Kessler to fight in June, then October or November against Bute

By Boxing News - 03/13/2011 - Comments

By Eric Thomas: Mikkel Kessler (43-2, 32 KO’s) is ready to resume his career with a tune-up fight in June against a still to be determined opponent. Kessler hasn’t fought since beating Carl Froch last year in the Super Six tournament in April.

Suffering from eye problems related to the tournament, Kessler pulled out of the tourney after the Froch bout and vacated his WBC belt so that Froch could fight for it against Arthur Abraham. Kessler has had enough time to recover from his eye injury and will be looking to get a fight in June.

If Kessler’s eye problems doesn’t resurface in the tune-up bout, Kessler will then be fighting IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (27-0, 22 KO’s) in October or November, according to Sporten.dk. Bute has a fight coming up this Saturday night against Irish challenger Brian Magee. Bute should win that fight.

Once that fight is out of the way for Bute, he will be looking to negotiate with Kessler for a fight. The way things will work out, the winner of the Bute-Kessler fight will take on the Super Six tournament winner in early 2012, while the loser of the Bute-Kessler fight will be fighting the loser of the Super Six final. It could very well come out with Andre Ward and Carl Froch being the two fighters that end up facing Kessler and Bute.

Kessler has been given the title “Emeritus” by the WBC, which allows Kessler to go straight into a title shot without having to work his way to the fight like most contenders. Kessler will be watching Bute’s fight with Magee this Saturday night to get a good look at Bute to study him.

Sauerland, the promoters for Kessler, have some guys in mind for his tune-up bout in June, although they’re not saying who is in the running.



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