Kessler vs. Ward: The Viking Will Bite the Dust
October 12th, 2009
By Scott Gilfoid: World Boxing Association super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler (42-1, 32 KO’s) will really be tested by Andre Ward (20-0, 13 KO’s) in their November 21st Super Six tournament fight and Kessler, the Viking, may come up short against the talented 25-year-old Ward. Kessler, 30, missed almost a year of action while taking care of management problems and when he came back recently, he looked like a completely different fighter as he struggled against Gusmyr Perdomo.
Some people say that fighters would move up to that weight because they didn’t have the talent to fight at middleweight and it was a weight class where they could win an easy title against the mostly mediocre opponents and hold onto the title for a long period of time.
But that was in the old days before Dirrell, Taylor and Ward showed up. Now, the big three have come into town and are ready to take over the division and rule it with an iron fist. Kessler won’t be facing one of his soft opponents like Danilo Haussler and Dimitri Sartison on November 21st. Ward is a former 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist for the United States and he’s breezed through his competition since turning pro in 2004.
Ward doesn’t just beat his opponents. He annihilates them and either knocks them out or beats them in lopsided decisions where he wins every round of the fight with his amazing boxing ability. Recently, Ward made an example of super middleweight contender Edison Miranda, beating him by a lopsided 12 round decision, and winning every round of the fight.
Miranda is plenty tough and a huge puncher, yet Ward handled him like he was a little kitten. Kessler is going to have major problems against Ward. All the boxing fans and so-called boxing experts are going to have to reassess their ideas about Kessler being the best super middleweight in the division and the one that will be winning the Super Six tournament.
Kessler won’t win the tournament, because he’s going to be knocked out or badly beaten by Ward. Kessler might beat most of the other fighters, save for Dirrell, but he won’t win the tournament. But it’s good, through. When you have a fighter basically fighting a bunch of fighters that I’ve never even heard of, and of course beating them with ease, it gives a distorted picture about the fight.
Boxing fans are like under an impression that Kessler is nearly invincible based on fights against guys that I personally feel shouldn’t even be ranked in the top 15. It’s good that Kessler will finally be facing a quality fighter for a change, and I think the Dane is going to fall apart in the fight. It’s going to be an eye-opener and afterwards boxing fans will wonder how they could have been so fooled. I never was and I never will be. You got to have an eye for talent.
Tags: 17 Responses to “Kessler vs. Ward: The Viking Will Bite the Dust”
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“Peplz – comparing Ward to FMjr hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahah – that has made my day – laugh so hard I nearly sha@t myself”
Perfect example of how alot of you idiots make statements without explaining anything about the basis of your opinions. I hope you wipe your nearly shatted arse after you’ve had your laugh.
“Before Andre Ward, Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell emerged on the boxing scene, the super middleweight division was very poor.”
Yes, because they all got together and decided to ‘emerge’ at the same time…right. Dirrell and Ward have yet to emerge, and Taylor’s already past it. Besides, ever hear of Joe Calzaghe?
“Now, the big three have come into town and are ready to take over the division and rule it with an iron fist.”
Indeed. If by ‘rule it’ you mean…’lose a lot.’ We’ll see how Ward does, though.
“Ward is a former 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist for the United States and he’s breezed through his competition since turning pro in 2004.”
People make a lot out of Ward’s Olympic performance, but anyone who’s ever boxed knows that amateur and professional boxing are not the same sport. Amateur boxing is based on clearly hitting the other guy more than he hits you. Professional boxing is based on hurting the other guy. In Ward’s short career, he’s managed to knock out only 13 of his 20 opponents. Need I mention that his opponents haven’t exactly been top-flight? And why should they be, he’s still moving up.
“Kessler might beat most of the other fighters, save for Dirrell, but he won’t win the tournament.”
Predicting that a kid with 19 fights will beat a fighter with 32 knockouts is pretty ballsy…
“Boxing fans are like under an impression that Kessler is nearly invincible based on fights against guys that I personally feel shouldn’t even be ranked in the top 15.”
That’s like, hotttt… let me ask you something, Scott. Would you be so kind as to give us a list of who IS in your top 15 for the Super Middleweight division?
“It’s good that Kessler will finally be facing a quality fighter for a change, and I think the Dane is going to fall apart in the fight.”
True, it’s too bad Kessler never got in the ring with Calzaghe. Wait, what? Oh, nevermind, I remember. I don’t think he fell apart, though he certainly could have–much like an American Olympian did before him. Remember Lacy, the unbeaten guy who was knocking everyone out before his career and body were destroyed by Calzaghe? Kessler had a pretty good showing compared to that. There is simply no evidence to suggest that Ward is any better than Lacy was. He might be, but he’ll have to show it. If he beats Kessler, it will be huge. He’s the underdog for a reason, however.
“It’s going to be an eye-opener and afterwards boxing fans will wonder how they could have been so fooled. I never was and I never will be. You got to have an eye for talent.”
You, sir, are ignorant. I suggest that you remedy this by taking a composition course at your local college. Furthermore, it is recommended that you spend some time in a boxing ring yourself so you can get a better feel for the sport you seem to know so much about. Finally, rather than spending half your life writing substandard nationalistic sports articles, try going on Youtube and looking up fights from these boxers. This may enable you to make semi-educated predictions.
Have a good one!
its funny how american analsist steriotype european fighters [first of all they are all whight men first as you rbf racist blake folk]like to call eropeans .sounds stupid this comment doesent it well thears a place for talking polertics and all that other crap and thears a place for talking boxing this site is for talking boxing
Peplz – comparing Ward to FMjr hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahah – that has made my day – laugh so hard I nearly sha@t myself
Its funny how you European commentors keep making baseless generalizations about American fighters. First of all, the three “Americans” are Black fighters first. Or as PC white folks like to say, “African American”. I know you Europeans try to pretend that you’re above the idea of race, but we know that you are just as racist as your “American” counterpart. Western culture is Western culture.
And all of you keep saying that Kessler is going to win but none of you explain why. Mr. Gilford may be opinionated but he at least explains the basis of his opinions.
Kessler is good. Really good. But he is hittable. Librado Andrade who is not a highly skilled boxer was able to hit Kessler often. He thoroughly beat Andrade but he showed that he doesn’t have A+ defense. In the fight against Calzaghe he was totally confused about how to deal with Calzaghe’s speed and trickiness. And he got flat out whopped.
Ward on the other hand has great Floyd Mayweather Jr. style defense. He has a sneaky pot shotting style offense. Who ever said Andre Ward is slow is dreaming in reverse. I was at the Miranda fight in Oakland, and I witnessed in person that Ward has blinding speed. He has the best Amatuer pedigree a fighter could possibly have being a former Olympic Gold medalist. So we know he has solid fundamental skills as a boxer. The only weakness he has is that he has yet to be truly tested. Other than that he has all of Kesslers strengths and none of his weaknesses. This is why I believe Andre Ward will dominate Mikkel Kessler.
more attention seeking, Scott?
Would be very very suprised if Kessler lost to Ward, but guess as Ward is Amerian, that makes he “the bestest ever boxer in the history of bestest boxers ever”, til he has a defeat, then the writer will start banging on about another American “hope” – Remember Jeff Lacey at all??
Ward for me is the best American in the super six. Sadly that isn’t saying all too much. He jumps in trying to throw a left hook, and I can see kessler or froch taking his head off when he tries to do it.
Dirrell just runs around flailing ineffectively. Sort of like an unfit, weaker calzaghe. Difference being calzaghe could do it for 12 rounds, and hit harder. And Taylor just can’t fight for 12 rounds.
It’s funny though, since between them the three Americans haven’t won anything in the super middleweight division, and kessler was chasing fighters like bhop and being frozen out of the big pay days, purely because he’s so dangerous. Oh well…
Scott ho has ward fort apart from miranda ho got KO by pavlik ho intern got don by Hopkins and ward didn’t Evan KO Miranda and Hopkins is 44 years old plus in the last fight Abraham KO Miranda 2 or 3 rounds cant remember exactly take all the facts put them together and then give an analysis and don’t just choose a fighter because his nationality Wat would your prediction be if ward was fighting direll you would look at the facts their past fights and performances and make a prediction why is so different wen it comes to European fighters i know its because your a fat American flag waving toss pot
ward doesnt anhilate anyone he is slow and weak and he looked less than impressive against Miranda and kessler has showed ho good he is when he demolished a prime andrade who pretty much ko’d the ibf champion bute
Kessler definately didnt have any problems in his last fight. So he missed a few shots, he had been out of the game for a while. But when the shots did land we all saw what happened. He hits like a mule, Ward better be peaked for that fight because if he aint he’s gonna get knocked the F out.
Seriously dude your a fool, Kessler smashed pedromo! Ward looked less impressive imo. I think kessler wins this but i haven’t seen too much of ward except the miranda fight. Kessler is not miranda!
please stop your horrible predictions!
you have to realize sooner or later that kessler in the end is just to much for André.
Who has Andre meat? nobody! KEssler has beaten the best in SM so far. Loosing a fight that he nearly won, to the best of the best – calzaghe.. so shut it!
i i think kesseler will win the super six with ease he is lotts better than the rest he will win his first fight with ess trust me
why are people jumping on andre dirrel band wagon saying he going to do this that and other, dirrel is a hype job like jeff lacy and froch will wipe floor with him. my money is on ward vs froch final, but abraham will be dangerous
Sorry man! Good read but… Kessler in Eight!
sad sad sad sad and just bloody sad!