Sharmba David Mitchell ( ; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2006. He held the WBA light welterweight title from 1998 to 2001, and the IBF interim light welterweight title in 2004. Professional career Mitchell began his professional boxing career on September 23, 1988, knocking out Eddie Colón in three rounds at Atlantic City, New Jersey. He had a mark of 14 wins and no losses with seven knockouts - including victories over former Olympic Games bronze medalist Aristides Acevedo and over Dana Roston - when he met a former or future world champion for the first time inside a ring. On March 8, 1990, he beat the famed former world champion Rafael Limón in Atlantic City by an eight-round unanimous decision. Mitchell kept on winning, running his record up to 27-0 with sixteen knockouts, including a victory against former world title challenger Miguel Santana. He then fought former world champion Rocky Lockridge on April 22, 1992, winning a ten-round unanimous decision. Mitchell had recorded a 31-0 record until he lost two fights in a row to begin 1994: one against future world champion Leavander Johnson in eight rounds, then to future two-time world lightweight champion Stevie Johnston in nine rounds. He did not lose another fight in the next seven years. After six more wins in a row, including one over future world champion Terron Millett, Mitchell fought for the WBC continental Americas light welterweight title in Dallas, Texas on April 11, 1996. He won the title by knocking out Gilberto Floes in the second round. On May 10, 1997, Mitchell defeated Jose Rafael Barboza by a twelve-round decision in Miami, Florida to win the WBA's Fedelatin belt in the same weight division. After two more victories, he got his first chance at winning a world title. WBA light welterweight champion On October 10, 1998, he beat Moroccan Khalid Rahilou by a twelve-round unanimous decision in Paris, France, becoming the WBA light welterweight champion. Mitchell retained his world title four times, his last successful defense being against Puerto Rican Felix Flores on September 16, 2000, at Las Vegas. Mitchell was dropped in the first round, but he recovered and edged the challenger by two scores of 116-111 and one of 116-113. First fight with Tszyu After that fight, demand rose for a unification title bout between Mitchell and Kostya Tszyu