Kevin Mitchell believes he will win a world title in style this year as he prepares to face Daniel Estrada in a final eliminator for the WBC lightweight belt at The O2 arena in London on January 31, live on Sky Sports.
Mitchell meets the Mexican with his sights set on new WBC titleholder Jorge Linares, who picked up the vacant title in December with a KO win over Javier Prieto.
The London favourite is back in action for the first time since his come-from-behind 11th round stoppage win over Ghislain Maduma at Wembley Stadium in May, and the 30 year old believes he is on the path to landing the title he desperately craves.
“The WBC route is one that I feel I can go down better than any of the others,” said Mitchell. “I know that I can beat Linares, I believe I would knock him out and take that title. Eddie Hearn puts the fighters in front of me and I take them out, that’s the deal.
“Estrada is a Mexican fighter so he’s going to be game and as tough as they come, he’s a good fighter. He’s quite upright, his hands are wide and he’s a good boxer that doesn’t get involved in a scrap unless he has to. He caused Omar Figueroa problems until he got chinned, and that will be in the back of his mind as it’s his first fight back. It’s a massive fight for us both, it’s a fight I simply have to win.”
A clash with Linares would be a second title shot for Mitchell, who was stopped by Ricky Burns in Glasgow in September 2012 for the Scotsman’s WBO crown, and Mitchell sees some huge domestic World title clashes on the horizon as Anthony Crolla hopes to have his own shot at the WBA strap rescheduled later this year.
“If Anthony can get back to full health and get that world title shot at Richar Abril again and win the belt, a unification between us would be a massive fight,” said Mitchell. “That would sell out an arena in London or Manchester no problem. We have both got plenty of work to do to make it happen, but what an exciting prospect and it’d be a great spectacle.
