By Jim Dower: World Boxing Association (WBA) Super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler (41-1, 31 KOs) is complaining that many of the top fighters in the middleweight to the light heavyweight division aren’t interested in fighting him, specifically mentioning Joe Calzaghe, Winky Wright, Kelly Pavlik, Chad Dawson, Jermain Taylor and Bernard Hopkins. Kessler has reportedly challenged each of these fighters, yet none of them are willing to accept his challenge and give him a fight.
Apparently, even Hopkins, who has never been shy about accepting a tough bout, hasn’t shown any interest in wanting to fight Kessler. In an a recent open letter to the boxing world, Kessler discusses his frustration at having to face his recent mandatory challenger Danillo Haussler, who Kessler easily stopped in the 3rd round in October.
Many boxing fans were understandably against the fight, perhaps rightfully so complaining about Haussler’s lack of credentials and apparent unworthiness to be Kessler’s opponent.
Kessler points out that he’d like a rematch with Calzaghe, a fighter who edged Kessler in a close 12-round decision in November 2007. However, Calzaghe isn’t interested in fighting him again because of his rule about never giving rematches to his opponents.
Kessler, however, points out Calzaghe’s apparent hypocrisy, by reminding people that Calzaghe twice fought Mario Veit, a light-punching fighter of average ability. If he gets a rematch, then why not Kessler? The fight was close enough to warrant a rematch, and the fan interest would clearly be there for second fight between the two warriors.
Dawson, the IBF light heavyweight champion, would be perhaps the most intriguing of the opponents that Kessler has called out, but unfortunately he, too, is reportedly not interested in fighting Kessler. That’s a real tragedy, because he’s probably the best fighter of the bunch by far and would be a stern test for Kessler. To show how interested Kessler is in the fight, he says that he’s willing to meet Dawson at a catch weight or at super middleweight, yet Dawson’s team have been uninterested in the fight.
Wright, former light middleweight champion, is also apparently not interested in a fight with Kessler. It would seem very odd that Wright wouldn’t want to fight him, given the fact that Wright hasn’t fought in almost a year and half. He last fought in July 2007, losing a 12-round decision to Hopkins. It’s unclear what he’s waiting for because a fight with Kessler, if he should somehow beat him, would revive Wright’s name and put him position for some really important fights.
Taylor, 30, would also stand to gain a lot in fighting Kessler. Taylor has lost two out of his last three fights, losing twice to Kelly Pavlik, and he could use a good win right about now, to give him a title, and to increase his worth in the super middleweight division.
I can understand why Pavlik wouldn’t want to face Kessler right about now. Pavlik is coming off an embarrassing one-sided, 12-round decision loss to 44-year-old Hopkins in October, and the last thing he wants right now is to take on another larger fighter like Kessler and possibly suffer another loss on his record.
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