Seth Mitchell Smashes Timur Ibragimov
by Gautham Nagesh
WASHINGTON, DC–Maryland heavyweight prospect Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell ran roughshod over Uzbek veteran Timur Ibragimov Saturday night at Washington Convention Center, forcing the ref to stop the fight in the second round after a series of thudding right hands. Mitchell’s first fight as the co-feature on HBO proved to be his coming out party as he blew out a foe that had never been stopped before.
Mitchell considers his jab his best punch and he began the fight by pumping it to his opponent’s body. The doughy Ibragimov was able to land a few rights over Mitchell’s lowered left hand but Mitchell took his shots well during an entertaining first round. Mitchell began stepping into his punches in the second, connecting with a heavy left hook followed by a trio of crunching overhand rights. Ibragimov retreated to the corner and offered no response, forcing the referee’s hand. Some will consider the stoppage premature but the result appeared inevitable.
Mitchell remains rough around the edges but he clearly possesses considerable punching power and unusual athletic ability for a man of his size. He’s an imposing presence in the ring with the type of raw talent that makes a planned 2013 date with the Klitschkos seem less far-fetched. But Seth by his own admission is not yet at that point. His performance in front of the Washington crowd was undoubtedly impressive but his defense needs work and a few more fights would serve him well.
Boxing insiders are skeptical of the former Michigan State linebacker due to his late start in the sport and the dubious record of past football players that have taken up the Sweet Science. But Mitchell is polished, humble and dedicated to honing his craft. He emphasized after the fight that he has always been able to excel during competition with is peers, from taking up football in 9th grade and earning multiple college scholarship offers to unseating a fifth-year senior as a true freshman in East Lansin. So his proficiency at pugilism after such a short stint should surprise none close to him.
Besides, while rare it’s not unheard of for a fighter to take up boxing late in life and become a champion. Mitchell fought only ten amateur fights, but Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. both turned professional with almost no amateur background and won world titles. While those fighters at least had their famous last names and the kindness of sanctioning bodies to rely upon, middleweight champion Sergio Martinez had none of those advantages.
Martinez took up boxing after turning 20 and has developed into one of the best fighters of this era at age 36. His considerable athleticism and sporting background can’t have hurt, traits shared by Mitchell. Plus, heavyweights are known for developing later in life, giving Mayhem more time to achieve his peak than the typical welterweight. The prudent course would be to keep bringing him along cautiously since there is no surer ticket to box office appeal in boxing than a powerful American heavyweight.
A matchup with a similarly untested younger heavyweight may be intriguing for fans, someone like Tyson Fury or Robert Helenius would provide an excellent test for Mitchell. Alexander Povetkin or Chris Arreola could follow, with perhaps Michael Grant somewhere in the mix. The goal should be to fight taller fighters while continuing to increase the quality of competition. Seth said he will be ready for the big test in 2013; if he’s lucky the Ukrainian giants will have crested by that point and he can catch them in time to make a name for himself.
On a personal note, it would be fantastic to see Seth fight in the Washington area again sometime in the near future. He has appeared on a few local cards and his destruction of Ibragimov likely converted more than a few locals into repeat customers. Mitchell would be the ideal headliner on a card featuring some of the region’s up-and-coming prospects. Hopefully his handlers and manager Al Haymon realize the potential to cultivate a devout local fanbase and bring Mayhem back to D.C. in the near future.