By Mark Vester
At Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, Andre Ward (21-0, 13KOs) dominated and battered heavy-favorite Mikkel Kessler (42-2, 32KOs) for eleven rounds to capture the WBA super middleweight title. The fight was stopped in the eleventh due to several bad cuts on Kessler. The scores were 97-93, 98-92 and 98-92 for Ward.
Ward was switching from southpaw to conventional in the first round, using his quicker hands to tag Kessler to the head and body and landing a stiff jab. Heavy chants of "USA" broke out. Kessler had some very serious issues catching up to Ward. During the second, Ward was still getting off with faster punches. Kessler was countered often by Ward's left hook. In the final minute they tied up and Ward landed a big right hand to Kessler's head. Ward came out in the third with his left hook landing several times to Kessler's head. Ward was dominating the action and landing some heavy rights and left that pushed Kessler back. The crowd was on their feet as Ward was getting off with two and three punch combos. A mouse began to form under the right eye of Kessler.
Ward circled with his jab in the fourth. He landed some heavy shots to Kessler's body. A huge chant of "S.O.G." broke out for Ward. Ward continued to pepper Kessler with punches. Kessler landed a left and Ward countered with a huge bomb that buckled Kessler who held on. Ward started working Kessler over with power shots from both hands. The crowd was on their feet once again. A cut opened up under Kessler's right eye. Kessler not able to land his counters. The fifth started with Ward landing some heavy right and left hands. It was target practice Ward. He was battering Kessler as he tried to come in with his shots. Blood started to flow from Kessle's mouth. A big left hook shook up Kessler once again during the action. Kessler landed a good combination and Ward came back with a combo to the body. The sixth saw Ward keeping a distance and attacking Kessler but missing many of the punches. In the final minute Ward laned some more big lefts and rights to Kessler's head.
Kessler continued to have issues with Ward's speed in the seventh. Ward was using his jab to set up the big shots and they were landing big to Kessler head and body. Kessler tried to use his own stiff jab but not enough. Kessler's face was swelling up in the eight. Ward continued to comne forward and land big punches to Kessler's head and body. Ward shook him with a combination to the face. Kessler tried to fire back and could not land his punches. A big cut opened up above Kessler's left eye.
Between the eight and ninth rounds, the corner of Kessler told him to go for a knockout. Kessler told his corner that he couldn't see. Ward was battering Kessler with ease. Kessler was unable to get off with his counters. Kessler showed desperation in the final ten seconds, trying to land anything but he couldn't get off. A clash of heads gave Kessler some time to rest in the tenth round as the ref looked for any cuts and there was a new cut above the left eye. They started trading big shots at close range. Kessler landed some good shots but Ward took them. Ward continued to batter Kessler's face with punches from both hands.
They started trading punches at the start of the eleventh. Ward started landed heavy blows on Kessler's head. The cuts were bleeding bad. The ref called a break in the action and the doctor told the ref to stop the fight. Because the cut was opened up by a cut. They went to the scorecards.
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