Ward Claims Kessler's Belt

I hate it when I am wrong. But there is nothing worse than proven wrong. Former American Olympian Andre “S.O.G” Ward did just that when he outboxed and outpaced Mikkel “Viking Warrior” Kessler of Denmark en route to a victory last Saturday. Extending his run to 21 straight wins and no losses, Ward also became the WBA Super Middleweight champion.

I have a told in a previous article why Kessler will beat Ward. I made the Danish ex-champion a good case and he did show how tough he was inside the ring. However, it was clear from the opening bell that the young American pugilist was superior in technique and style, speed, and skills.

Kessler complained to the referee about Ward’s holding tactics. Though the Dane had a point, his stand-up European boxing style could not cope with Ward’s extreme mobility inside the ring. The later rounds saw Kessler flailing wildly in a desperate attempt to land a big one.

At the end of the bout, Kessler is faced with questions. Being the tournament’s favorite, does he have what it takes to make it through after losing in such fashion in his first fight? Is he washed-up as some of his critics say? Hard to answer for sure, but the responses will be made clear when he faces champion Carl Froch next year.

Although there were some occasional head butts and excessive holding, Ward deserved such victory. Kessler drops to 42-2, 30 knockouts while Ward elevates 21-0.

The fight concludes the first stage of the Super Six Tournament. Here’s a quick recap of the scores:
Arthur Abraham – 2 points

Andre Ward – 2 points

Carl Froch – 1 point

Andre Dirrell, Mikkel Kessler, and Jermain Taylor – 0 points each