Comments Thread For: Photo: Kessler Sparring With Sulecki For Froch Rematch

[Scary]

We've seen a Kessler who's adapted a lot more infight. He's not as "gentle" as he used to, now he is more of a war machine. I don't see any decline, but I think it was a done Mcgee he fought. Unless we have a brutal KO early I think we'll see a rematch somewhere in Germany.

I hope Kessler will stand, when Froch unleashes and not step back. Straight right to the jaw.

[LacedUp]

While Obviously it won't be KO1 you are correct about Froch being slicker.

He's the more skilled, versatile fighter.

People look at the squared up, jab first european textbook style of Kessler and confuse that with Skill.

I associate skill with the ability to adapt on the fly and use a variety of different tactics and that's Froch, far more versatile. Kessler is just the same in every fight.

More skilled? Really?

I mean I like Froch a lot, but he's not more skilled than Kessler. He throws wild swings, and would rather take one to give one than slip a punch. I'd like it if you gave me any fight where Froch actually slipped punches - it's not his style.

Kessler is far more tactically adept, and Froch punched a lot of air in their first fight. Kessler throws an excellent uppercut, whereas froch often leaps off his feet whilst doing so. Kessler's jab-straight right used to be one of the best in the business and he punches equally hard with both hands (see KO vs Haussler) and it came up again vs Magee. He throws better body punches than Froch (also seen in their first fight), and has better movement.

Froch has better reach on his jab and throws it very well when he does. But he doesn't throw it enough. What he does better than Kessler is apply pressure (see Bute, Taylor) but a good boxer (Ward, Dirrell, Kessler) will nullify the pressure with counter punching and good bodywork.

[GuruVoodoo]

[QUOTE=Bon Scott;13223264]Hatton told us to bet his house on him beating Maywether,had we have done we'd be homeless ! I'll pass on his recommendations.


Lol

[VatoMulatto]

Everytime I bet against Froch he wins so he'll probably win this fight too. I just feel that Kessler is the much better boxer. He's also the better puncher and physically stronger. Kessler should win this fight. He can even knock Froch out.

[VatoMulatto]

TERRIBLE? Allan Green, a super six fighter, Bouadla (comeback fight, but EBU champion) and Magee coming off a good couple of wins and WBA champ? It's not THAT terrible.

Froch fought Bute and Mack since losing badly to Ward. I've tried to make this point before, but the difference in opposition isn't as vast as people make it out.

And Earl, you know Green wasn't close to "spark him out". He wasn't even hurt and it was more a case of bad balance than anything else.

Kessler does have a very good chin but he was definitely hurt. I don't think he expected that punch. Kessler was hurt by a right hand. He was still hurt when he came back up but Green didn't take advantage of that.

Don't tell me Kessler wasn't hurt by Green's straight right hand at 02.17

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[LacedUp]

Kessler does have a very good chin but he was definitely hurt. I don't think he expected that punch. Kessler was hurt by a right hand. He was still hurt when he came back up but Green didn't take advantage of that.

Don't tell me Kessler wasn't hurt by Green's straight right hand at 02.17

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He went up at the count of 1 and the first thing he did was dodge a right hand and threw a strong jab. At no point did he look wobbly and was certainly not about to get "sparked out". Did he feel it? Of course. Did he recover fully in no time? Yes he did.

[oksehud]

I believe Kessler can beat Froch.
It will not be easy, but I think Kessler can do it.

A lot of posters here are solely focusing on the fact, that Froch has had a good run since the last fight against Kessler, gaining experience against world-class operators, and winning his last two fights in spectacular style.
It is all true, but Kessler is definitely not on the decline, and probably has a lot more to offer in this rematch, compared to their first fight:

1: Kesslers eyesight is back to normal.
Kessler was known for his eagle-eyed precision before the super-six, and in the fight against Froch in 2010 he was forced to be the aggressor (not always successfully) because he couldn’t rely on his precision to fight from the distance.
In his last two fights Kessler has been showing his acclaimed precision again, and Froch is normally not hard to find in the ring.

2: Kessler has been working with Jimmy Montoya as a coach now for 3 years. Montoya has been adding a lot of new weapons to Kesslers arsenal (or rather making Kessler find them again, after having relied on the “jab-jab-straight” tactics for a long time under his former coach Ricard Olsen). Montoya has been able to find fatal flaws in Kesslers last opponents every time, and present it tactically for Kessler to exploit (Allan Green dropping his right hand, exposing him for the left hook. Magees soft spot down below, etc.)
Froch-Kessler I was the Kesslers first fight with Montoya in the corner. I am sure Jimmy has been able to find a lot of new stuff about Froch, Kessler can exploit.

If Froch fights like against Bute and Mack, storming forward like a man possessed, I can see Froch being at the wrong end of a nasty counterpunch at some point in the match.
Froch has a good chin, but maybe not as good as he thinks himself.
If Froch fights like against Abraham, keeping the distance and relying on his reach advantage to outscore Kessler, it will be a much more difficult night for Kessler. Kessler would then have to rely on his speed advantage to slip, counter and close the distance, working the body like in their first match, and hitting him from awkward angles.

Froch has made it public, that he will stop Kessler before the 9th round, and it will become a war. If that is true, Kessler has a much better chance than if Froch boxes the match sensibly (which I actually think he will).
Froch also has an enormous pressure on his shoulders. He has been calling out Kessler publically, and has the home advantage, and his fans are expecting great things from him.
It could work out bad for Froch who’s arguably best wins in recent time (Abraham, Bute) came after defeats, where the expectancies were much lower…

Either way, it will be an exciting match-up, which every red-blooded fight fan should look forward to !!

[oksehud]

Another factor, I think will make a difference in this fight:

Kesslers jab.
His accuracy has improved, so it will be hitting Froch more often. But Kesslers jab is not only accurate, it is very powerful.
Former opponents and sparring partners have often said, that the most frustrating thing about Kesslers jab is, that it is not an annoying slap, but hurts, and feels like a solid straight right every time it connects.
If Froch gets peppered with enough of those, it could make him angry enough to abandon an initially careful plan, and go to war, thus setting him up for Kesslers devastating counterpunches…

[BennyST]

Kessler has clearly been on the decline for some time now. He's not nearly as sharp as he was in his prime. Still a top fighter but not the great fighter he was. I can't see him winning this rematch.

[oksehud]

@BennyST:

I don't think Kessler is on a decline. He has been, but is improving now.

The Post-Calzaghe Kessler of 2008-2009 (against Perdomo, Häusler, Ward) was terrible to watch. Problems with his promoter and the impaired vision.
In a article for a danish newspaper, Kessler himself said, that the vision problems started in the training camp before the Ward fight. The problems got worse after being butted by billygoat-Ward, and going into the fight with Froch, he said, he had double-vision every time he looked down….
In their first fight, Kessler had to come forward relentlessly, because he couldn’t rely on his precision to pick off Froch from the distance.

The Post-Froch Kessler has shown steady improvements from Bouadla -> Green -> Magee.
His precision is back, and Montoya has clearly made him more versatile.

2012-2013 Kessler is vastly better than 2008-2010 Kessler, but maybe a bit declined on reflexes and speed in comparison to 2004-2007 Kessler.
But he has gained experience, and seems like a more complete fighter now than before Calzaghe…

BTW:
Kessler would never have agreed to fight Froch in England if we wasn’t sure, he could beat him again. My bet is, that Kessler himself fancies his chances against Froch is much better this time around.

Kessler has the psychological advantage. Froch has SO much to prove….