Sharmba Mitchell

Sharmba David Mitchell (born August 27, 1970), better known plainly as Sharmba Mitchell, is a boxer who was world Jr. Welterweight champion.

Mitchell, nicknamed "Little Big Man", is a native of Takoma Park, Maryland, but a resident of Washington, D.C..

Professional career

He began his professional boxing career on September 23, 1988, knocking out Eddie Colon in three rounds at Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Mitchell had a mark of 14 wins and no losses, with seven knockout wins, including victories over former Olympic Games bronze medalist Aristides Acevedo, and over Dana Roston, when he met a former or future world champion for the first time inside a ring. On March 8 of 1990, he beat the famed former world champion, Rafael Limon, by an eight round unanimous decision in Atlantic City, but he endured what was probably an embarrassing moment for him, when Limon stripped Mitchell of his trunks during round seven. The fight was televised in the United States, and the pants-pulling moment made it into a number of blooper videos.

Mitchell kept on winning, and, after running his record up to 27-0, with sixteen knockouts, which by now included a win against former world title challenger Miguel Santana as well, he fought the former world champion, Rocky Lockridge, on April 22 of 1992, Mitchell winning a ten round unanimous decision.

Mitchell lost two fights in a row to begin 1994: one against future world champion Leavander Johnson, in eight rounds, then to future two time world Lightweight champion Stevie Johnston, in nine rounds. He wouldn't lose another fight in the next seven years.

After six more wins in a row, including one over future world champion Terron Millett, Mitchell fought for the WBC continental Americas Jr. Welterweight title, on April 11, 1996, in Dallas, Texas. He won the title by knocking out Gilberto Floes in the second round.

On May 10, 1997, he beat Jose Rafael Barboza by a twelve round decision in Miami, Florida to win the WBA's Fedelatin belt in the same weight division. After two more wins, he got his first chance at winning a world title.

On October 10, 1998, he beat Moroccan Khalid Rahilou by a twelve round unanimous decision in Paris, France, becoming the WBA's world Jr. Welterweight champion.

Mitchell retained his world title four times, his last successful defense being against Puerto Rican Felix Flores on September 16, 2000, at Las Vegas. Mitchell was dropped in the first round, but he recovered and edged the Puerto Rican challenger by two scores of 116-111 and one of 116-113.

First fight with Tszyu

After this fight, demand rose for a unification title bout between Mitchell and Russia's Kostya Tszyu, the WBC's world Jr. Welterweight champion.

The highly anticipated match took place on February 3, 2002, in Las Vegas. It had a controversial outcome, as Mitchell broke his knee early in the fight, and he could not continue after round seven. Although Mitchell was not knocked out in a conventional way, nevertheless, this counted as a knockout loss in his record.

Mitchell has fought eight times since, winning each of them, including victories over former world champion Vince Phillips and top contenders Lovemore N'Dou and Ben Tackie.

Rematch with Tszyu

Negotiations for a rematch with Tszyu had been taking place long before the fights with the aforementioned rivals. Tszyu, however, had his own health problems, and the fight kept being cancelled. First scheduled for Australia and then for Moscow, Russia, the fight finally took place in Phoenix, Arizona, where they fought their rematch on November 6, 2004.

Mitchell was floored four times in the second bout with Tszyu, before being stopped in round three, losing by knockout.

Losses to Mayweather and Williams

On November 19, 2005, Mitchell was defeated by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their 147 lbs. non-title bout in Portland, Oregon. Mayweather dropped Mitchell in the third round with a straight right hand to the head, and again dropped him in the sixth with a " hook " to the body, ending the fight. On August 19, 2006 mitchell was knocked down in the third round, and three times in the fourth round in a bout with Paul Williams, referee Drakulich stopped the bout at 2:57 when Mitchell arose wobbly from the final knockdown. Mitchell has a professional boxing record of 56 wins and 6 losses, with 30 knockout wins.

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