By LEN WHALEY KEVIN Mitchell will appear in his first pro fight on foreign soil next weekend. But the British super featherweight champ is already looking beyond his United States debut and towards a showdown duel with world champion Alex Arthur later th

By LEN WHALEY

KEVIN Mitchell will appear in his first pro fight on foreign soil next weekend.

But the British super featherweight champ is already looking beyond his United States debut and towards a showdown duel with world champion Alex Arthur later this year.

Mitchell defends his WBO Intercontinental title belt on the undercard of the Kelly Pavlik and Gary Lockett clash at the Boardwalk Convention Hall in Atlantic City on Saturday June 7.

He is still waiting for his opponent to be named, but as he contemplates a 27th straight win, Mitchell knows exactly who he wants to face next time out.

The confident 23-year-old has Scotland's newly crowned WBO champion Arthur firmly in his sights.

"He's definitely in my plans sometime down the line," said Mitchell. "It would be a brilliant fight for me. I'd like it at the O2 Arena or somewhere like that in London.

"Obviously Alex would want me to go up to Scotland, but wherever it takes place it will be a good fight for me in the future."

Arthur was upgraded to full champion status when Dominican fighter Joan Guzman vacated the title after the pair had been due to meet on May 3 in Edinburgh.

Frank Warren, who promotes both fighters, also seems eager to pair the two British stars in a titanic clash.

And the Sports Network boss predicts they could meet before the end of the year.

"I'm working on a first defence for Alex, but one fight I'm definitely looking to do is him against Kevin Mitchell, possibly by the end of the year," Warren revealed.

Mitchell will be making his first ring appearance since adding the British crown to his Commonwealth title in a tremendous tussle with Carl Johanneson at the 02 Arena in March.

He scored his best win to date with a ninth-round stoppage on the undercard of the world cruiserweight title showdown between David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli.

Mitchell relished the experience of fighting under the glare of the international spotlight on that occasion.

And he is excited by the prospect of fighting on another big-time promotion in the United States next month, when the talented Pavlik will start as a hot favourite to overcome Welsh WBU champion Lockett.

"I have not fought out of this country as a pro yet - but I had experience of boxing abroad as an amateur when I went to Russia, Italy and America," Mitchell recalled.

"I boxed in America in the Junior Olympics and it's always a packed crowd out there - I think the fans are going to like what I do.