• Boxing

Let me fight Khan before he flops in US - Kevin Mitchell

ESPN staff
February 11, 2010
Kevin Mitchell is the WBO inter-continental champion © Getty Images
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Kevin Mitchell is desperate to fight Amir Khan, who he claims will be a flop in America.

The WBA light-welterweight champion left Frank Warren Promotions to raise his stature Stateside under the wing of Golden Boy. He has agreed to fight Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas on May 15, although the Mexican is yet to confirm the bout. If he refuses, Khan's camp are reportedly lining up Paulie Malignaggi as a replacement.

Mitchell, a member of Warren's stable, defeated Breidis Prescott - who knocked Khan out after 54 seconds in September 2008 - in December to claim the WBO inter-continental title, which he feels gives him a high enough standing to face the 23-year-old.

"Amir should have stayed loyal to Frank - he made him a massive superstar. It'll be interesting now to see if Amir comes a cropper. I don't think Americans will take to him," Mitchell said.

"I fancy the fight, and I think British boxing fans do, but you have to remember, if he fancied it, it would be on by now. I beat Prescott, so what else can I do?

"Frank is a friend of mine and I'm staying loyal to him. My time will come and when it does, I'll be taking Frank to the United States with me."

Mitchell faces Ignacio Mendoza at Wembley Arena on Saturday, before taking on an as-yet-unknown opponent for the WBO light-welterweight title later in the year. James DeGale, who also said that Khan should not have left Warren, is in the ring on the same night against Matthew Barr.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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