August 27 was supposed to be a big coming out party for American heavyweight Seth Mitchell (22-0-1, 16 KOs). Fresh off a May 1st round KO of Evans Quinn on Showtime’s “ShoBox” series, Mitchell had caught the attention of HBO matchmakers looking for an opening bout to accompany the intriguing matchup between Roberto Guerrero and Marcos Maidana. It was a credit to Mitchell’s potential that HBO would seek him out. At this time last year, the network vowed to show no more heavyweight bouts outside of Klitschko-Haye because the division had “no interest” among U.S. fight fans. This made it all the more heart-breaking for Mitchell and his team when Robert Guerrero pulled out with a left shoulder tear, resulting in the entire card being canceled a week before fight night.
Roughly two weeks later, Mitchell’s voice still carries hints of incredulity when he thinks back on how he first heard the news while putting the final touches on his training camp.
“I was actually taking a nap and getting ready to go to the gym,” explained Mitchell, who’s just three years into the pro ranks after a previous athletic career as a football linebacker. “It was about 1:42 p.m. to be exact and my manager told me. It was shocking but it’s the nature of the business when it comes to the main event. This is my first time ever dealing with it but I’ve heard of it happening. It’s disappointing. I don’t know all the ins and outs [of the business]. All I know for sure is that I’m not fighting and my team is working hard to get me back in the ring as soon as possible.”
Mitchell’s August 27 opponent was scheduled to be Mike Mollo, an experienced journeyman who’s been inactive since August 2010. Nonetheless, Mitchell anticipated a TV-friendly battle that he believes would have showcased improved an improvement in his techical and “battle of attrition” capabilities.
“As usual, my approach was to never underestimate my opponent and come in tip-top shape,” said Mitchell, mindful of a year that’s been filled with boxing upsets. “I worked on my flaws as fighter; I’m still learning the nuances of the game and didn’t want any setbacks. I watched some film on Mike Mollo and knew he was a tough fighter and would come prepared. I was looking forward to a dogfight to impress the fans.”
He added, “We go back to the drawing board after every fight and try to correct things. Even in the Quinn fight, if you watch closely and dissect it even though it was a short fight, you saw a lot of improvements. You saw a good jab to the head and body, head movement, and me throwing combinations. We definitely worked on bringing all those things together to be a better fighter as a whole.”
With that fight gone, Mitchell now has the balancing act of staying in fighting shape without burning himself out while waiting for another HBO date. At press time, there are dicussions with other networks like Fox Sports and Telefutura for a possible mid-September date. Either way, Mitchell says he’ll remain close enough to his fighting weight that he’ll only need a two-week training window to face anyone.
“My average fight weight is about 244. But I walk around about 10-12 pounds over my fight weight,” he detailed. “Hopefully the rescheduled fight won’t be that far off. After a day or two off I was right back in the gym. We won’t be full throttle but I’ll definitely be in shape where all I’ll need is two weeks to be in ring shape. I’m not expecting a long layoff.”
Even as a prospect, Mitchell’s exposure has caught the attention of one veteran looking to re-establish his name. Kevin Johnson, last seen on TV in 2010 delivering a listless, abysmal non-performance in a WBC title shot against Vitali Klitschko, confronted Mitchell on-camera in Atlantic City in July to demand a fight. While the boastful Johnson did most of the talking, Mitchell ended the confrontation by calmly proclaiming to Johnson “I’d bust your ass” should they ever face-off in combat. Although the confrontation helped raise Mitchell’s online profile, don’t expect media call-outs to become his M.O.
“Far as the camera, I didn’t expect that,” Mitchell admitted. “He was popping off earlier in the week on the internet. I was planning on being in Atlantic City anyway that weekend to support Paul Williams for his fight. I wasn’t there looking for him; the cameras caught me off guard, but I thought I handled it well. I wish Kevin Johnson all the best, but I’m not thinking about him. I got to take it one fight at a time. I can’t focus on too many other fighters even though I have my eye on the prize, and that’s one day fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world. Once I get an opponent, I shut down any other thought processes.”
Whether fans see him later this month on another network, or before the end of 2011 on HBO, Seth Mitchell’s main goal is to further refine his ring acumen. He instinctively knows that what got him an easy KO over Evans Quinn won’t translate as ascends higher in the heavyweight rankings. And just three years into his career, that much-coveted title opportunity may come sooner rather than later.
“I was very happy to get the call from HBO. Hopefully we’ll still make it happen, but it’s dependent on me to still improve and be impressive,” said Mitchell. “I know why the opportunity came. That means being exciting and in-shape for every fight and not messing around. I will continue to improve with each fight.”
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 