Andre Ward Defeats Mikkel Kessler in Showtime Super Six Tournament

Mikkel Kessler of Denmark was the strong favorite going into Show Time's Super Six Middleweight tournament. Kessler's only previous loss was to Wales' Joe Calzaghe, a man on his way to becoming a legend in Europe and the Americas. Kessler is strong in the weight class, which may account for his impressive knockout record against largely European opponents. Mikkel Kessler KOd 32 of his 42 opponents, though head-of-stone Librado Andrade wasn't one of Kessler's KO victims. Librado Andrade's one of those largely unknown (except to boxing insiders) but highly capable boxers who often prove to be an insurmountable obstacle on the way to ring glory. Kessler's victory over Andrade went a long way toward making me a Kessler fan; it was a chancy fight to take just months before the bigger money fight with the widely known Calzaghe. Kessler's reliance on strength may have also account for Kessler's upset against Andre Ward in the Super Six tournament fight of November 21. People who are still scratching their heads and wondering how former Olympic Champion Andrew Ward did it should look to boxing itself for the answer.

There is "fighting" and there is "boxing." In boxing, a weaker, even a smaller man, can defeat a stronger more powerful one by employing a variety of techniques. In his match against Kessler, Ward was full of techniques and not all of them were advisable but most worked. One of the smartest things Andre Ward did against Kessler was in controlling physical space. Conventional boxing wisdom is that a backwards retreat makes a fighter vulnerable and advantages an opponent. Ward never went "straight back" but took little half steps to the rear and side as Kessler tried to move in for the kill. This more than anything took away Kessler's power advantage. Having to follow and reach out with his punches frustrated Kessler who mostly gave up on his very good jab.

When Kessler did get close, Ward moved forward into Kessler's body, sometimes forcing clinches. Ward did better in close, landing with uppercuts and body punches, whereas Kessler could only try wide left hooks which mostly stirred the air. After the fight, Kessler complained about Ward's infighting technique and head butts. Kessler exaggerated the number of head butts and implied they were intentional but, in fact, they were the product of coaching wisdom. Some thought had been given by Ward's corner to Kessler's power and straight up style.' Kessler's complaints were, in essence, saying he preferred Ward to stay and fight at a certain distance, just on the end of his punches, where Kessler could have the advantage of power and KO Ward.

Good fighters like Andre Ward don't often volunteer to be knocked out. Even the legendary Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is often criticized for employing boxing techniques, rather than Hollywood scripted punching styles, to tailor his fight to any adversary's fighting style. Those who prefer the latter should stick with the MMA where boxing science and classicism is viewed as something of a handicap.

I was myself a victim of this kind of slack thinking when I thought Arturo Gatti would do better than he did against Mayweather, though I did get the ending right. I'm reminded of Clint Eastwood's line in the film "Million Dollar Baby."

"Honey, tough ain't enough."

Along the same lines, how many boxing fans were persuaded that the straight ahead energizer bunny style of Ricky Hatton would stand a chance against boxing classicist Floyd Mayweather, Jr.-- before Mayweather launched a KOd Hatton face forward into the ring posts and the second rung of boxing history?

Andre Ward used the jab to good affect, combining it with an enviable agility, which allowed him to get in an out of Kessler's space with quick, hard combinations. It was often Kessler who was backing up, and when he did, he usually paid. Kessler felt Ward's head on his face a couple of times but it was clear that wasn't intentional. The shorter boxer always gets that kind of advantage and Ward wanted to be down low because it is Kessler's tendency to fight within a plane. Kessler was resilient, if not gracious in defeat, and is still one of my favorite European boxers. Perhaps he should hire one of the Mayweather people to help him vary his style, more suited to European style boxers than Americans.

Hindsight being a wonderful thing, I won't declare my pre-fight prediction but I will say that my hope was for Andre Ward, former Olympic champion. Ward has a great amateur record consisting of over a hundred victories. He's touch, flexible, and intelligent, acknowledging the role played by the thinking boxer in finding ways to win. The challenges he faces in the Showtime tournament (particularly Abraham and Dirrell) are daunting, but knocking off Kessler in his first match has to have turned things in a way that Andre Ward fans will appreciate.