“Capital Showdown: Khan vs. Peterson” just got more exciting with the announcement that undefeated American heavyweight Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell will make his HBO debut against tough contender Timur Ibragimov in the co-featured bout to the Unified Super Lightweight World Championship between champion Amir “King” Khan and No. 1-rated IBF Contender and Washington, DC’s own Lamont Peterson.
The event, which marks the return of big time boxing to the nation’s capital, is set to take place Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and will be televised live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing.
“I’m definitely excited to be fighting back at home in front of my fans and on a big stage as the co-main event on HBO,” said Mitchell. “Ibragimov is my toughest opponent yet on paper, as far as his record and the quality of opposition that he has faced. I’m looking forward to a great fight and I’m sure that Ibragimov will come to the fight prepared. Come December 10, I will be mentally and physically prepared as well. I am expecting the fight to be tough, but at the same time, I plan on coming out victorious.”
“I’m working extremely hard for this fight,” said Ibragimov. “I have seen Seth Mitchell fight and I know he’s a good prospect, but I’m too experienced for him.”
“This fight is a true test for Seth Mitchell,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “He is fighting on HBO against a ‘take-no-prisoners’ power puncher. I have no doubt that this is Seth Mitchell’s time to shine and I can’t wait to see him take on Ibragimov on December 10 and continue his rise as the next great American heavyweight.”
A native of Brandywine, Maryland, heavyweight contender Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell (23-0-1, 17 KO’s) has proven he is the jolt of energy the division has been looking for. Since his last bout in the area in April of 2010 (a third round technical knockout of Ryan Thompson), the 29-year-old former Michigan State University standout linebacker has gone from prospect to contender, winning seven bouts in a row, all by knockout. In 2011 alone, Charles Davis (second round technical knockout), Evans Quinn (first round knockout) and Hector Ferreyro (third round technical knockout) have all tasted defeat at Mitchell’s hands, and he expects to make another statement on December 10.
Winner of nine of his last ten bouts, Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s Timur Ibragimov (30-3-1, 16 KO’s) is a 1996 Olympian for the Uzbek team who is in the midst of a quest for a world championship. He knows that a win over the undefeated young star Mitchell will move him even closer to that goal. An 11-year professional who has faced former World Champions Oliver McCall, Al Cole and Jean-Marc Mormeck, the 36-year-old is confident that he has the experience, style and determination to issue the highly-touted Mitchell his first defeat.
