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

Why Mikkel Kessler Will Beat Andre Ward

There is a big reason why Mikkel Kessler of Denmark is the heavy favorite of the Super Six boxing tournament. Of all the tournament entrants, Kessler is the most experienced with 43 fights, having won 42 with 32 fights ending in knockouts. His lone loss came at the hands of one of the greats, the now-retired Joe Calzaghe of England.

Parading as the WBA super middleweight champion, Kessler will defend his title for the third time against a young American prospect, 25-year old Andre Ward, who is undefeated in 25 bouts. The fight will also be the third match of the of the Super Six contest and will be held in Oakland, California.

Several boxing pundits have claimed that Kessler is a washed-up fighter and that Ward will expose that to the world. While Kessler is five years older than Ward, the Viking Warrior is far from washed-up. Kessler is still a dangerous power-puncher who has an assortment of skills that could match or even surpass anything that Ward will bring to the ring.

There is no evidence of Kessler slowing down or eroded skills over the past five years. Though the Danish boxer had a lay-off for almost a year, he kept himself in great shape. Heck, he could box anytime and win. As Kessler enters the Super Six tournament, there is no doubt that he is in the best shape of his career.

Experience is a key element in any boxing match and that is something only Kessler can brag about. Ward may be superior in some skills, but overall ring generalship and boxing knowledge belong to Kessler.

With all that said, Ward has what it takes to beat Kessler. But his chances are slim. He may have won a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics in an impressive fashion and beat all 25 of his previous opponents, but Ward has never faced someone of the caliber of Kessler – big, strong, agile, and intelligent.

There is no doubt that Kessler will need to bring his A game to put Ward down. But it is Ward who needs to bring more than his best to seize a win and have a significant something to brag about.

One More Week and It's Super Six!

While it is not the first boxing tournament ever conceived, the Super Six is certainly the most ambitious. Pitting the six of the best super middleweight fighters of the world, the Super Six is definitely one of the most refreshing twist in boxing’s history since its inception.


Coming in to the fray are three European fighters – Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, and Arthur Abraham; and three Americans – Andre Direll, Andre Ward, and Jermain Taylor. Of the six, Froch and Taylor are current super middleweight titleholders, while Taylor and Abraham are former champions in the middleweight division, and Direll and Ward are former Olympians who remain unbeaten.

The Super Six will run in a span of two years, with each fighter projected to have fought at least five times in a modified round-robin elimination with the four best scores going to the semifinals. Boxers will get three points for a KO win, two for a decisions win, and one for a draw.

In the semis, the four remaining boxers will engage in a single round elimination until one is declared winner and the best super middleweight there is (that is if Hopkins is no longer active and not as good as he is today).

Kicking off the Super Six will be Taylor and Abraham facing off in Germany on October 17, and Froch and Direll slugging it out in England on the same date.

There is no doubt that the Super Six will treat fans to a great showdown of pugilism. Just a few more sleep and no doubt next week, I will be blabbing about the Super Six.

Check the Super Six trailer here and also check what each boxer has to say here.