Kessler-Ward: Is Mikkel too Basic to beat Andre?
November 5th, 2009
By Scott Gilfoid: World Boxing Association super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler (42-1, 32 KO’s) is a good fighter there’s no question about that, but he might be too basic to beat top rated American challenger Andre Ward (20-0, 13 KO’s) in their Super Six bout on November 21st, at the Oracle Arena, in Oakland, California. That’s not to take anything away from the 30-year-old Kessler for his accomplishments. He’s had a great run during his career, beating fighters like Anthony Mundine, Dimitri Sartison, Librado Andrade, Markus Beyer and Eric Lucas.
Kessler was already beaten decisively by Joe Calzaghe in November 2007. Calzaghe took advantage of Kessler’s simple fighting style by going right at him and hitting him with flurries. Kessler, who is more or less a one at a time puncher, couldn’t match the enormous work rate of Calzaghe and was simply outworked in a rather dull fight.
The loss has been forgotten by many boxing fans, who now consider Kessler the best fighter in the sport for some reason. I don’t see Kessler as the best, though. I’ve kept my eye on all the fighters in the super middleweight division, and have noticed several of them that have caught up to Kessler in terms of talent and in my view are a considerably better than him. Ward is one of the fighters, Andre Dirrell is another and Canadian based Romanian Lucian Bute is the third fighter.
These three boxers are the perfect fighters in the super middleweight division and who I see as a level above Kessler in talent. I think Kessler has the physical talent to improve still, but he would have to change his simple style of fighting and mix it a lot more movement and combinations to beat fighters like Ward, Dirrell and Bute. That’s probably not going to change at this point. Kessler is 30, and seems set in his ways style-wise. If anything, we’ll see Kessler probably going down hill by the time the Super Six tournament is over.
Ward knows Kessler’s style, seen that he doesn’t move well and that he tends to limit his punching ability by fighting out of a wide stance. Ward will see that he can easily overwhelm Kessler with punches from different angles and get the better of him because of his boxed in stance and his inability to throw combinations at the same rate that the quicker Ward can throw them.
Kessler has done next to nothing since being beaten by Calzaghe in 2007. He’s fought three times, beating some decent fighters in Sartison, Danilo Haussler and Gusmyr Perdomo. Those are good fighters, but clearly not in the class of Ward, Dirrell, Bute or Calzaghe. Kessler hasn’t had a test in a long time, and the year off from boxing certainly didn’t help his skills any.
The more I look at the Ward-Kessler fight, the more I see it as a 12 round shutout for Ward. I originally thought that Kessler might be able to steal a round or two, but now I see this as a one-sided fight with Ward winning every round. This will be like another one of Ward’s recent lopsided victories over Edison Miranda and Henry Buchanan.
Tags: 28 Responses to “Kessler-Ward: Is Mikkel too Basic to beat Andre?”
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Kessler KO in the ninth
you will eat your word come saturday night.. butthead
What the fuock are you talking about, I will comment this Sunday morning after the fight. You should find another job.
What a load of crap. Mr. Gilfoid, you are about as objective as you are intelligent. You have proven yourself to be wrong on the Froch – Direll, Abraham – Taylor and the Hayes – Valuev fight. Take a hint and start writing about Chinese synchronised swimming instead. Odds are you’ll do better at that.
I pretty much agree with your take here (see below) but I think Kessler will win 3-4 rounds based on aggression and some isolated power shots.
http://www.fightinsight.com/2009/11/17/score-one-for-oakland-when-andre-ward-meets-mikkel-kessler/
have to agree with Dunc,seen bit of ward on youtube,looks pretty tasty.But the balance of power in boxing,has definately shifted towards europe,power being the operative word.All the americans are great movers whereas all the europeans have genuine power.In the past,usually good movers were able to exploit poor defence,Kessler and Abraham are both of the newer european school who now posess both knockout power and extremly good energy efficient defence.ALL three are authentically tough men,particulally Abraham.Now Dirrel did show flashes of tallent,but he gave the impression of a scared cat, and crying to the ref even tho he clung like a tree vine smacks of a lack of self respect.If Ward has a little more belief in his chin than Dirrel had,he has a chance to get a points win.But how good is his chin? Kessler WILL find out.If Ward tires at any stage the fights over,Kessler ran calzaghe close and was still strong in the 12th and JC was an excptional undefeated champion.I Take kessler by ko in the 10th but only because of his proven record.But if Ward proves me wrong and wins convincingly,we’l be witnessing the emergance of another great American boxing champion,because thats what he’l need to be, when he climbs in against ABRAHAM
Oh my God, dude, put the pipe down, put it down!!!!Seriously, The day that Ward beats Kessler is the day Satan skates to work. What are you talking about??? im sorry but you seem to have the fighters from the USA r the best desease, dont worry its been going round!!!!! NOw there are some great fighters from the US i.e Mayweather but unfortunately in the super 6 the europeoans has the advantage. For me Kessler is the favourite for the tourniment and it is a brave man who bet against him.
All I hear is Kessler, Ward, Bute… Yes its Kessler vs Ward soon, but what about Abraham? Look at Abrahams fight vs Taylor, and that after moving up from middlewight… I think it’ll be a Kessler vs Abraham final.
WTF, talk about biased writing… worst article i read for ages, on top insulting to anythin coming outside of US, nice work…. moron
as basic as your writing? no
Kessler will beat Ward on knock out – I think everyone knows that but its good to be a patriot
I haven’t seen Ward fight but Kessler is the best I’ve seen bar JC.
As for Dirrell – I thought he was brilliant against Froch, and if he didn’t run away and smother so much – he would have won that fight easy! He was a complete dick though, after falling over and complaining all the time. I remember seeing an early Tyson fight where a fighter like Dirrell, who got was disqualified. He could do with a new trainer.
NOT TO BAD SCOTT, LEAST YOU GIVE CREDIT WHERE ITS DESERVED.
JUST A QUICK POINT THOUGH, YOU DID SAY DIRRELL WOULD SHUT OUT FROCH BUT IT DIDNT HAPPEN.
MAYBE , JUST MAYBE KESSLER MIGHT BEAT WARD AND WITHOUT ANY CONTREVERSY, THEN YOU CAN WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT KESSLER STILL BEING QUITE GOOD.
WE LIVE IN HOPE.
good to read about ward fans but sorry guys kessler is a league above this fello fighter. i will be suprised if kessler does not stop this guy.kessler got every thing to knock this guy out power, combination, stamina, will ward will be knocked out on 7th round.
it seems like ward is understimationg kessler but there is no where ward can go
Another white man will beat a black boy from America like it happens the last 50 years in Olympics boxing and every combat sport and Professional boxing from the day Eastern Euros were finally allowed to fight!
White Euros are strong
all your sh** articles are on the same subject!! you are so far up American boxer’s arses you can see what theyve had for dinner you stupid f****** C***
wy have you now blocked my comments??
you said you were going to stop wrighting articles when froch beat dirrel, well he beat him and yet your still wrighting articles, this shows your word has no credibility
Scott u always mention Dirrell, is he your boyfriend? Dirrell is a coward he shouldnt be in boxing he be better at 100m sprint! Ward is untested and has no power to trouble Kessler! Kessler will win by KO round 6
I thought this was going to be a “fairly” unbiased article when I first started reading it. Until I got to this point,
‘However, Kessler hasn’t fought as complete a fighter as Ward.’
I realise you praise Calzaghe to a certain extent after this sentence. But, how can you imply that Ward is more of a complete fighter than Calzaghe?
No matter what anyone says, Calzaghe held onto the title for over 10 years. Yes he didnt fight the calibre everyone expected, this may have been down to his promoter, or something else. But, imagine the motivation and drive of this guy. Defending his title time after time and not getting recognition for it, especially in England, only until he beat the overrated Lacey did people take notice to his talent and then he got his big fights.
If it werent for his bad hands, Calzaghe would have been able to throw power punches throughout the last 5 or so years of his career, and in my eyes a good version of a ‘complete fighter.’
I realise this article is about Kessler and Ward, but you seem to ramble in your articles, so I thought id ramble in my comment.
Finally, Kessler and Ward is going to be close, it may come down to whether Kessler has lost the ring rust.
Has been all he can do is run off his mouth. He knows nothing about the finer points of boxing. He is a simpleton.
I think Scott Gilfoid is right.I also think Ward will win on Nov.21.We will see what happen.
Scott–You were doing pretty good with this article until you let your opinions take over the article. Stating your opinion with out giving valid reasons and some facts is seen as just someone running his mouth. Fact Ward didn’t have the power to stop Miranda, whom KP and AA simply destroyed. Kessler is not Miranda. Kessler is a lot better boxer and is a harder puncher than anyone that Ward has been in with. Kessler is not a fighter that is easy to discourage. Watch the 12th rd. of his fight with JC.If Ward can’t hurt Kessler he will walk through him.
Gotta stick up for the dude (Scott.)He has endless stamina,is certainly busy,remains focused and must have a good chin to sustain all that stuff coming out of his mouth and hanging from it!
The most consistent writer on this site guys lol-US flag where the sun don’t shine,forcing the brown stuff out of his mouth!Scott “sewage” Gilfoid!No offence intended towards my US friends but we’re getting fed up of him to the point of entertainment!
smiple boxing works ward dont look all that 2 me.dirrels a good bet 4 the comp just a bit more work in the rds 20/1 good bet
Fair point gilfoid this aint half as bad as your other articles. You at least gave kessler some credit. I think this is a good fight but kessler comes out on top
calzaghe kessler a dull fight? after the first half it could have been anyones fight. Calzaghe changed tactics and boxed his way to a win. Only a dull fight to you scott because there were no americans involved. How can you even compare ward to calzaghe anyway? Calzaghe was the undisputed super middle weight champ. Ward is no calzaghe!