Unbeaten brothers Kevin and Vinny Mitchell have joined father and son training duo Jimmy and Mark Tibbs after shelving plans to switch to the United States

By LEN WHALEY

Unbeaten brothers Kevin and Vinny Mitchell have joined up with father and son training duo Jimmy and Mark Tibbs after shelving their plans to switch to the United States.

Kevin, who is scheduled for a WBO world title clash with Puerto Rican Roman 'Rocky' Martinez in the coming months, had been in talks with top trainer Freddie Roach over a possible move to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

But the super-featherweight star, who recorded his 29th straight pro success with an eighth-round win over Rudy Encarnacion in Manchester in July, has had second thoughts about making the move to follow world champion Amir Khan across the Atlantic.

"I am going to become a father again in three weeks so it just was not the right time to move out to LA," said Mitchell, who was previously coached by ex-Bethnal Green pro Paul Cook.

"Vinny and I has been working with Jimmy and Mark Tibbs at the Peacock and TKO gyms and it's going well."

After a professional boxing career of his own, Jimmy Tibbs has proved a successful trainer, looking after many top names over the past 30 years.

He has now been joined by son Mark, with the pair coaching a talented stable of prospects, including former Olympic boxer Billy Joe Saunders.

The East End duo will now oversee Mitchell's training, with a December fight against a home rival considered likely for the 24-year-old following suggestions that Martinez is in no rush to go through with their scheduled WBO clash this year.

Meanwhile brother Vinny, who remains unbeaten in nine pro fights, will be keeping busy with two bouts in the next three weeks on promoter Frank Warren's shows.

On Friday night, Mitchell faces Sheffield's 111-fight veteran Daniel Thorpe on Warren's annual show at London's Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square to raise money for national charity DebRA.

If Mitchell comes through that clash unscathed, the 22-year-old will appear on the undercard at York Hall on October 9 in a show topped by the Commonwealth light-heavyweight contest between Nathan Cleverly and Courtney Fry.