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[pa99fighter]

Joe Calzaghe vs. Mikkel Kessler: Get it on

14.10.06 - By Ted Sares: Calzaghe, W 42 (31 ko's) - 0 vs. Kessler, 38 (29) ko's) -0 is a fight that has to be made and someone's O must go! Off their respective fights with Sakio Bika and Markus Beyer, Mikkel Kessler must be given a solid chance to slow down the Welshman's express train. Joe had to battle his way to the final bell of a very hard night’s work with the game Australian (by way of Cameroon), Bika, who came to win.On the other Hand, Kessler brutally destroyed WBC super middleweight champion Markus Beyer in three rounds and now owns both the WBA and WBC 168-pound belts.

As for fighting Calzaghe, the Dane said he has no qualms about facing the 42-0 world champion either in England or Denmark.

Though I am much more impressed with the Pride of Wales' overall level of opposition, Kessler has never suffered anything less than a UD. If you did a won-lost analysis of Joe's opponents (coming in) the result wold be astoundingly impressive. Fighters like Jeff Lacey, Mario Veit, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Evans Ashira, Byron Mitchell, Richie Woodhall, Omar Sheika, Chris Eubank, Robin Reid and Mark Delaney came in with either unblemished records or just one or two defeats. But the fact that he has fought much better opposition, combined with his age, might just have taken something out of him.

The "Viking Warrior" is 27 years old compared to Calzaghe's 34 and that disparity seemed to show a bit tonight against Bika. Kessler's ko percentage is a handsome 76%, while Calzaghe's is just as impressive at 74%. Yet I keep coming back to age vs. Youth and the fact that Kessler may be peaking while Joe has already reached and possibly passed his. If so, this could spell trouble for the "Italian Dragon."

Calzaghe won his title bout tonight in undisputed fashion and remains a great and undefeated champion. But as Promoter Mogens Palle predicted, Mikkel "looked like a million dollars" as he stole the HBO show on this night of sensational Euro boxing.

At this point in time, I see the fight between the pretty even (though I believe most others will make Calzaghe the clear favorite coming in). The bout's location will be a factor in my final handicapping of this one...if it comes off......and for the sake of fight fans throughout the world, it must!.

Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@adelphia.net

Source:http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=8549&more=1

Man this fight is gonna be great

[Dork8503]

Mikkel round 5 ko

[Salvy_Mic]

I think Calzaghe has more than enough left in him for at least one more masterful performance, and he usually steps up his game hardcore when he's faced with his toughest challenges. I'm picking Calzaghe by UD, with 115-113 or 116-112 margins. Although Kessler nearly has an identical record to Calzaghe, plus the fact that he's younger, bigger, stronger, and packs a better punch, but Calzaghe's faster, vastly more experienced, and he's a superior technician. Remember in the end, skills pay the bills. Plus, I think the prospect of having bigger fights should he win motivates Calzaghe to fight the fight of his life. Not saying Kessler won't, he certainly will give the best performance of his life, but in the end, I think Calzaghe has a little bit more than Kessler, even in his advanced age.

[Salvy_Mic]

Hmmm, the fight went pretty much how I thought it would. Kessler made me a fan with his heart and post-fight class, but Calzaghe showed everyone that he's on a totally different level. Seeing him fight like this against a guy who was young, experienced, and talented makes you realize if Calzaghe's had a point all these years when he claimed that guys like Hopkins, Jones, and Ottke were ducking him all these years. It really was a masterful performance by Calzaghe and he'll most likely leave 168 as arguably the greatest boxer in the short history of the division. Bring on Calzaghe/Hopkins!

[wee jimmy]

anyone got a avi of the fight i havent seen it, dying to watch it

thanks in advance

[eazye76]

Did anyone see the post-fight interview(I think it was Kessler), where the guy with the website on his t-shirt was standing behind Kellerman? It looked like they tried to discreetly get him off camera, but couldn't, so they got a really fat guy to nudge him out of the way and stand there for the rest of the interview. I thought it was hilarious.

[Dork8503]

Joe is cocky and showboats but i guess thats his thing.

I agree with the announcers last night, i do not see anyone beating Joe from mw or lhw.

Joe showed he is on another level from most guys.

I still would like to see Taylor vs Joe, Taylor would be embraced

[pa99fighter]

what a fight! boxing has been having so many good fight recently. I had the fight closer than what the judges said tho.
imo knowbody can beat calazaghe

[Afro]

Calz is the man but... B Hop beats him.

[The Deftone]

Originally Posted by Afro

Calz is the man but... B Hop beats him.

Respect afros opinion but in my books Joe would own B-Hop. At this stage in there carreers Joe is one of best p4p in the world and is just to good for B-Hop..... Not many are but Calzaghe is.