Boxing: Kevin Mitchell aims to become ‘superstar’ by taking Ricky Burns’ title

By GAVIN McCAFFERTY
Published on 20/09/2012 00:00

Kevin Mitchell is determined to grasp his second chance and achieve superstar status by taking Ricky Burns’ world title from him on Saturday night.

Mitchell faces Coatbridge’s WBO lightweight champion Burns at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow more than two years after missing the opportunity to take the same belt. The Dagenham boxer went into an interim WBO title fight against Michael Katsidis under-prepared amid domestic problems and was on the end of a three-round destruction by the hard-hitting Australian at Upton Park.

The 27-year-old now wants to banish memories of that defeat by Katsidis. He said: “I just wasn’t prepared mentally, I had a lot of problems. I was an inexperienced young boy. I should have pulled out that night. As a man I have come on bundles since then. This time round I’ve been training hard, and am happy in myself. It’s probably my last big chance.

“I’ve worked like an animal. I want this world title. Saturday night when I win it, I’ll become a household name. I’ll become a superstar and that’s where I want to earn my money and my kids’ future earnings.”