Yarde vs Spelman fight previewed by a man who knows best
Mitch Mitchell lifts the lid on his own unique experiences sharing the ring with Yarde, Arthur & Spelman
Retired journeyman 'Mad' Mitch Mitchell (7-64-3, 3KOs) has shared the ring with the two headliners of this Saturday’s Queensberry Promotions show, as well as the man who could be the victor’s next opponent.
World title contender Anthony Yarde and former English champion Dec Spelman clash over 10-rounds at light-heavyweight, with Commonwealth champion Lyndon Arthur lying in wait for the winner.
The 175-pounders clash in the headliner of a six-fight card taking place behind closed doors at the BT Sport Studios in London.
Trained during his professional career by Esham Pickering, which spanned from 2012-2017, road warrior Mitchell has shared the ring with all three of these talented fighters – Yarde, Spelman and Arthur – so is in a prime position to give BBN the lowdown of who beats who.
Astonishingly, all three managed to defeat ‘Mad Mitch’ via knockout despite the Lincoln fighter only being stopped nine times over 74 contests during his five years of competing.
Mitchell first fought Carl Greaves-trained Dec Spelman – then 3-0 – in his 45th contest on May 2, 2015 at the Doncaster Dome on a Stefy Bull Promotions event, where he managed to draw one of the four rounds.
He reflected back, “I trained hard for that fight. I actually watched the fight back not too long ago, after Spelman and Arthur fought recently, and thought I did quite well.
“It’s always hard in the away corner. I remember going for it in that fight but felt tired in the last round, but Dec’s got a good engine, he just doesn’t stop. From round one, you’re feeling fresh and sharp, bouncing on your toes – we had good scrap, it was 100mph – but he was still the same in the fourth round when I was tiring.”
Just one week later, he jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire and met debutant Anthony Yarde and was stopped 15 seconds into the second stanza.
“I had a few things going on in personal life,” he admitted frankly. “In that week, I fell out with my missus, but looking back I didn’t realise it was only a week later after Spelman when I fought him.
“I was working Monday to Friday, didn’t have much time to be prepping for it, and just went straight into that fight. He didn’t come out steaming, he was a bit of a slow starter, I was throwing more shots than he was in that first round, but he was sharp and dodged them, then he caught me with a double hook and he was very heavy-handed.
“It takes a good few days to recover from a fight, so only having six days wasn’t enough for me. I remember that he had big following and was so hard to hit, I couldn’t land a shot on him because he had good head movement. Then, once I felt his power, I did the typical journeyman trick and tried to look after myself and not take too many more blows.
“I don’t remember it being that aggressive in that fight, he didn’t throw that many shots but must have landed a flurry in the second to finish it off. I think, in the first round, he sussed me out then in the second round he finished it.
“I kick myself now though, I would definitely have been able to go the four rounds no bother, I wish I’d gritted my teeth and got through it. Now he’s become world title contender, I wish I had done better because there’s one lad who went the distance with him and he can look back proudly of that fact.”
Latvian Stanislavs Makarenko (4-12-2, 2KOs) was the only man to hear the final bell with Yarde in a four-rounder in his second pro contest, three months after his debut with Mitchell. The light-heavyweight from Riga was down in the second round but somehow managed to get through the rest of the contest bravely.
Seven fights on from their first meeting, Dec Spelman – now 5-0 – came back improved in their second meeting to put Mitchell down twice in the first round of their November 2015 fight to win with five seconds left on the clock. It was Spelman’s third stoppage from six fights.
Mitchell explained why the outcome was so different from their earliest encounter, “First of all, I blame myself, I had a shit diet and wasn’t training too hard. But Dec came in really heavy, the fight was meant to be at 13st 4lbs, the first fight was at 13st, but Dec didn’t turn up to the weigh-in, he was really late.
“I weighed in with Esham [Pickering], but it got that late we just went out and got food. He just came in really heavy, I remember I just a took knee, but it was a bit of a nail to the pride for me. I think he was a lot heavier, to be honest, he certainly looked a lot bigger, but taking nothing away because he’s quite heavy handed anyway.”
Reigning Commonwealth light-heavyweight king, Lyndon Arthur – then 1-0 – in his second contest, stopped Mitchell at 2:25 in the opening round after he went down twice. Mitchell could barely throw a punch and couldn’t stop the endless jabs or body shots from getting through.
“I remember him being a strong lad and hard to hit, and it felt like he came steaming out with his quite long arms constantly digging at me as hard as he could.
“I remember my mum coming home from holiday the night before and I went to pick her up at 3am in the morning. So I was a bit tired the next day after driving around all night. It was a tough fight, the punches come from quite low and got a lot of power as well. I just remember me being really knackered. I didn’t really take it to him in that fight, I just tried to do the rounds and get through it.
“I look back and wish I’d done more in the Yarde and Lyndon fights. Not making excuses, but out of the three of them – Arthur, Yarde, Spelman – I only turned up to the first Dec Spelman fight.”
Anthony Yarde vs Dec Spelman
“I reckon Dec will definitely put it on him and take the fight to Yarde. Dec is a tough lad, very game and got the ability too. He’s a big light-heavy, very tall and broad, naturally strong and sharp. If he comes out like the way he did with Lyndon then he’ll give him a good fight.
“I like Yarde, he’s got power, speed and good footwork. Dec will come forward and will take a few to land a few, he’s as strong as an ox. I think he’s a scaffolder by trade but don’t know if he’s been working lately as well as boxing. Yarde is full-time and training every day, so he gets time to rest and recover. When you’re working, you train but don’t get no time to rest and recover.
“I think Yarde will be a fresh and controlled fighter, and think the outcome will go in his favour. I think Yarde will win the fight, if he doesn’t stop Spelman then it proves he’s as tough as they come, but Yarde is a good finisher and once he tags you he stays there until they’re gone. I think he’ll go for the stoppage. I would say there’s a chance of it, just because of the short notice, but it’s always hard to tell in boxing.”
“I’m looking forward to watching it!”
Lyndon Arthur vs Anthony Yarde
“I reckon that would be a really good fight if it happens next.
“Yarde is come-forward fighter, Lyndon is a bit more stand offish, so I think Lyndon would control the fight as more of a counter puncher than what Yarde is. He’s a bigger lad than Yarde got more experience having boxed for Team GB, so he’s got a big amateur background. I’d say that Lyndon is the boxer out of the two, he knows how to use the ring and he’s holding the belt as well.
“Yarde will be more the aggressor than Lyndon, but Arthur is the clever boxer out of the two. Yarde almost took Kovalev out in the eighth round of their world title fight, but punched himself out and couldn’t finish it. If Yarde puts it on him constantly then he could get Lyndon out of there, but I think it would be really close. I think Lyndon could win on points or there could be a good chance that Yarde can break through his defence and could stop him in the later rounds.”
Retired life
Since retiring from boxing in late 2017, Mitchell has set up a good business and is enjoying his life outside of the ropes.
He beamed, “I set up my own landscaping business after I stopped boxing, it’s going well and I employ a couple of lads.
“I still keep fit and train three to four times a week. Got kids so they get in the way of all that! I still go to Esham’s Gym but only on Sundays because I’m flat out every other day. We’re still good friends and I do a bit of pads with him. I do body sparring still but not head sparring anymore.
“I turned pro when I was 24 and I was mad for it, training and running every day, and you felt like you could walk through any punches, but as the years go on, it catches up with you and you feel those punches more. I boxed up at cruiser sometimes and some of the lads I fought were coming down from heavyweight.
“It’s good to have Yarde on my record and seeing him doing so well. I boxed Liam Conroy in Liverpool and he was good – I got a draw against him in a four rounder, so that’s a proud moment to look back on. I dropped him and won the fight hands down, but they gave it a draw.
He then concluded by revealing the hardest puncher he has ever been in the ring with and it wasn’t Arthur, Yarde or Spelman… “I boxed six-rounds with Jack Massey; now he can punch! Probably the hardest puncher I’ve ever faced. Every shot he threw just hurt, and I felt like I had concussion for two weeks after that fight!”
Former world title contender ‘The Beast from the East’ Anthony Yarde (19-1, 18KOs) clashes with ex-English champion ‘Kid Nytro’ Dec Spelman (16-4, 8KOs) this Saturday, September 12. Middleweight bangers Mark Heffron (25-1, 19KOs) and Denzel Bentley (13-0, 11KOs) meet on the undercard for the IBF European middleweight title in an intriguing and sure to be thrilling championship clash.
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