Former WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler (39-1, 29 KOs) has turned down a potential match with the knockout artist Edison Miranda (30-2, 26 KOs), a move that appears to have upset the Colombian star, enough so that he unleashed a torrent of abuse at the 29 year-old Kessler, saying “I have a message for Mikkel Kessler, or Kessler the Kitten as I call him after he gave away his belts without a fight last year. Joe Calzaghe is not going to fight you again. What more does he have to prove after he slapped you around for 12 rounds? The only way you’re going to erase that loss from the fans’ memories is if you beat a legitimate fighter like me, but you know you can’t beat me, that’s why you won’t take this fight. So my advice to you is to retire and leave the fighting to the men. I challenge any of the so called top super middleweight contenders to step up and fight Pantera, but I doubt any of you have the guts.”

Kessler, however, has so far been unmoved by Miranda’s recent statement, and has so far stuck to his intentions of not fighting Miranda. It’s unclear why Kessler wouldn’t be interested in a fight with Miranda, for both Showtime and HBO are reportedly intrigued at the idea of the fight, meaning that this would likely be a fairly substantial paying bout for both fighters, even though neither of them are currently a champion. Perhaps the money wasn’t enough for Kessler, hence he decided it would be better to choose another opponent for his first bout following his 12-round unanimous decision loss to super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe on November 2007.

Certainly, Kessler would be the clear favorite if he were to fight Miranda, for with his foot movement, counter-punching ability and precision punching, he’d likely be too skilled for Miranda to chop down as he’s down against most of his opponents. Perhaps most important, however, is that Kessler recently received a huge million + payday in his bout with Calzaghe, so for him to have to set for a lot less, has to be the biggest detractor for such a bout with Miranda.

Kessler would likely make almost as much fighting a lesser opponent, one who couldn’t possibly knock him out with one punch like Miranda could. For that very reason, Kessler would likely find it unattractive to fight the Colombian fighter. He’s the type of fighter that can still end a fight at any given moment with either his right or left hand. Because of that, Kessler is probably better off facing a lesser threat.

Other names have been recently mentioned for future opponents for Kessler, starting with Lucian Bute, the IBF super middleweight champion. Middleweight Winky Wright has also been mentioned as a perspective opponent. Kessler could do no wrong by selecting either of these fighters, for both of them would be excellent choices, without the danger that Miranda brings into a bout.