By Scott Gilfoid: Former super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler (44-2, 33 KO’s) has only fought a handful of times in the past three years. In fact, the 33-year-old Kessler has found his way to the ring only four times in the last three years, losing one of those four fights to talented American Andre Ward in 2009.

A ring rusty Kessler hasn’t fought since last year in June in beating Mehdi Bouadla by a 6th round stoppage. Kessler will finally be getting back in the ring in a fight for the vacant WBC Silver light heavyweight title against the powerful Allan Green (31-3, 21 KO’s) on May 19th at the Parken in Copenhagen, Denmark.

This is the wrong opponent for Kessler to be fighting coming off of such a long lay off, especially with all of Kessler’s various aches and pains that he’s accumulated recently. Green is a lot stronger at this weight compared to when he was boiling down to 168 in his disastrous performances in the Super Six tournament in 2010 in which Green lost both of the fights that he was in. Kessler barely did better, losing to Ward and struggling to beat the slow of hand and foot Carl Froch.

Kessler will have the hometown advantage over the 32-year-old Green, but I’m not so sure that will help him in this fight because Green hits so hard and is just as quick as Ward. He doesn’t have the same inside fighting ability as Ward, but Green is a bigger puncher and better at throwing combinations when he’s letting his hands go. Green doesn’t use his jab nearly enough and that’s something he’s going to need to do if he wants to come out on top against Kessler in this fight.

Kessler says he’s hitting harder now that he’s moved up to the light heavyweight division. I don’t buy it. I think it’s one of those things that you imagine but in reality Kessler is likely no stronger and just heavier and slower. He’ll be easier to hit by Green and I think this could go badly for Kessler.