By Scott Gilfoid: WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (24-0, 13 KO’s) already has his first target he wants to fight after he beats WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch (28-1, 20 KO’s) in the Super Six tournament next month on October 29th.

Ward wants to fight Mikkel Kessler (44-2, 33 KO’s) again according to Ward’s trainer Virgil Hunter. Ward already easily beat Kessler in an 11th round technical decision win two years ago in 2009 in the Super Six tournament. However, Ward never got full credit for the win Kessler’s European fans, who blamed Kessler’s loss on a couple of cuts he suffered when he rammed heads with Ward around the midpoint of the fight.

The cuts, which were completely accidental, weren’t the reason why Kessler was getting pounded by Ward in the first six rounds. Ward was just too quick, too talented and too far advanced for Kessler to beat with his limited skills. That fight was already well on it’s way to seeing Ward win by a lopsided decision when Kessler was cut for the first time after a head butt.

Anyway, Kessler is the guy Ward wants next so that he can shut the traps of Kessler’s fans and take away his and their excuses for his win. As for Lucian Bute, the IBF champion, Ward’s trainer says he’s not on Ward’s radar at this time because he needs to beat Froch, Arthur Abraham and Andre Dirrell before Ward will consider him as a potential opponent.

Right now, Bute is still so untested because of all the weak opponents he’s been facing for the past three years over and over again that Ward doesn’t want to waste time with him until he’s proven. Ward is proven now that he’s beaten Kessler, Allan Green, Sakio Bika, Arthur Abraham and is about to beat Froch. Now it’s Bute’s turn.

Kessler has to beat WBO super middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz (40-2, 23 KO’s) on November 5th to remain in the Ward sweepstakes. A loss for Kessler in this fight will eliminate any possibility for Kessler to fight Ward anytime soon, perhaps ever. It’s in Kessler’s best interest to win this fight so that he can get to a higher tier and face Ward.