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Kessler calls out Mundine (Similar to the thread in the aussie-forum, but i thought many of you wouldn't look there so posted it here).
By Paul Upham: Danish promoter Mogens Palle isn’t holding back any punches. He thinks that the WBA having Anthony Mundine as their super middleweight world champion is unacceptable. “The opponents Mundine has been fighting recently. It looks a like a joke,” he said.
Palle spoke to SecondsOut on Sunday by telephone from his hotel room in Las Vegas. He made it clear that his boxer Mikkel Kessler, the former WBA/WBC world champion, wants his old belt back. “Of course Mikkel is ready for a rematch,” he said.
Kessler beat Mundine back in June 2005 on points in Sydney. He went on to win the WBC title belt from Markus Beyer in October 2006, before losing to Joe Calzaghe in his last fight in November 2007.
“Mikkel was kind enough to give Anthony Mundine a shot at the WBA title,” said Palle. “Mikkel was even injured having hurt his back and I wanted to put the fight back three months, but Mikkel said ‘No, we will fight on’. We did the right thing by Mundine’s promoters and they treated us very well. Mikkel won the fight and one judge gave him all twelve rounds.”
Palle feels that 28 year-old Kessler 39-1 (29) is being unfairly penalised for losing to Calzaghe and should be given an immediate shot at Mundine.
“Look at The Ring magazine ratings,” explained Palle. “Calzaghe No.1, Kessler No.2 and the loss to Calzaghe was a close decision. How can the WBA consider Mundine above Kessler? Mundine is not the WBA champion. We thought his fight with Soliman was just an interim title match. Look at Mikkel’s record. He deserves to fight for the WBA world title now.”
The WBA website currently lists Joe Calzaghe as their undisputed champion and Anthony Mundine as their world champion. Mundine defeated Sam Soliman by knockout in March 2007 for the vacant world title belt when Kessler was proclaimed as a super champion by the WBA after beating Beyer. The WBA announced late in 2007 that they would no longer continue their policy of having a world champion listed underneath an undisputed or super champion.
“The WBA can no longer have two world champions,” said Palle, who is urging the WBA to immediately install Kessler as Mundine’s mandatory defence.
32 year-old Mundine 30-3 (23) is scheduled to defend his WBA world title belt against Nader Hamdan on February 27 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre
By Paul Upham: Danish promoter Mogens Palle isn’t holding back any punches. He thinks that the WBA having Anthony Mundine as their super middleweight world champion is unacceptable. “The opponents Mundine has been fighting recently. It looks a like a joke,” he said.
Palle spoke to SecondsOut on Sunday by telephone from his hotel room in Las Vegas. He made it clear that his boxer Mikkel Kessler, the former WBA/WBC world champion, wants his old belt back. “Of course Mikkel is ready for a rematch,” he said.
Kessler beat Mundine back in June 2005 on points in Sydney. He went on to win the WBC title belt from Markus Beyer in October 2006, before losing to Joe Calzaghe in his last fight in November 2007.
“Mikkel was kind enough to give Anthony Mundine a shot at the WBA title,” said Palle. “Mikkel was even injured having hurt his back and I wanted to put the fight back three months, but Mikkel said ‘No, we will fight on’. We did the right thing by Mundine’s promoters and they treated us very well. Mikkel won the fight and one judge gave him all twelve rounds.”
Palle feels that 28 year-old Kessler 39-1 (29) is being unfairly penalised for losing to Calzaghe and should be given an immediate shot at Mundine.
“Look at The Ring magazine ratings,” explained Palle. “Calzaghe No.1, Kessler No.2 and the loss to Calzaghe was a close decision. How can the WBA consider Mundine above Kessler? Mundine is not the WBA champion. We thought his fight with Soliman was just an interim title match. Look at Mikkel’s record. He deserves to fight for the WBA world title now.”
The WBA website currently lists Joe Calzaghe as their undisputed champion and Anthony Mundine as their world champion. Mundine defeated Sam Soliman by knockout in March 2007 for the vacant world title belt when Kessler was proclaimed as a super champion by the WBA after beating Beyer. The WBA announced late in 2007 that they would no longer continue their policy of having a world champion listed underneath an undisputed or super champion.
“The WBA can no longer have two world champions,” said Palle, who is urging the WBA to immediately install Kessler as Mundine’s mandatory defence.
32 year-old Mundine 30-3 (23) is scheduled to defend his WBA world title belt against Nader Hamdan on February 27 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre
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