CALZAGHE VS. KESSLER TO CROWN UNDISPUTED MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMP
Posted on | October 30, 2007 | No Comments
JOE CALZAGHE V MIKKEL KESSLER
Undisputed Super middleweight championship of the world.
MILLENNIUM STADIUM, CARDIFF, WALES.
“There’s only one left”
As Joe Calzaghe makes his way to the ring on Saturday night, one can only imagine, what will be going through his mind. Will he be thinking, about his 10 years as a world champion ? Will he be thinking about the millions he has made in that time ? Will he be thinking about his 43 fight unbeaten record, or his legacy as one of the greatest super middleweights in the history of the sport? Probably not, but I will be.
Joe Calzaghe is arguably the best fighter, to ever come out of Wales , and that in itself is a tremendous honour.
Tommy Farr, Steve Robinson, Howard Winstone, Johnny Owen, and Jimmy Wilde. All brilliant in their own ways, all heart, and all legendary Welshmen.
I’ll be thinking about my old mate, Don James and the time we had together, talking about Calzaghe in a New York bar, but most of all, I’ll be thinking about Calzaghe, and “will this be his last fight”? I think he is ready to retire. Ready to seal his legacy, and go out with “ a good old tear up” for the fans. Beating the big punching Kessler, will finally silence the critics for good.
So what can we say about Mikkel Kessler? Experience wise, not too much. Fighting since, 1998, he had 29 fights, working his way up to 8 rounds, fighting all but one of them outside Denmark. He then fought the South African super middleweight, Dingaan Thobela, for the vacant IBA title in 2002 , in a fight that he won over the championship distance. Since then, he has stopped the world’s top contenders, and champions [ albeit jaded champions in ] Manny Siaca, Eric Lucas, and Marcus Beyer. He traveled to Sydney, Australia, to fight Anthony Mundine [ even though he was suffering from injury ] and still looked too strong for “The Man” at the weight. In March this year, he defended his titles against the highly touted, Wayne McCullough trained fighter, Librado Andrade in Denmark, and won by unanimous decision. Boxing ability? Kessler is a good boxer, and does a lot of things, very well. He has a hard jab which he doubles up on, before he follows up with the thudding right hand bomb. He cuts the ring off brilliantly, and has great balance and stance. The uppercut is a favourite punch for him, and I think he will be throwing it a lot against Calzaghe. In fact, I think he can only fight one way. Jab, Jab, straight right hand, left hook, get in close, and give it the old up and under. If you watch his fights, Kessler is dangerous and strong early, as he throws everything at his opponent. He likes to get set, and dictate his fights, which in the past he has done pretty easy, but he does have a few chinks in his armour.
Kessler drops his left hand low after he jabs, and when he opens up, throwing his 4 or 5 punch combinations, he leaves his chiseled chin wide open to the counter. As I said, he has a good strong jab, but he can be out jabbed. Calzaghe must find a way to “be first”
Kessler , when hit in flurries, gets disorientated and his body stops when chinned. He is open to the right hand.
Experience, and quality of opponents has to taken into account, but not by just the fighters they both have fought, but by each mans fights. Calzaghe has been hit so hard, that he was spun around, and came back brilliantly, to knock his opponent out in the same round. [ Byron Mitchell] He has proved he can take a shot. Kessler hasn’t been in with any real, explosive punchers, so he hasn’t had to take any. Calzaghe was a defending world champion, when Kessler was making his pro debut. Kessler has fought three southpaws in his career thus far, and he “iced” the three of them [ Marcus Beyer, 2006, Manny Sobral, 2002, and Fernando Hernandez in 2001.] Kessler has only been 12 rounds on three occasions, whilst Calzaghe has been there 10 times.
MY PREDICTION.
I see Calzaghe coming out, hard and fast, trying to establish the jab. [ he has to ] Kessler will chase him around and he will try to get him early. Calzaghe will have to be at his best, counterpunching, but will have to take Kessler’s best, for the first 8 rounds. Calzaghe knows he has to take him into the later rounds, building up a good points lead, and try to get the big Danish super middleweight to lose his legs.
[ Kessler fades after 9 rounds] Calzaghe must out jab him and set the pace. If he does he will finish this fight, the way he started his reign as a world champion, all those years ago, and beat “the only one left”
Gary Todd is an International author with his book on world champions, and their training methods, “Workout’s From Boxings Greatest Champs” He has been involved in all aspects of the sport of boxing for over 25 years, and he is a proud member of “The Boxing Writers Association Of America.
e-mail: brave_haggis@hotmail.com