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by TK Stewart - You know who’s responsible for getting Mikkel Kessler interested in boxing don’t you?
Well, it was none other than the “Danish Pastry” of a heavyweight, the cream puff himself, Brian Nielsen. Yes, the same Brian Nielsen that was pole-axed by Mike Tyson. The same Brian Nielsen who made it all the way to a record of 48-0 to threaten Rocky Marciano’s mark, and the same Brian Nielsen who was once the benefactor of a fight allegedly ‘thrown’ by Jeremy Williams.
“After I had seen Brian Nielsen on television when I was about 13 years old, I thought it would be fun to try boxing,” says Mikkel, pronounced like ‘nickel’.
“My mother took my two friends and I over to C.I.K., which was the local boxing club, and I remember clearly my first impression of the gym. It stank of sweat and the trainer was a rough, old, bowlegged man who cursed and swore and liked to smoke cigars. I didn’t know it then, but that was actually the day that would change my life forever.”
That crotchety old trainer turned out to be Richard Olsen, and through the cigar smoke and the curse words he has led Kessler, over the past 15 years, to two world boxing titles in the 168-pound division, an undefeated record of 39-0 (29)KO and to the brink of a world-wide mega-fight against fellow undefeated champion Joe Calzaghe. [details]
Well, it was none other than the “Danish Pastry” of a heavyweight, the cream puff himself, Brian Nielsen. Yes, the same Brian Nielsen that was pole-axed by Mike Tyson. The same Brian Nielsen who made it all the way to a record of 48-0 to threaten Rocky Marciano’s mark, and the same Brian Nielsen who was once the benefactor of a fight allegedly ‘thrown’ by Jeremy Williams.
“After I had seen Brian Nielsen on television when I was about 13 years old, I thought it would be fun to try boxing,” says Mikkel, pronounced like ‘nickel’.
“My mother took my two friends and I over to C.I.K., which was the local boxing club, and I remember clearly my first impression of the gym. It stank of sweat and the trainer was a rough, old, bowlegged man who cursed and swore and liked to smoke cigars. I didn’t know it then, but that was actually the day that would change my life forever.”
That crotchety old trainer turned out to be Richard Olsen, and through the cigar smoke and the curse words he has led Kessler, over the past 15 years, to two world boxing titles in the 168-pound division, an undefeated record of 39-0 (29)KO and to the brink of a world-wide mega-fight against fellow undefeated champion Joe Calzaghe. [details]
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