Middleweight Championship Preview: Kessler vs. Ward

Showtime's Super Six Boxing Tournament got off to a fantastic start in October with Abraham vs. Taylor and Froch vs. Dirrell. Now the attention turns to the third fight and second installment of the series, WBA Champion Mikkel Kessler vs. Andre Ward. These two fighters are easily among the Top 5 super middleweights on the planet, with many thinking of Kessler as being Number One. The bout promises to be a thriller, and this great conclusion to the first round of the Super Six tournament will be fought in Oakland, California and aired live on Showtime on November 21st.

Mikkel Kessler (42-1 with 32 KOs)
30 years old, 6'1" with 73" reach
Denmark
Current WBA Champion
Kessler is widely considered the be the best of the 168 pounders, and with good reason. He is the physically biggest and strongest man of the division, with a technically sound, straight-punching style that utilizes his physical gifts to good effect. He knocked out Eric Lukas and Markus Beyer, and pounded Librado Andrade and Anthony Mundine into big points losses. His only loss was to the great Joe Calzaghe. Mikkel Kessler has truly lived up to his moniker, "The Viking Warrior."

Andre Ward (20-0 with 13 KOs)
25 years old, 6'1" with 73" reach
United States
Ward won an Olympic Gold Medal at the 2004 Athens Games. Since then he has had a good career as a pro, with winning his first big fight by outboxing the Colombian thug Edison Miranda. Ward is the kind of fighter who does everything well, while not truly excelling at anything. He has the toolkit to come forward or fight on the backpedal, to work the outside or the inside. He is ambidextrous and can switch-hit. Ward has fast hands, good reflexes and decent power. It is hard to describe Ward's style, because he is so flexible that he can potentially adapt to most any situation.

The Prediction
Kessler is the clear favorite going into this fight, and for good reason. He is the stronger, more powerful and more experienced man. Also -- and this is the important part -- Kessler is technically proficient and has no real flaws. However, the experience factor might not be as important as the odds-makers think. Ward has a rich amateur pedigree, and has shown himself to be an intelligent and patient ring general. Ward is also faster than Kessler, more agile and fluid, and has the deeper toolkit. What Kessler does -- using a hard jab to keep his opponents at optimum range and then pot shot them with big bombs -- he does very well. The problem for Kessler is that, as Joe Calzaghe showed us, if you neutralize that jab then Kessler has no solid Plan B to go to.

I think Kessler will come out strong in the early rounds, score well and rock Ward. He may even knock Ward down. However, Ward will not be stopped (Miranda couldn't do it, so I doubt Kessler will), will make his adjustments and be back in the fight no later than Round 4. However, Ward is no Joe Calzaghe. Through the middle of the fight, both men will have their moments and big their rounds. Ward may be able to finally assert himself at the end, but neither man has shown any stamina problems in the past, so don't bet on it. Whether Kessler won 2, 3 or 4 rounds at the start of the fight will matter a great deal by the time this nail-biter reaches its conclusion.

Mikkel Kessler retains his title in a close SD12.

Sources: boxrec.com; live fight footage; sports.sho.com/boxing