Mitchell sets sights on Burns

Kevin Mitchell has promised Ricky Burns he will be ringside on Friday night - and says he is more than happy to face the Scotsman if he wins the Commonwealth super-featherweight title. Burns blasted British champ Mitchell and said he would be too scared to watch him challenge for the Commonwealth belt against Osumana Akaba at Bethnal Green's York Hall.Burns also accused Mitchell of running from him instead of accepting a real challenge from the Coatbridge slickster. But today a fired up Mitchell hit back. "Ricky's a funny kid, I'll give him that," said the Dagenham Destroyer. "But he can't crack an egg and if he steps in the ring with me then I'll beat him up good and proper. I'm more than happy to knock him out next up. "Carl Johanneson played with him, and I stopped Johanneson, so what does he think is going to happen when he fights me? It will be like man against boy. "He's a good fighter but he's not in my league, and I'll tell him on Friday because I'll definitely be there." Burns also called out new WBO super-featherweight champion Nicky Cook, and he too will be at historic York Hall to watch the 25-year-old take on Ghanaian toughman Akaba. Meanwhile Mitchell is targetting a return by the end of the year after spending time out of the ring following surgery on his knuckle. "I can't wait to get back into action," said Mitchell, who made a successful American debut in Atlantic City earlier this year. "I've been back in the gym doing shadow boxing and running for a few weeks now, and it's not long before I'm allowed to go full contact. "All this nonsense that Burns has been coming out with has put me in the mood for a proper tear up."