AFTER MANFREDO FALLS, WILL WE SEE CALZAGHE - KESSLER ?
Mikkel Kessler is 28 years old. He sports a 39-0 record. He is the WBA and WBC super middleweight titleholder. All that is missing is world wide recognition. HBO was smart enough to air his recent defense in Denmark, a one sided drubbing of previously undefeated Librado Andrade. That was the first step toward Mikkel being known on this side of the Atlantic. Hopefully the next step will be a unification bout with unbeaten WBO champion Joe Calzaghe. That is if Joe overcomes the challenge of Peter Manfredo Jr. on April 7th in Cardiff, Wales. Calzaghe is a solid favorite to win that fight and rightfully so.
Calzaghe won over the American boxing public when he dominated the highly regarded Jeff Lacy. He has done little though to build on the prestige since he gained with that victory. Calzaghe needs Kessler but Kessler needs Calzaghe more. Will this highly anticipated fight ever be made ?
Calzaghe has made it clear that if he beats Manfredo he wants middleweight champion Jermain Taylor or the winner of Bernard Hopkins - Winky Wright. Even Roy Jones Jr. has been mentioned. Kessler doesn't seem to be on Joe's radar. The Andrade bout was an HBO showcase for Kessler. Mikkel won 120-108 on all three cards. Kessler jabbed, he moved, he punched in beautiful combinations, he gave a boxing clinic. Even though Andrade was unbeaten he was far from the caliber of a Joe Calzaghe. Still HBO stirred up interest in future Kessler matches, hopefully against Calzaghe. Will see...
Kessler is quite younger then Calzaghe. He is very strong and he is a solid puncher. He has a good jab and he boxes well. He is able to open up with both hands with great accuracy. That sounds like a winning formula for Mikkel against Calzaghe. The thing is that Joe is no ordinary Joe. Calzaghe has outstanding hand speed and he too is very accurate. He is also very awkward and not easy to tag with power shots. Also Joe has been in with better opposition.
If Calzaghe - Kessler is made this year I still have to go with Joe. Unless Calzaghe ages overnight I just see him having too much savvy for the upstart to beat him. More then likely though, we probably won't see this match made and that's a shame.
I really hope Joe will fight Kessler, perhaps i are one of the few but i think Kessler has a very good shot at scoring a upset. Joe looked great against Lacy, but a part of why he looked so good was because he was so much faster he could get away with much. Kessler may not be faster then Joe, but is very close in speed and younger. Sooner or later Joe will grow old, and i think Kessler is the man to prove it. Either way, Joes next fight should be against Kessler.
people say, "oh, calz schooled lacy, kessler would be the exact same fight." WRONG, WRONG, and WRONG. lacy is a puncher, he lacks fundamentals, kessler is a very good boxer puncher. technically, he's in another level above lacy. kessler is just technically solid enough to give calzone a really tough fight. i like lacy, but kessler would destroy him
This will all come down to money.. Calzaghe is past his prime and would love a big payday before retiring. I think it would be an awesome fight but would have to go with Kessler because he is in his prime whereas Calzaghe is not and Kessler last few fights certainly proved he is the real deal yet who has Calzaghe fought?? Manfredo come on might as well fight his own sparring partners.
Calzaghe wont fight Kessler, he to much of a puncher, he may go back to domestic fights Froch, woods, or even Scott Dan, or he could go Euro and fight Cristian Sanavia but he will retire before rather that fight Kessler or he would have to be offered silly money more and a lot more that Kessler to even think about it. Froch is to hungry for Joe so even that might be pushing it abit. a few more easy fights in Leek land then retire the longest serving champ (what a joke) I'm British and love to see the Yanks get spanked ie Benn, Lewis but Joe (I wont fight out side my back yard) Calzage will not go to the US of A. sad sack.
I don't think Calzaghe and Warren can find a way out of this fight without looking like they're scared of it.
If he cant make one of the big fights he wants to make, I'd struggle to disagree.
I think Frank Warren will have to look to Kessler, as his American plans are falling apart.
Considering that Hopkins/Wright are fighting in July, that rules out a summer fight.
As for Taylor, his average performance against smaller fighters means that he will probably stick at 160 pounds for longer period, instead of moving up.
That just leaves Kessler, who has just beaten his mandatory, allowing him to make a voluntary defence.
AFTER MANFREDO FALLS, WILL WE SEE CALZAGHE - KESSLER ?
Mikkel Kessler is 28 years old. He sports a 39-0 record. He is the WBA and WBC super middleweight titleholder. All that is missing is world wide recognition. HBO was smart enough to air his recent defense in Denmark, a one sided drubbing of previously undefeated Librado Andrade. That was the first step toward Mikkel being known on this side of the Atlantic. Hopefully the next step will be a unification bout with unbeaten WBO champion Joe Calzaghe. That is if Joe overcomes the challenge of Peter Manfredo Jr. on April 7th in Cardiff, Wales. Calzaghe is a solid favorite to win that fight and rightfully so.
Calzaghe won over the American boxing public when he dominated the highly regarded Jeff Lacy. He has done little though to build on the prestige since he gained with that victory. Calzaghe needs Kessler but Kessler needs Calzaghe more. Will this highly anticipated fight ever be made ?
Calzaghe has made it clear that if he beats Manfredo he wants middleweight champion Jermain Taylor or the winner of Bernard Hopkins - Winky Wright. Even Roy Jones Jr. has been mentioned. Kessler doesn't seem to be on Joe's radar. The Andrade bout was an HBO showcase for Kessler. Mikkel won 120-108 on all three cards. Kessler jabbed, he moved, he punched in beautiful combinations, he gave a boxing clinic. Even though Andrade was unbeaten he was far from the caliber of a Joe Calzaghe. Still HBO stirred up interest in future Kessler matches, hopefully against Calzaghe. Will see...
Kessler is quite younger then Calzaghe. He is very strong and he is a solid puncher. He has a good jab and he boxes well. He is able to open up with both hands with great accuracy. That sounds like a winning formula for Mikkel against Calzaghe. The thing is that Joe is no ordinary Joe. Calzaghe has outstanding hand speed and he too is very accurate. He is also very awkward and not easy to tag with power shots. Also Joe has been in with better opposition.
If Calzaghe - Kessler is made this year I still have to go with Joe. Unless Calzaghe ages overnight I just see him having too much savvy for the upstart to beat him. More then likely though, we probably won't see this match made and that's a shame.
nice e-essay.... :D
good post....
AFTER MANFREDO FALLS, WILL WE SEE CALZAGHE - KESSLER ?
Mikkel Kessler is 28 years old. He sports a 39-0 record. He is the WBA and WBC super middleweight titleholder. All that is missing is world wide recognition. HBO was smart enough to air his recent defense in Denmark, a one sided drubbing of previously undefeated Librado Andrade. That was the first step toward Mikkel being known on this side of the Atlantic. Hopefully the next step will be a unification bout with unbeaten WBO champion Joe Calzaghe. That is if Joe overcomes the challenge of Peter Manfredo Jr. on April 7th in Cardiff, Wales. Calzaghe is a solid favorite to win that fight and rightfully so.
Calzaghe won over the American boxing public when he dominated the highly regarded Jeff Lacy. He has done little though to build on the prestige since he gained with that victory. Calzaghe needs Kessler but Kessler needs Calzaghe more. Will this highly anticipated fight ever be made ?
Calzaghe has made it clear that if he beats Manfredo he wants middleweight champion Jermain Taylor or the winner of Bernard Hopkins - Winky Wright. Even Roy Jones Jr. has been mentioned. Kessler doesn't seem to be on Joe's radar. The Andrade bout was an HBO showcase for Kessler. Mikkel won 120-108 on all three cards. Kessler jabbed, he moved, he punched in beautiful combinations, he gave a boxing clinic. Even though Andrade was unbeaten he was far from the caliber of a Joe Calzaghe. Still HBO stirred up interest in future Kessler matches, hopefully against Calzaghe. Will see...
Kessler is quite younger then Calzaghe. He is very strong and he is a solid puncher. He has a good jab and he boxes well. He is able to open up with both hands with great accuracy. That sounds like a winning formula for Mikkel against Calzaghe. The thing is that Joe is no ordinary Joe. Calzaghe has outstanding hand speed and he too is very accurate. He is also very awkward and not easy to tag with power shots. Also Joe has been in with better opposition.
If Calzaghe - Kessler is made this year I still have to go with Joe. Unless Calzaghe ages overnight I just see him having too much savvy for the upstart to beat him. More then likely though, we probably won't see this match made and that's a shame.
How i see it, is that Calzaghe and Warren for years have talking down on other opponents. What Kessler fans just try to do (not always in the best manner) is to get the fight Calzahge - Kessler happen. And they a doing a great job. If Calzaghe wonted fight a boxer, he just says "Hes not known in US", "Hes not ready for me", "In fairness to him, i wont fight him now" and some. Thats pisses every body up in a big way. Sounds more likely he just don't want the fights!! But now Calzaghe is under pressure to take on a fight. HBO wants it, Kessler wants it, boxing fans in generally wants it - so now the eyes on you Calzaghe.
On Kessler's home site he talkes about trying to be the best fighter ever. In TV he just said: "Every body just talks about money, i just want to prove to be the best!"
On Calzaghes home site there for months now is a statement talking down on all Kessler's fans, who just wants the fight to happen. Other statement is that you can buy merchandise and t-shirts whit credit cards!!!!.
Warren Calzaghe for years "has rule the media" - now lets see who rules the ring.
(talking down on our English is simply "a low blow")
I really hope Joe will fight Kessler, perhaps i are one of the few but i think Kessler has a very good shot at scoring a upset. Joe looked great against Lacy, but a part of why he looked so good was because he was so much faster he could get away with much. Kessler may not be faster then Joe, but is very close in speed and younger. Sooner or later Joe will grow old, and i think Kessler is the man to prove it. Either way, Joes next fight should be against Kessler.
I hope it does happen. It would be to unify three of the belts which would be great, and it would be the toughest fight either has taken part in. Both are really good fighters, both are now on HBO and are building bigger names. There are only four fights out there for The Blow now, Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Winky Wright and Mikkel Kessler. I guess you could add Clinton Woods and Chad Dawson in there, too, but hopefully those two will fight each other soon anyway. If Joe fights those four, or three of those four, then he will have a great legacy. Without them, or even if he only fights one of them, I don't think he will go down as a fighter that fulfilled his potential.
calzaghe won't fight kessler next... if i were kessler, though, i'd try to get a figth with berrio and take that title. if kessler were undisputed at 168, he could force calzaghe to come to him - whether this is a good idea or not is another thread.