S.F.'s LaRon Mitchell Advances to Olympic Trials Final Four Via Medical Walkover

San Francisco super heavyweight LaRon Mitchell (third from left) and
San Jose light flyweight Eros Correa (far left) are both one win away from the Olympic Trials finals.

By Ryan Maquiñana

MOBILE, AL -- LaRon Mitchell received some welcome news Tuesday night when Brett Rather was physically unable to fight, allowing the San Francisco super heavyweight to advance to the final four of the U.S. Olympic Trials via medical walkover.

"It's tough because you have to fight every day," Mitchell said, referring to the double-elimination nature of the tournament. "[Rather] and Shepherd had quite a battle the other yesterday, and when you have two grown men going at it, sometimes the pain from those shots can linger to the next day."

The Las Vegas-based Rather's forfeit couldn't have come at a better time, since Mitchell was nursing some injuries of his own that were incurred during his slugfest against Iowa's Donovan Dennis last night.

"Basically it was a bye, and it was kind of a blessing," the southpaw Mitchell reflected. "This time off to heal was just what I needed. I'm about to get my shoulder rubbed and iced, and I'm sure by the time tomorrow comes, the adrenaline will have me ready to go when the bell rings."

Now comes a familiar foe--Anaheim's Dominic Breazeale, who defeated Mitchell in the finals of the California Golden Gloves earlier this year.

"[Breazeale]'s got quick feet and he can fire that right hand," Mitchell said about the former Northern Colorado quarterback turned Olympic hopeful. "He's tall, too, about 6'6'' and 250 [pounds], so I'm going to circle and outbox him."

Their last meeting left a bad taste in Mitchell's mouth, and the 31-year-old San Francisco State graduate vowed that the outcome would be different on Wednesday.

"This one will hurt him more than it hurt me at Golden Gloves," Mitchell promised. "Revenge is best served at the Olympic Trials."

Mitchell, from The City's Ring of Fire Gym, is one of two Bay Area fighters still alive. San Jose PAL's Eros Correa fights Louie Byrd in the light flyweight semifinals tomorrow.

Like Mitchell, Correa has revenge on his mind. At U.S. Nationals last month, the 18-year-old Overfelt High alum tied Byrd 21-21, but the Denver native got the nod via the punches counted tiebreaker, a decision the South Bay fighter hopes to overturn tomorrow.

"[Byrd] said that he had an off-night last month and it shouldn't happen again," Correa said. "We'll see what happens this time."