THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION AIN?T DEAD: MITCHELL TKO?S WITHERSPOON IN AN ENTERTAINING BOUT IN A.C.
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 29 Apr 2012
Atlantic City, New Jersey ? In a night where fighters with zero losses in their career remained undefeated, Heavyweight Seth Mitchell 24-0-1 (18 KOs) was the only one in jeopardy of losing his perfect record. His opponent, Chazz Witherspoon came out strong in the initial round of their scheduled 12 rounder as the opener to the rematch of Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson. Witherspoon 30-2 (22 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA used effective jabbing to blind his unbeaten foe. He then unleashed scoring left and right combos on Mitchell who was evidently hurt from it. Mitchell?s knees buckled from those big shots but he was able to finish the round.
Mitchell woke up in the 2nd round as he turned the tide against Witherspoon. He went to the body of his bigger foe as he pummeled it with his two fists. That bothered Witherspoon, which forced him to open his defense upstairs. Mitchell took advantage of that lapse by Witherspoon, landing considerable headshots that at times pushed back Witherspoon across the ring. The exciting action in both rounds was applauded and appreciated by the crowd as the two fighters fight a fast, bruising battle in the last 6 minutes.
The former standout linebacker at Michigan State in Mitchell continued his unrelenting attack in the 3rd round against a surprised opponent. Mitchell again went to the body, firing vicious shots to the planks of Witherspoon. That once again opened up another opportunity for Mitchell to connect to his head. Two big left hooks did the trick for Mitchell, dropping the big heavyweight to the canvass.
Witherspoon got up and opted to fight back after the knockdown, as Mitchell pounded on him like a linebacker pouncing on another team?s running back. He pushed the hometown fighter in a corner using stinging straights and overhand rights as his foe covers up for dear life.
Mitchell unleashed two rockets of a right hand on Witherspoon who is leaning by the ropes as referee Randy Neumann intently watched the action in the ring. Neumann stepped in after seeing Witherspoon dazed from those two right hands by Mitchell and started to give Witherspoon the 8 count as he stayed there in the ropes. But Neumann saw that Witherspoon was hurt and stopped the match right there.
Mitchell admitted that ?This is my toughest fight to date.? after his TKO victory tonight. ?I knew Chazz would come out to fight, he dazed me but I was able to hold on.? said Mitchell. The bruising fight was well appreciated by fans that trooped here at the arena by the shores of the Atlantic coast, as they gave the two fighters the applause they deserved for a very entertaining fight. The time of the stoppage was called at the 2:31 mark of the 3rd; enabling Mitchell to win the vacant NABO Heavyweight belt with the impressive but hard earned victory.
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