Mikkel Kessler

Looks like the 'Great Dane' is making a comeback and will take part in the super series setup by Richard Schaefer. Kessler(46-3) former 2 time WBA/WBC champion was passed it for the Froch rematch. This saddens me that he's back chasing the money.

If I didn't know you better I'd suggest this was a cheap pop at Carl Froch..

Good job I know you better..

Was going say Truss - an inform Kessler went life and death with Carl in the first fight, and was nearly stopped in the second......

Yes he may have been passed his best, but wasnt his best back in 2006-2008?!

Calm down Jermaine. Kessler lost the 2nd fight and crawled over the line in the 1st.

Good fighter, shouldnt come back. Retire and enjoy your living

Regarding the second Kessler fight I was in the o2 and if my memory serves me right it was a very close and clear fight, where you had 7 clear rounds to Froch and 5 to Kessler

I had it 7-5 to Froch

Kessler was a much harder puncher, you don't understand how hard he hit seeing it on TV

I also don't remember him nearly getting stopped, I remember Jim Watt getting excited about it, but if you watch it back, Kessler wasn't in any danger, the ref was actually warning Froch for a low shot

Echo the posts on here though, Kessler should stay retried, not get beaten by someone who wouldn't have been a sparring partner

He still has dynamite in those fists though, get caught on the chin and you are going to sleep

Remember discussing with a mate how shot Kessler looked in the first 3 rounds of the rematch, slow plodding. Then he bucked his ideas up, take those first 3 rounds out and there wasn't much difference between either fight. Two evenly matched fighters. The right guy got the nod both times. Personally, I think both versions of Kessler looked a bit slower than the calzaghe version so I'm not sure he was prime for either fight...

But then I rarely miss an opportunity to have a sly pop at Froch!

Interesting fact about that fight and the reason froch did so well was his jab

Which kessler mentioned he was worried about before the fight

Froch said he changed his plan after that

It took kessler a few rounds to deal with it

Both fights were epic

A favourite of mine. Actually saw him live twice and BF88 is right, you really get a feel for his power when you see him in the flesh.

Saw him knock the wind out of Calzaghe with an uppercut (think it was in the 4th) in their brilliant Millennium stadium fight.

And he had Froch on jelly legs in the 11th of their fight. I did have Froch winning that by 2 or 3 though.

Great fighter to watch back in his day. I don't really see the need for a comeback now. I can't see what's left for him to prove. Although I'd be a liar if I said I wouldn't watch.

Very under rated boxer, he's pretty interchangeable with Froch at 4/5 at Super Middleweight but a clear distance behind Calzaghe, Jones and Ward. Was for the most part an enjoyable fighter to watch, had a top drawer jab, power in both hands and a rock solid chin, can only remember him going down against Green?

Big fan of Kessler, but I don't always buy that the Calzaghe version was the better, due to a couple of things.

Pre calzaghe, a lot of his fights were against one dimensional fighters like mundine, andrade, etc, yes he looked fantastic against these kind of fighters, but lets not pretend they were top top level.  Faces calzaghe, opponent with real unorthodox boxing talent he struggles, does well, but ultimately Calzaghe wins comfortably.

post calzaghe, has a long  layoff, then comfortably beats 2 non-entity fighters before joining the super six.  Runs into Andre Ward, another slick fighter which he fails to read and again loses comfortably.

Then its Froch, what does he do, hires a knew trainer, works on lateral movement, stalking his opponent with lots of side to side movement, his adjusments improve his game and he competes with Froch and wins a close decision in a tough fight.

Again injuries force him out of the super six, but then proves his calibre by despatching Brian Magee and Allan Green in a manner arguably better than Ward or Froch took these fighters out.

So again I think its subjective, I think calzaghe faced a greener but physically stronger opponent than froch, but Froch faced a more seasoned, canny fighter than Calzaghe.

I can't shake off the feeling that this will all end in tears, shame really he's one of the most likeable champions of this era, but I can see him just looking absolutely shot.

Volcanicash wrote:Big fan of Kessler, but I don't always buy that the Calzaghe version was the better, due to a couple of things.

Pre calzaghe, a lot of his fights were against one dimensional fighters like mundine, andrade, etc, yes he looked fantastic against these kind of fighters, but lets not pretend they were top top level.  Faces calzaghe, opponent with real unorthodox boxing talent he struggles, does well, but ultimately Calzaghe wins comfortably.

post calzaghe, has a long  layoff, then comfortably beats 2 non-entity fighters before joining the super six.  Runs into Andre Ward, another slick fighter which he fails to read and again loses comfortably.

Then its Froch, what does he do, hires a knew trainer, works on lateral movement, stalking his opponent with lots of side to side movement, his adjusments improve his game and he competes with Froch and wins a close decision in a tough fight.

Again injuries force him out of the super six, but then proves his calibre by despatching Brian Magee and Allan Green in a manner arguably better than Ward or Froch took these fighters out.

So again I think its subjective, I think calzaghe faced a greener but physically stronger opponent than froch, but Froch faced a more seasoned, canny fighter than Calzaghe.

Well put together post but I would offer two things.

1. Calzaghe fought a guy that was unbeaten and had the confidence of being hitherto untouchable.

2. Never a great fan of putting forward a case where such and such beat someone easier......I don't think it counts for much.

Biggs v Tillis (shut out)..Tyson v Tillis (6-4)..Being one of many examples....

But it is subjective like you say..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Volcanicash wrote:Big fan of Kessler, but I don't always buy that the Calzaghe version was the better, due to a couple of things.

Pre calzaghe, a lot of his fights were against one dimensional fighters like mundine, andrade, etc, yes he looked fantastic against these kind of fighters, but lets not pretend they were top top level.  Faces calzaghe, opponent with real unorthodox boxing talent he struggles, does well, but ultimately Calzaghe wins comfortably.

post calzaghe, has a long  layoff, then comfortably beats 2 non-entity fighters before joining the super six.  Runs into Andre Ward, another slick fighter which he fails to read and again loses comfortably.

Then its Froch, what does he do, hires a knew trainer, works on lateral movement, stalking his opponent with lots of side to side movement, his adjusments improve his game and he competes with Froch and wins a close decision in a tough fight.

Again injuries force him out of the super six, but then proves his calibre by despatching Brian Magee and Allan Green in a manner arguably better than Ward or Froch took these fighters out.

So again I think its subjective, I think calzaghe faced a greener but physically stronger opponent than froch, but Froch faced a more seasoned, canny fighter than Calzaghe.

Well put together post but I would offer two things.

1. Calzaghe fought a guy that was unbeaten and had the confidence of being hitherto untouchable.

2.  Never a great fan of putting forward a case where such and such beat someone easier......I don't think it counts for much.

Biggs v Tillis (shut out)..Tyson v Tillis (6-4)..Being one of many examples....

But it is subjective like you say..

1. I agree no doubt Kessler was utlra confident, but again doesn't necessarily mean he was better because of it, maybe it was his naivety in going to Calzaghe's home turf that proved his downfall.

2. I completely agree with this, and I never put it to claim Kessler is better than Ward or Froch because he beat their previous opponents more emphatically as thats ridiculous, but its worth noting for those who claim he was a worse fighter post Calzaghe and Froch 1, past his peak physically maybe, but still a dangerous fighter to contend with.

Maybe home advantage is being overlooked. Kessler lost away )Calzaghe, Froch) but won at home (Froch). I think the Super Six showed how crucial home advantage can be.

hazharrison wrote:Maybe home advantage is being overlooked. Kessler lost away )Calzaghe, Froch) but won at home (Froch). I think the Super Six showed how crucial home advantage can be.

Wonder how Ward would have got on in the UK against Froch - or in Denmark against Kessler.......

Looking forward to seeing Gervonta Davis fight over here. Glad to see some champs making the adjustment and travelling for fights.

Hope Mayweather Promotions continue that.

He would beat both.

mobilemaster8 wrote:

hazharrison wrote:Maybe home advantage is being overlooked. Kessler lost away )Calzaghe, Froch) but won at home (Froch). I think the Super Six showed how crucial home advantage can be.

Wonder how Ward would have got on in the UK against Froch - or in Denmark against Kessler.......

Looking forward to seeing Gervonta Davis fight over here. Glad to see some champs making the adjustment and travelling for fights.

Hope Mayweather Promotions continue that.

I think Mayweather has underestimated Walsh - who is such an underrated fighter. Davis looks class but it should be tougher than he's expecting. It's a really good fight.

AdamT wrote:He would beat both.

We don't know what he's like boxing away from home, so that's a bit presumptuous isn't it?

No but we know how skill he is. Different class to Froch and Kessler. Surely even you can see that?

AdamT wrote:No but we know how skill he is. Different class to Froch and Kessler. Surely even you can see that?

He didn't beat Kessler with skill. He roughed him up and butted him silly.

He did enough to get the win.

Wards better than Froch and Kessler. Not too sure he would beat Calzaghe though.

Think he'd beat Calzaghe too, although there'll always be a question mark

Oh not sure! He definitely has the skills to win, but Calzaghe is relentless. Be a good match up.