Last night Kevin Mitchell was having his third attempt at winning a world title.
Sadly, after losing the other two attempts it wasn?t to be third time lucky with Mitchell being stopped in the 10th round of a brutal fight by the Venezuelan champion.
Entering the ring accompanied by a fluttering West Ham United Football Club flag, Mitchell was soon into the groove catching the champion with a decent jab and forcing the early pace with the champion missing wildly with a few punches of his own. The first ended though with Mitchell being caught by a couple of good looking right hand punches that slammed into his face.
Mitchell started round two good, some perfect jabs rocking the champions? head back. Up close the two exchanged body-shots but Linares was to steal the round with a hurtful left hook that slammed into the face of Mitchell giving the champion the round.
The third round saw Linares catch Mitchell with some good punches but Mitchell fought back countering with a left and an overhand right that stunned Linares.
Round four was soon underway and Mitchell stood up to a heavy looking right hand but was soon cut above the right eye. Things soon went from bad to worse as another cut opened on the left side of Mitchell?s face with the round ending with both fighters exchanging some heavy blows.
Spurred on by the cuts he?d received, Mitchell went on the attack in round five and the champion was floored when Mitchell caught him with a right over the top catching him flush on the jaw, a punch that drew a huge roar from the partisan O2 crowd. Linares climbed to his feet and Mitchell upped the relentless pace delivering some decent clubbing rights.
Linares responded well in the sixth round, catching Mitchell with a punch to the side of the face and then hurting the challenger with a blow to the body.
By the start of round seven, both boxer?s faces were starting to swell and the tempo of the fight was starting to drop, with the champion moving well to keep out of danger.
By round eight the cut above Mitchell?s eye had worsened and blood continued to trickle down his face and an exchange of punches saw Mitchell catch Linares with a right and then take a punch back that snapped his head back. The champion was then jolted with a solid jab before unleashing several punches to keep Mitchell at bay.
Round nine followed and Mitchell?s face looked a mess. The challenger caught Linares with another body punch that produced yet another grimace and the crowd were on their feet when a combination of a left and then a right uppercut caught the champion.
Into the tenth round the fight went and Linares started to get on top taking Mitchell apart and lessening his resistance with some huge blows. Mitchell tried to get out of danger by throwing a left uppercut but Linares had Mitchell on the canvas with a flurry of punches and Mitchell had nothing left in his body to climb back to his feet and the fight was stopped.
Linares had retained his WBC lightweight belt but the score-cards showed just how close Mitchell had gone with two of the three judges having the London fighter ahead.
Can Kevin Mitchell come again, only time will tell!
Brave Mitchell Stopped by Brutal Linares
