TY MITCHELL, a man who insists that he has been ‘rehabilitated’, will face super-middleweight contender Sean Hemphill on a Misfits Boxing show later this month.
Now, before you toss your laptop or phone across the room, attempting to comprehend why Boxing News is giving ‘influencer’ boxing the time of day, please consider that Mitchell vs Hemphill is, in fact, a ‘proper boxing’ matchup.
Since returning to the picturesque county of Derbyshire following a seven-year stretch behind bars, Mitchell has not only turned his life around, but also rediscovered his passion for the sweet science.
The only difference, of course, is that, rather than fighting under a traditional promotional banner, the 34-year-old has associated himself with an organisation that, well, is known more for its disruptive, and therefore polarising, approach towards boxing.
“Even some professional boxers get confused,” Mitchell told Boxing News. “They’re like, ‘When are you going to start doing proper boxing?’
“It’s not their fault, because I would probably think the same if the shoe was on the other foot. There should be a very clear distinction between Misfits and Misfits Pro.
“With Sean Hemphill, maybe some boxing purists will begin to separate [Misfits Pro from Misfits] but, if not, I’ll just have to fight someone higher up in the rankings.”
Hemphill is, indeed, a credible opponent, especially when considering his majority decision victory over Mark Jeffers in June.
Back then, the American entered their showdown as a sizable underdog, only to then upset the odds with his seemingly bottomless gas tank and remarkably fluid combinations.
As a result, Hemphill has since claimed a 14th-place rating with the IBF, meaning that victory over ‘Silky’ should see Mitchell earn himself a world ranking at 168lbs.
But regardless of that, ‘The Derby Banger’ is glad to finally start progressing in a career which, back in 2011, was emphatically stopped in its tracks.
It is now well documented that, following what began with an altercation during a night out Leeds, Mitchell received a seven-year prison sentence for taking a man’s life with a single punch.
“It was obviously a horrible time in my life, but it was the making of me,” Mitchell recalled.
“I was a child at the time, mentally. I was 21 years old, and very immature, but, when you go through certain things in life, you learn a lot about yourself.
“I never thought that something so serious could happen from a street fight, but these things do happen.”
Shortly after returning from prison, Mitchell was denied a professional licence with the British Boxing Board of Control and, instead of reigniting his career straight away, decided to focus more on self-improvement for several years.
“I’m a prime example of someone that’s been rehabilitated,” he continued. “Before, I was just an insecure guy who couldn’t walk away from a fight. But now, I hate that person.
“In prison, I didn’t learn anything, but since then, I’ve spent a lot of money on therapy, trying to work out why I have certain feelings in certain situations.
“I knew that I didn’t want to put myself, or anyone else, in that situation again, but now I can safely say that I’m not that person anymore. I don’t even recognise that person.”
Despite not having a pro licence with the Board, Mitchell insists that, if he were to join a different promotional outfit – say, Matchroom or Queensberry – he would have no problem securing one.
And while it will be overseen by a foreign commission on August 30, his dustup with Hemphill should nonetheless deliver fireworks at the Manchester Arena.
It is important to highlight, too, that the southpaw’s father, Clifton Mitchell, has remained in his corner through thick and thin.
“Without my dad, I wouldn’t be here,” Ty said. “I’ll never be able to repay the support that man has given me.
“I grew up with my dad from a young age and, when it comes to boxing, he’s the only trainer I’ve ever had.
“He’ll get fighters to a certain point, then they might leave, but I just want to be that one person who will never abandon him.”
