By Jim Dower: WBO super middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz (41-2, 23 KO’s) got in one last title milking fight last Saturday night against #14 World Boxing Organization ranked Henry Weber (15-1-1, 3 KO’s) in an easy 12 round unanimous decision at the Baden Arena in Offenberg, Germany.

Stieglitz looked vastly improved from the last time he fought and threw a lot of punches in beating the inexperienced Weber. This was the first time that Weber had ever fought a top tier fighter before and it showed. Weber looked out of his element, lacking power, speed and foot movement.

It was good matchmaking for Stieglitz’s promoters to find a guy that he could beat because it’s likely the last successful defense that Stieglitz will be making. He’s scheduled to face former WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler (44-2, 33 KO’s) in three months on April 14th in Copenhagen, Denmark and it doesn’t look good for Stieglitz.

Kessler, 32, may only be 80% or so of what he was in 2007, but that’s likely more than enough for Kessler to take care of Stieglitz without too many problems. I think Stieglitz is good enough give Kessler a run for his money if he’s not able to hurt Stieglitz early with one of his left hooks or right hands. However, I see Kessler as having too many weapons for Stieglitz to deal with and it’s probably not going to go well for him in this fight.

Stieglitz’s problems are as such: He lacks power, his jab in inadequate, he lacks size and he’s easy to hit.

While Stieglitz showed good hand speed in beating Weber, he doesn’t have the kind of hand speed thst gives Kessler problems. Kessler struggled against really fast fighters in the past such as Andre Ward and Joe Calzaghe. Stieglitz isn’t in the same class as either of those guys, and he doesn’t possess the power to keep Kessler off of him.

Kessler doesn’t usually fight in close and tends to jab from the distance and land big left hooks and right hands. Stieglitz likes to get close and will be getting hit with a ton of big punches from Kesler. I think it’s going to wear Stieglitz down having to eat Kessler’s power shots and if he doesn’t get flattened early, Stieglitz will wear down late and get taken out.