Head 2 Head – Mikkel Kessler vs. Andre Ward

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By David P. Greisman and Thomas Gerbasi - DAVID P. GREISMAN: Usually when the No. 1 guy in a division faces a largely untested prospect, we decry the match-up as either the top fighter facing lesser opposition or the prospect getting a shot he doesn’t yet deserve.

Why then, are we so looking forward to Mikkel Kessler’s fight this Saturday against Andre Ward?

Kessler-Ward, airing on Showtime from Oakland, Calif., is the third fight in the first stage of the “Super Six” super-middleweight tournament.

Kessler, 30, was the entrenched No. 2 at 168 until champion Joe Calzaghe left for light heavyweight and, ultimately, retirement. He is now 42-1(32 knockouts), and all he’s done in the two years since the loss to Calzaghe is fight opponents unbefitting of his position in the division.

To many, however, Andre Ward (25 years old, 20-0 with 13 knockouts) is a step up for Kessler from the likes of Dimitri Sartison, Danilo Haussler and Gusmyr Perdomo, even though Ward’s biggest wins have come over guys such as Edison Miranda, Henry Buchanan, Jerson Ravelo and Rubin Williams. [details]

[BattlingNelson]

Seems to me that Gerbasi hasn't seen a lot of Kessler. My bet is that he's seen the Calzaghe fight and possibly Perdomo as well.

[RightCross94]

Going to be a fairly close fight I feel. Which will favour Ward a lot on the cards so a Ward decision win could happen.

[Konstantin]

Seems to me that Gerbasi hasn't seen a lot of Kessler. My bet is that he's seen the Calzaghe fight and possibly Perdomo as well.

He also said Ward wont win the fight in the first paragraph, and then Ward W12 in the last...

[BattlingNelson]

He also said Ward wont win the fight in the first paragraph, and then Ward W12 in the last...

To be fair he said that Ward isn't only going to win this fight, but the tourney as well.

[Tmann400]

Hate to bump an old thread, was just checking out old articles, but wow was Gerbasi right..He made David (and a lot of other people) eat their/his words. I mean, he was spot on about everything nearly.

Now look where Ward is as a fighter. Just goes to show you how boxing can be.

[Kagami Taiga]

Hate to bump an old thread, was just checking out old articles, but wow was Gerbasi right..He made David (and a lot of other people) eat their/his words. I mean, he was spot on about everything nearly.

Now look where Ward is as a fighter. Just goes to show you how boxing can be.

thats the funny thing, going in to this tourney, no1 thought ward would do what he did. now that hes done it, ppl try to find excuses to take it away from him. but he completely dominated that tournament and made himself among the best fighters in the world. and how many ppl saw it coming?

[Tmann400]

Exactly, I agree brah. I really wish I could of saw the faces of everyone as they watched Ward destroy, embarrass, toy with, and batter the faces and bodies of everyone in this tournament. That sounds harsh, but all these people said all ****ily that "Ward was going to get KO'd, and he ******, he'd get exposed" and he got in the ring with Kessler and beat him into an Oblivion. Battered him, embarrassed him, and Kessler, IMO, was the one who got exposed.

Don't get me wrong, Kessler IS a good fighter and I always enjoyed watching him fight, but when you look at how people talk about him, especially back when the tourney first started, he was being ridiculously overrated. I also think anyone who thinks a rematch should happen is delusional. Ward is an even better, more complete fighter now then he was when they first fought almost 3 years ago. Ward out-muscled him, outfought him, out-boxed him, took his best shots and blasted right through them. So, really, what do people think would change?