one don't blame them. Nobody wants to risk losing to a 5 fight novice, but they know he isn't your average novice. This guy is a vastly experienced amateur who has fought the cream of amateur heavyweights over several years. Realistically there is little he can learn other than the amateur to pro adaptation process, and he probably has that nailed down by now.

Stylistically he's not unlike George Forman, with many of the same flaws and attributes. He doesn't hit as hard mind, and I'm not saying he is anywhere near as good, before someone rounds up the lynch-mob.

It is a nonsense to say they are attempting to pad his record. He's almost the same age as Wilder and he's serious about making a real impact at the highest level. He doesn't have time to fukc about and he knows it. All they can do is offer good money and hope someone with a ranking is brave enough, dumb enough or desperate enough to take it.

sweetviolenturge wrote: ↑01 Jul 2018, 03:10 Speaking of young up & coming heavies, tonight's result makes one wonder about the unbeaten Nigerian currently fighting out of Texas, Efe Ajagba. He just stopped Hernandez in five rounds this past November in what was only his third pro fight. It's the only time that Hernandez has been beaten inside the distance.

Well done Rodney, I knew you would acquit yourself well, even if I didn't expect your efforts to be rewarded.

Yes this does reflect very well on young Efe. He's only 23 as I recall, and he should be a real contender and potentially for the long term. I'm quite sure he would batter quite a number of those masquerading as top 7 - 20 contenders even now.

candyslim wrote: ↑01 Jul 2018, 03:54

sweetviolenturge wrote: ↑01 Jul 2018, 03:10 Speaking of young up & coming heavies, tonight's result makes one wonder about the unbeaten Nigerian currently fighting out of Texas, Efe Ajagba. He just stopped Hernandez in five rounds this past November in what was only his third pro fight. It's the only time that Hernandez has been beaten inside the distance.

Well done Rodney, I knew you would acquit yourself well, even if I didn't expect your efforts to be rewarded.

Yes this does reflect very well on young Efe. He's only 23 as I recall, and he should be a real contender and potentially for the long term. I'm quite sure he would batter quite a number of those masquerading as top 7 - 20 contenders even now.

Between Joyce, Ajagba, Hrgovic, Dubois, Spong, Kuzmin & others we should be seeing an influx of new contenders within the next year or so that will be pushing out most of the older guys that have been lingering around in the ratings for the past few years like Pulev, Jennings, Chisora etc. I can't wait to get a good look at some of these fighters as they step up.

I expect Joyce to fight Mitchell next

@SVE: Agreed except I don't see Spong as attending the party. He's done sweet FA as a boxer and I don't know coz I don't follow it, but I assume he has returned to MMA. Hope his leg can take the abuse this time.

There is almost always a good reason why somebody is 16-0 or better is without a win against a top 100 opponent.

LaRon got beat by Hernandez prev ranked 144, and a much better fighter than his 11-7-2.

Exactly: Consider Arnold Gjergjaj, 29 and 0 going into the Haye fight. Haye destroyed him but that didn't necessarily mean he couldn't fight, not at the time anyway.

Then he at 30 and 1 he gets stopped in 8 by "Big Sexy" Sean Turner 12 and 1. Sean's 1 defeat having come against another favourite journeyman of mine, Kamil Sokolowski 3 - 9 - 2

Say what ?!!! ... Yep 3 wins 9 defeats 2 draws. If you ever needed an example of how numbers mean shite, it's who you fought that counts ... well I can't think of a better one.