When Is Kessler Going To Step It Up?
February 27th, 2009
By Scott Gilfoid: After 11 years of fighting as a pro, super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler (41-1, 31 KOs) has fought frighteningly mediocre competition consisting of a whole slew of fighters that I’ve frankly never heard of in my life. I had hopes that Kessler would start stepping it up after his fighting with Joe Calzaghe in 2007, but since then Kessler has continued fighting soft opponents and failed to step it up against a quality fighter like IBF light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson.
The thought of Kessler fighting someone like Larsen is more than a little off putting as far as I’m concerned. I’m just wondering when Kessler is going to fight a live body, because he seems like he’s following the standard that Calzaghe set in choosing opponents for his career.
At this rate, Kessler may be able to fight another nine years and remain with his one sole loss on his record from the Calzaghe fight. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a fighter beating a scrub now and then, but in the case of Kessler he has beaten far too many lower level guys from the way I see it. Kessler is rumored to be fighting on March 14th in the U.S. against a still to be named opponent.
Normally, this would be good chance for Kessler to try and show what he’s worth by fighting a good opponent, but I’m not counting on it happening. If he’s brave, he’ll fight someone good like Andre Ward or Andre Dirrell. I see both of them better than any of the top super middleweights in the division, even though neither of them are currently title holders.
They will be in time, believe me. Another good opponent would be Jermain Taylor, but unfortunately he’s all but set to fight Carl Froch on April 25th, making Taylor unavailable for a fight against Kessler. Heck, I’d settle for Sakio Bika rather than see Kessler face another easy Euro fighter like Dimitri Sartison, Danilo Haussler or Markus Beyer again.
Bika has been getting better and better in the past couple of years since losing fights to Calzaghe and Lucian Bute. I doubt he’d beat Kessler but he’d still make him work hard in getting a win. I doubt Kessler would want to fight Dirrell, Ward or Allan Green, because each of them would bring a lot of power, speed and elusiveness to the table and Kessler couldn’t get away with sitting back and jabbing all fight long like he usually does.
I see Dirrell and Ward not only beating Kessler, but dominating him in every round. In order to beat good fighters like them, he’s going to have to show a lot more than what he’s done in his career. He might not have it in him, but it would be good to finally see him in with a quality opponent for a change.
Tags: 26 Responses to “When Is Kessler Going To Step It Up?”
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ron uk when using facts get them right by ud you ment unanimus decision? when in actual fact was a split dicision an t be honest calzaghe lost that fight and you no it! boxing in bad way if u can slap a dudes gloves 1000 times an win with out havin to actually hurt them, b hop is twice the boxer joe has ever been an if you deny this you are a deluded moron with no clue of boxin!
c-philly what was that again? It was basically said in a language of which i have no knowledge.It appears you said that Kessler is a fraud just like Joe Calzaghe.Lets see now The Executioner did that “fraud” Super Joe not just win on a UD against him last year? The last British fighter Calzaghe fought was Woodhall back in 2000 a whole 9 years ago! Since then of course he’s beat from “your land” among others Jones,Lacy,Mitchell,Brewer,Sheika and of course the afore mentioned Executioner.
are you europeans and british in particular thick or just plain ignorant? taylor vs froch is now on so we will see who is the better even tho i know the result and in your hearts you also know the result. All use have is shelterd fighters who have good records as they fight ,kessler? please! yous play second fiddle in boxing always have always will stick to soccer!
where that man, texas?
kessler yaall must be yanking my chain he a fraud just another super joe that fight garbage british n european fighters cum t my land n fight the executioner n he would be blasted out in 3! brrraaaappp!
i notice that americans claim that people outside the US like Froch and Kessler avoid the big names such as Taylor, Hopkins, Dawson etc. I notice that none of these big names want to fight them and then the yanks shift the blame on the non americans for not being able to land fights. its all to do with promotions wantin to protect there big stars. the public and sport deserve better and the sooner promoters take a gamble and realise there is more money to be made riskin there fighters with other top names, the more money theres to be made and the more satisfied boxing fans will become. id rather a boxer have a 45-3 record and have fought the best than a 50-0 record and fought bums, as im sure the public wud.
Gilfraud, you really don’t wan’t Kessler to step up a weight because then you will have to think of excuses as to why he whooped your man-crush Dawson. Just sayin’
Is there an American Super Middleweight fighter for kessler to flatten? Not really, Jermain “I can labour my way to a boring win against Lacy” Taylor is about the best of them, and if he’s not willing to fight Kessler, well that’s about it. What would beating the other “super middleweight” names in the US like Peter Manfredo Junior add to his record? Sorry, I think the lack of talent in the US at that weight sums up the negativity in articles like this.
Taylor has to be the most protected fighter in history, he doesn’t want Froch, doesn’t want Kessler… who WILL he fight?!
Dawson on the other hand, well he seems happy mugging pensioners, when he fights someone under 30 who’s worth mentioning let me know.
You are right scott, kessler is one of these idiots who thinks that there is a whole world outside US . He needs to understand that to get crdibility( how can he have any if he is not american??) he needs to beat the colossus that is Dawson once CD has achieved the monumental task of beating that legitimate challenger movie boxer Tarver!*’~
who is avoiding who?
Ususal Typhoid biased nonsense , give it up mate it is the same old boring nonsense week after week , get a life
well done dave harding for putting that on there, that should shut the yanks up till lieberman or williams get behind the keyboard again.
After fighting calzaghe and giving joe a great run for his money he has gained a lot of respect and a lot of british fans, which shows just how unbiased we are (he is for the record Danish for all you americans who probably just knew he wasn’t one of your countrymen and closed your ears after).
He would smash Taylor and Lacy up and in my opinion the best four in the division are himself (denmark), Froch (england), Pascal (canada) and Bika (Cameroon). What no americans? Boo Hoo
Thank you David Harding, i knew i had read that somewhere. Kessler has been overlooked because he poses a very real threat to American fighters. Much the same way Calzaghe was avoided by Hopkins and co.
I think that the author is demeaning Kessler because he’s such a good fighter and he lost to Calzaghe. It clearly doesn’t sit easily with his views of Calzaghe to have Kessler so highly rated.
Ward and Dirrell may have potential, but Kessler would at least hammer out a unanimous points win against the pair of them.
First, I would like to wish Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my fans, indeed to all boxing fans around the globe. Here’s to a great 2009 with peace and prosperity for one and all.
My purpose is to let my fans and all boxing fans around the world know my past and current boxing agenda.
I went from Denmark to America THREE TIMES in 2008 trying to drum up a big fight. I attended the Kelly Pavlik-Jermain Taylor rematch, the Bernard Hopkins-Joe Calzaghe fight and the Roy Jones-Calzaghe bout. I enjoy both Las Vegas and New York but those were business trips. My dream is to fight big fights in the United States against the best of the best.
Bernard Hopkins. Joe Calzaghe. Chad Dawson. Winky Wright. Jermain Taylor. Kelly Pavlik.
Six great fighters, no doubt. And, starting with ring legend Hopkins, six fighters who all refused to seriously discuss fighting me this past year. I respect all of them as boxers and great competitors but, for some reason, I can’t get any of them to fight me.
Now I know some people say I’ve been hiding in Europe and not fighting the big names. That’s not fair and that’s not true. I regained my WBA title, which is important to me, against unbeaten Dimitri Sartison and then fought a required mandatory against Danillo Haussler. I didn’t make Haussler the mandatory challenger but I did cut him down in three rounds.
Naturally, I am extremely frustrated as I seek bigger game. I am hoping that 2009 will be different, that I will be able to match my skills in America against the likes of the Big Six.
I’m not here to call anyone names or issue childish insults. That’s not the Viking Warrior’s style, people know that.
But Hopkins says he doesn’t want to hear my name although I’d gladly fight him at 168 pounds for my title or at a catch weight.
Calzaghe beat me on points in an excellent fight and has been consistent in saying he will never give me a second chance. He’s a great one but I wish he’d change his mind. He said he never gives rematches yet he gave one to Mario Veit. It was Joe who suggested I fight Hopkins. I agree but Bernard doesn’t like the idea.
Unbeaten Dawson is young and unbeaten. I would fight him at super middleweight or at a catch weight but he and/or his handlers are not interested.
As for Winky, I’ve been hearing his name all year, from January to December, but it’s clear he also wants no part of me.
Taylor will never fight me according to his guy, Lou DiBella. I’ve given up on getting Jermain in the ring.
Though he lost to Hopkins, Pavlik is still an excellent, rugged champion. He calls me a real beast and I say the same about him. That’s a bout I would really get excited about but it seems unlikely.
I’m not a guy to shout from the rooftops but everything I’ve said here is factual.
I just hope I can fill up my 2009 dance card with some or any of these reluctant but great warriors as listed above.
Thanks again to all the fans, in Denmark and elsewhere, who give me such great support. Know that I appreciate it greatly!
MIKKEL KESSLER
that’s the open letter kessler sent out to the public and he also made a complaint to the WBA about the poor opposistion he was having to face. make of it what you will.
yes i agree wit everything u said scott,kessler is also overrated like joe himself,he also hasnt beaten any big names like Joe himself,and if continues 2 get praised and thought as a great,then im afraid he will soon be labeled as a fraud as well!!!
i think u r right kessler is very overrated the joe fight and thats it
ron uk youre being nice to them i think their combined knowledge could fit on the gable end of a credit card! hahahahahaha!
u say he needs to step it up by fighting dirrell and allan green, kessler was trying to get a fight with taylor, hopefully the winner of taylor and froch will fight kessler, kessler is going to clean up the division, also i think u yanks should look out of ur big bubble
yep. same old crap.
ajlord, i think u will find scott gilfraud is very consistent with his work. its always a load of crap.
i dont usually even bother looking at your articles but since u were writing about kessler rather than just haye or calzaghe. but sadly once again uve proven why theres no point in reading your articles.
Mikkel Kessler will step it up maybe when the americans stop ducking him and grow some balls because at present they are all too afraid of losing to a european. And lets get something perfectly straight right now..Chad dawson DOES NOT want to fight Mikkel Kessler ok! Kessler is one fight Chad Dawson definatly DOESNT want!
Its the same with Pavlik and Abraham- Pavlik does NOT want a fight with Abraham NOT in the USA and especially NOT IN GERMANY! lets all be clear about that
i’m sure i’ve heard this idiot say that bika was a weak opponent for calzhage now he’s saying he’s a credible opponent for kessler! show some consistency please.
Are you septics for real????? Why do you only rate your own fighters, even though they are constantly bashed up by our English and European fighters? You need to get real!! And why should Kessler fight a man who is in a completely different weight division? Forget Dawson, why not go for one of the Klitschko bros, I hear they are free soon after the Haye blow out!!!!!!!
Mug
Come on lads you don’t really expect any sense out of Scotty boy do you? He’s presently running neck and neck with Michael Lieberman and Chris Williams for the title of the most clueless contributer on here.In fact you could write down their combined boxing knowledge on the back of a postage stamp.
rubbish article, you criticise kesslers opposition and say they are unheard of, its because you yanks dont look past the atlantic hence why you constantly slate calzaghe and dont realise that kessler and froch are the best two super middleweights at preaent, wake up gilfoid
Scott Gilfoid has proven to me how biased, ilinformed and stupid he can be. Ive not been able to take a single one of his articles seriously since ive started using this site.
And heres another 1. Scott doesnt know any facts or previous.
Chad Dawson????? Chad the Light Heavyweight Dawson?
Whats wrong with Kessler fighting names in the division hes in? Taylor, Mundine, Froch, Bute, Allan Green Bika.
Kesslers at the top of the pile with these boys, theres titles to be won, why fight a bigger guy for nothing?
if you honestly think Chad Dawson wants to fight Kessler your truly mad!