Mitchell v Burns is a true Auld Enemy clash

England v Scotland: The oldest international fixture in football first played in 1872 at Hamilton Crescent, Glasgow. A rivalry laced with hatred and bitterness.

This has been highlighted in sporting terms down the years in the Home internationals between the two nations, until they came to and end in 1984.
4 June1977 – a Wembley pitch invasion by joyous Scots as celebrations spilled out on to the pitch after a 2-1 triumph over the Auld Enemy. Scottish supporters sat proudly on top of one of the Wembley crossbars, until it gave way under the sheer weight – a triumphant landmark embarrassing the English on their own turf.
Fast forward some 35 years later and Dagenham’s Kevin Mitchell will look to reverse the process, in a boxing ring, by going up to Scotland to embarrass Ricky Burns in front of his own fans.
The old age rivalry will be ignited once again come September 22, as Mitchell challenges Scotsman Burns for his WBO lightweight crown at the SECC in Glasgow. This long-awaited England-Scotland dust up is between the two best lightweights in Britain.
In the past they have sparred in the gym and appeared on the same card, but come September nothing will stand between them as they battle it out to establish who the best in Britain is in the 135lbs division.
Mitchell, with just one defeat from 34 contests, knows Burns’ strengths well and says he won’t underestimate his Scottish foe. “He’s strong, sharp and he hits hard enough to hurt you,” claimed the Dagenham Destroyer. “He’s got a good chin. He goes down, he gets back up. He is strong in all areas; he’s got a great defence. Where people go wrong with him is that they don't realise how good he really is. They come unstuck in the middle rounds.”
Burns, on home territory, will have the slight edge going into the fight and with the fact he performed strongly against Michael Katsidis last November, the man who knocked out Mitchell in three rounds 18 months earlier.
Burns said: “For me it’s about testing myself against the best and proving how good I am. Mitchell’s the next best in Britain and I’m sure he’s going to give me the hardest fight of my career and that’s what I’m preparing for: a real battle.”
Mitchell, a life-long West Ham supporter, estimates he’ll be bringing 3,000 fans with him to Scotland, as the Englishman looks to turn the tables and embarrass the Scots on their own turf.