Kevin Mitchell suffered heroic heartache in his third world title shot as WBC lightweight champion Jorge Linares bludgeoned him to a 10th round stoppage loss in a bloody battle at London's O2 Arena.
The West Ham supporter was desperate to claim world honours five years after his wayward lifestyle cost him dearly when he wasted his shot at the interim WBO title in a three-round collapse against Michael Katsidis at Upton Park.
Mitchell was given another opportunity in 2012 but was stopped in the fourth round by Ricky Burns in Glasgow.
He gave everything against Venezuelan Linares and seemed well ahead in the fight despite his face looking in a bad state. But it became too much by the 10th as he was forced to take a knee and the fight was stopped.
Matured and refocused, the 30-year-old was a marginal betting favourite against the experienced, accomplished champion Linares, whose record read 38-3 with 25KO wins going into the bout.
But it was a dangerous task in hand for Mitchell (39-2, 29KOs) and he was well aware of the fact.
Mitchell took the opening round with some eye-catching left hooks and tidy jabs, though Tokyo-based Linares ended the round well.
The home fighter was therefore more cautious in the second, mindful of Linares' power, and the sizeable champion probably took the points by holding the centre of the ring and landing several right hands.
Both men suffered cuts in the fourth from an accidental head clash and Mitchell swallowed a counter left hook while on the front foot.
Finally Mitchell had Linares down with a right hand and left hook but the champion rose with the count at eight. Mitchell looked for the finish with plenty of time left in the round and the crowd, to a man, on their feet. Linares, though, recovered well and actually finished the round strongly.
Already cut near the left eye, though, the Londoner was also bleeding badly from the nose and seemed to be troubled by it as Linares gave more in the eighth.
A right hand hurt Mitchell badly in the 10th and his ring nous completely deserted him as he failed to either hold on or cover up. Instead he bravely fought back, only to end up in a corner, trapped, and forced to take a knee.
He beat Victor Loughlin's count but when the referee looked into his glazed eyes and disfigured face, he decided to wave it off.
Source: PA
