Kevin Mitchell has been handed home advantage for his second crack at a world title against Jorge Linares.
Mitchell will face the WBC champion at the O2 Arena on May 30 as part of a multi world-title bill in London.
Featherweight Lee Selby will challenge for the IBF title against Evgeny Gradovich while heavyweight Anthony Joshua will also be in action against Kevin Johnson. (It is expected also that Kell Brook vs Frankie Gavin will be added to the bill)
Mitchell became the mandatory challenger for Linares’ belt by beating Daniel Estrava in January.
Kevin Mitchell gave the best display of his career to beat Daniel Estrada at London’s O2 Arena and earn a shot at the WBC lightweight title.
The 30-year-old Essex fighter floored his Mexican opponent in round three and was in complete control thereafter.
With Estrada taking severe punishment and his face disfigured, the referee stopped the fight in round eight.
Mitchell, who has won 39 of 41 fights, is now the number one contender for Venezuelan Jorge Linares’s world title.
Mitchell told Sky Sports: “That was the best I’ve ever fought. With the team I’ve got around me, I’m unstoppable.”
The 30-year-old from Dagenham previously challenged Ricky Burns in 2012 but was stopped in the fourth round. He also lost to Michael Katsidis for the interim WBO title at Upton Park two years earlier.
Last year, Mitchell beat Ghislain Maduma at Wembley but was not installed as the IBF’s mandatory challenger after failing to make the check weight on the day of the fight.
Promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports News: ‘Kevin Mitchell is one of the most talented fighters in British boxing; he’s also one of the most likable.
‘Sometimes it takes longer to achieve what you want but I believe it’s perfect timing for him to finally fulfill his dream and become WBC champion of the world.’
Jorge Linares became the youngest fighter from Venezuela and just the second ever from the nation to win belts in three weight classes following his 4th round knockout of Javier Prieto in their vacant lightweight title fight in Tokyo, Japan.
A pro since December 15, 2002, when he blasted out Kyong-Soo Chong in just 45 seconds, Linares – who is based in Tokyo and speaks fluent Japanese and Spanish – has had little difficulty in his career thus far, winning 38 of 41 bouts, with 25 knockouts to his name.
