BOXING:KEVIN MITCHELL is determined to avenge last year's defeat by Michael Katsidis after reigniting his career with a thrilling win over domestic rival John Murray.

In his first fight since an ill-fated world title challenge against Australian warrior Katsidis last May, Mitchell made a statement by going to war with Murray and stopping the unbeaten Mancunian in the eighth round in Liverpool on Saturday night.

The Dagenham lightweight has always maintained his preparations for Katsidis were undermined by personal problems and wants to cancel out that defeat at Upton Park before pursuing his world title dream.

“My dream is back on track,” said Mitchell. “The dream I’ve always had since I was a kid is back on track so I’m happy.

“I want the rematch with Katsidis. I want closure. I’d definitely want to go back to Upton Park for it, they are waiting for me there.”

Problems outside the ring affected the 26-year-old’s training for that interim WBO title tilt and the fall-out saw him spend the following two months on “a proper bender”.

However, an intervention by his estranged parents and the support of his local community turned Mitchell’s life around. “The stresses I was going through and the strain of life was leading me into the pub every night,” he revealed. I was in the pub from Monday to Sunday, Monday to Sunday. I’ve not been in the pub now for over a year. My local pub is the Cross Keys, it’s a Dagenham boozer where all my pals drink, we’ve all grown up together, everyone’s in this pub.

“My mum and dad haven’t been together since I was four and for them to come into the pub together, when I was slouched in the boozer . . . they dragged me out of there where all my pals were and they took me home and said ‘what are you playing at? Sort your life out’.”

Mitchell’s exciting tear-up with Murray was undoubtedly the highlight of the night at the Echo Arena in Liverpool. While previously unbeaten British and European champion Murray marched forward relentlessly in a bid to bully his naturally smaller opponent, Mitchell opted to box and move. His sharp and accurate combination punching began to tell in the middle rounds and when Murray walked onto a left hook in the eighth, the end was nigh.