KEVIN MITCHELL has given up his battle to box at super-featherweight and instead bids for lightweight glory with a world title eliminator in Newcastle next month. He faces Breidis Prescott, who knocked out Amir Khan in just 54 seconds last year, writes LEN WHALEY. The forme

KEVIN MITCHELL has given up his battle to box at super-featherweight and instead bids for lightweight glory with a world title eliminator in Newcastle next month.

He faces Breidis Prescott, who knocked out Amir Khan in just 54 seconds last year.

The former British and Commonwealth featherweight champion, unbeaten in 29 fights, faces the biggest gamble of his career against the the power-punching Colombian, who pulled off a massive upset as he blasted out the Olympic silver-medal winner Khan, knocking him down twice in the process.

Khan has bounced back in style, going on to win the WBA light-welterweight title - but it was regarded as a real mistake to match him with Prescott, so it will be seen as a risk for Mitchell to face the Colombian, with the prize of a WBO lightweight title challenge promised for the winner.

"People will remember Prescott for the Khan knockout, but I am confident I will handle him," insisted Mitchell, who will be fighting for the first time since joining his new trainer Jimmy Tibbs at Newham's Ultrachem TKO Gym.

"He is a puncher and will be dangerous for the first three rounds - then I will take over and show him how hard I can hit.

"I have always set my sights on becoming a world champion, now I want to step up. Beating Prescott in Newcastle will put me right up there with the top lightweights," said Mitchell, who won ABA honours with West Ham BC.

The local fighter is unbeaten in 29 paid bouts and is ranked number one challenger by the WBO in the super-featherweight division, but admitted he had been facing a tough battle getting down to the nine stone four pounds weight limit.

He was due to defend his title against Scotland's Ricky Burns at the Metro Radio Arena show, which is headed by Khan's world title defence against Dmitriy Salita, but instead gets the 9st 9lbs lightweight title eliminator.

Promoter Warren, who has guided Mitchell throughout his six-year pro campaign, is also confident it will not be another matchmaking mistake as he added: "Kevin needs a challenge and I think he is capable of beating Prescott."

TKO GYM light-middleweight Pat McAleese continued his winning ways when he scored a points win over Ken Gethin in Newmarket on Saturday night.

McAleese punched out his eighth straight success, dominating the action against a game rival, who survived the full distance despite suffering a cut cheek in the fifth round. Referee Ken Curtis scored the TKO fighter a 60-55 points winner.

But it was a losing night for super-middleweight Matt Jack, when he suffered a 40-37 points defeat against Welsh campaigner Jamie Ambler.

Super-bantamweight Ian Bailey boxed well for a 40-36 points win over Midlands rival Sid Razak on the show, staged at Tattersall's, Newmarket.