Mitch turns the Ignition on his first full-rules fight
Teenager Mitch Mitchell will be looking to make his mark when he becomes the first Albany fighter to compete in a full rules Muay Thai bout later this month.
After a promising introduction in a modified Muay Thai bout at the WA Muay Thai Centre in Perth recently, where he lost by just over a point, Mitchell will be one of 15 undercard bouts at the Ignition Fight Night in Perth on April 26.
Mitchell, who trains at Anger Management Gym run by his father and trainer Dan, will debut against Termaine Henry in three two-minute rounds in what he hopes will be the first of many bouts to come.
The 17-year-old said the potential fight repercussions were not playing on his mind and he believed he was prepared as he could be for his full-rules debut, including the use of fists, elbows, knees and feet.
"I'm not as nervous as my last fight," he said.
"It will be a little bit more technical with elbows and knees allowed. It's been something I've wanted to do … it has been a long time coming.
"There is pre-fight nerves but once you step into the ring it goes away."
Mitchell said he had been interested in Muay Thai - often regarded as the "art of eight limbs" - for nearly 12 years and began training when his father opened the gym in 2011.
Trainer Dan Mitchell said newly developed guidelines made the discipline safer than ever, which included health tests such as brain scans and blood tests coupled with compulsory safety gear and fighter registration.
"Everything is safety first, especially when you have a son involved," he said.
Mitchell will be supported on the night by his father and younger brother Jessop, who acts as his sparring partner.
