Boxing Betting / Ralph Ellis / 10 February 2010 /

While Amir Khan has had all the headlines, Kevin Mitchell has been one of British boxing's best kept secrets until now. Betfair went to meet the WBO's number one world lightweight contender before he fights Ignacio Mendoza at Wembley on Saturday

Hi Kevin, how's your training going?

Yeah it's going really well, I've prepared properly, I feel right, I feel ready for this big fight.

How long has your build up been?

I do nine weeks before a fight. You can't start straight in the deep end and go flat out, so you warm yourself into it over the course of weeks, get your fitness all ready, and then work to be at your peak for fight night

And what happens in the last few days?

Well by now the fitness stuff is all done, and it's all about fast work with your hands. Fast punches, keep your strength back but tune the reflexes

What do you know about Mendoza?

I know he's very dangerous, very strong, has very powerful punches with both hands so I can't take anything lightly. But most of all I know I'm looking forward to going to Wembley. It's my first really big build up, the first time headlining, so I will have a massive following from home

Sounds good

Yeah, the last fight was a big one, on the bill with Amir and fought Breidis Prescott, which was a big fight for me but I wasn't headlining it. This time I'm top of my own bill, I'm in my own city in London, and I'm looking forward to it. I want to be doing these big shows down here all the time now, so this has to be the first of a lot more.

Well win and it will be - next up is Michael Katsidis for the WBO title

Well everyone knows I want Katsidis really bad, it's a big fight for me and my dream, but it has to be one at a time otherwise it doesn't happen. You keep your focus. I feel like I've earned my place now, I've been a pro for seven years, and the next aim is to make myself a name not just in London but right through Britain. As a kid, when you dream of what you want to be, this is what you are thinking about.

So how did you get into boxing?

I was out playing football, and always got in fights out in the streets. If someone said something I was always having a go to sort them out. I wasn't a bully, I was always fighting bigger kids. I was just an aggressive young child, but then about the age of seven my dad started boxing with me indoors, messing about and that, and then he took me to a gym and it just went from there. It stopped all my aggression and stopped all my troubles really and I was good at it.

That's a classic boxing tale

Most definitely, you see it's a very disciplined sport, all the people I grew up with taught me a lot. Boxing teaches you respect, how to respect your own life really, and that's what they did for me.

We gather you go to schools to try to help others do the same

Yeah, I train kids, it's great. I go to do boxing in schools all round Essex. I've had kids who are overweight, not happy with themselves, aggressive in class, not learning. There's one, a kid called Sam, I knocked three stone off him in weight, and he's just a changed person, nothing like he used to be, he works in class and now he boxes for Dagenham boxing club. Good things come of it you see...

You clearly love that?

Yeah, well one day whether I make millions out of the sport myself or not, or become a champion, I don't care. I want to go back to those children and others like them, in the society I grew up in and give back a bit. There's nothing better than helping those kids out

Being a champion won't be easy - the lighter divisions have got Khan, Gavin Rees has just won Prizefighter, there are a lot of contenders

Tell me about it, and that's not just over here but in the world. Think of Valero, Marquez, plenty of 'em, but I'm 25 now and I know I can mix it with any of them. I got in the other month with the feller who knocked Khan out in 56 seconds and I beat him.

That must have given you confidence

Well a lot of people have said that, but it's actually not confidence I've needed but getting the matches. I've always been pretty sure about myself in the ring and boxing and fighting, I just have to show other people what I can do. I believe I am the same level as Khan, if not better. Everyone always says since he came on the scene he's a better fighter, and I want to show to everybody I've got what it takes to beat the likes of him and be one of the big names myself.

He made his name in the Olympics, of course

I know. But I turned that down because I had the chance to go for my dream which was to be a professional and that's what I did. I don't regret it.

So are you catching him up now?

Saturday is the start of that. He's earning the money at the moment, but I think the next two years will be very big for me.

We hope so and there's a free £50 bet to say thanks for your time

That can go for the Robyn Higgins appeal for a little girl who is fighting cancer, and I'm going to back my team West Ham to beat Birmingham tonight at [2.3]. It's a massive game for them!

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