Revisiting the 2015 WBC Lightweight Title bout between Jorge Linares and Kevin Mitchell

By Jon Uddin✏️

🇻🇪Jorge Linares (38-3-0, 25KO) vs 🇬🇧Kevin Mitchell (39-2-0, 29KO)
May 30, 2015
02 Arena, Greenwich, London, England
WBC Lightweight Title (Linares 1st def)

From the outset, it was clear Jorge Linares was being met by a determined Kevin Mitchell who in his third bid for a world title (previously being stopped by both Michael Katsidis in 2010 and Ricky Burns in 2012), came out confident behind his left jab and had control of the fight early in the first round, until the Venezuelan three weight World Champion returned fire with sharp right hands that got the respect of the challenger.

Mitchell continued to squeak out the early rounds, and even when he suffered a cut over his left eye from a head clash, managed to put Linares on the deck in the fifth round with a big right-left combination. Linares would rise to his feet, and he did so returning fire and the two went toe to toe.

In the seventh and eighth rounds both men were engaged in a classic give and take, but Mitchell came out worse for the wear, evident from the looks of his nose and the blood leaking from the left eye. The battle continued to be level in the ninth round of action but Linares was able to dig deep in the tenth, unleashing furious flurries which completely shut Mitchell’s eye, eventually putting him down. Mitchell was able to get to his feet, but was weary, battered, and his left eye was grotesquely swollen, leaving referee Vic Loughlin with no choice but to stop the fight with 17 seconds left in the round.

It was a tough way to go for Mitchell who was up on two of the judges cards (88-82, 86-84) with the third being even (85-85).