I pick Kessler for a UD because I like him but also because I don't know Ward very well. If ward is special and destined to be a top fighter then he could win but Kessler is as good as it gets before reaching the elite level. I doubt ward would have the power to stop Kessler (he has never been on the canvas even as an amateur), but I did hear that Ward was hurt in a fight a while ago and if anyone can exploit a weak chin it will be the Hard punching Dane.

Kesslers a class act and although he doesn't do anything fancy or special he does all the basics very well. His fundamentals are sound, he hits very hard, and he has a solid chin. He is is quicker than most think and is as happy to trade as he is to wait until an opening appears.

Some from BC are saying that Joe has made the blueprint to beat Kessler, I disagree because nobody fights like Calzaghe. Its all very well to say that his speed or combinations beat Kessler but it was so much more. It was a chin capable of withstanding The Danes power to get close enough to unleash loads of crazy punches thrown from crazy angles. It was stamina, speed, accuracy, ability to alter his style mid fight and about 15 years of unbeaten experience. I think if Ward were to even attempt to emulate Joe he would lose badly because I seriously doubt his style is compatible enough.

ward is very quick, but one thing that works against ward is he should of been alot more active, and now he's jumping way up in class. ward will probably end up getting bullied in there and stopped IMO later in the fight. like i said he's fast, but his defense has gaps.

should of been managed better. i don't understand why a prospect wasn't active, and now finds himself in a position that it's time to jump WAY up in class.

according to Boxrec he's had 3 fights this year whereas Kessler has only had 1. thats not really that bad is it?

Miranda is the only name I recognise on Wards resume so I suppose thats a decent idea of how his chin holds up against a big hitter. However, like you say it is also an indication that he has no experience at the top level.

that's recently, but for a gold medalist to have 20 bouts in five years is not good, and who has he fought to prepare himself in those five years to fight the elite in the division?... he might be good enough, i won't know yet till the fight, but the preparation is not good enough for a prospect IMO. he should be fighting for world titles after five years, i got no problem with that, but he's got to work his way up in class to give himself the best preparation, not just jump from domestic sort of level fighters, all the way up to wordlclass level.

i think he loses to kessler by stoppage. personally at the moment, i rate dirrell as the better boxer than ward.... i'm not sure if the yanks agree.

Ok I see where you're coming from, I thought you were alluding to just his fights this year. Yeh, 20 in 5 years is poor especially as there doesn't seem to be any steady bulid up of quality. Kessler is waaaaay above Miranda and arguably higher than everyone else in the division at the moment. Ward will have to be as good as his hype if he wants to come close to wining.

Dirrell has everything required but the heart/style and that could make the difference between him being known as an elite or an also-ran. All that he needs to do is engage more but sometimes fighters just can't change style and if he continues to fight like we saw against Froch he will cease to be a commodity in the entertainment world. At the end of the day if you don't put bums on seats you don't get TV deals and are avoided by other fighters.

Ward competed in the same 2004 Olympic games as the following:

Amir Kahn (22 fights)
Andre Dirrell (19 fights)
Aleksandr Povetkin (17 fights)

After Saturday, Ward will have 21 professional bouts to his credit.

Seems on par with the rest. Especially given that he had to recover from a torn ACL in his right knee.

Andre Berto has 25 bouts and a legit world title on his resume. He's a bit ahead of the curve I think.

Fair points. How would you view his level of opposition? Would you say it was also comparable with the others? (apart from Khan who has avoided anyone with a punch after Prescott).

Actually a better question would be do you think he has fought enough quality journeymen to be prepared for Kessler?

I think Wards speed is going to cause Kessler big probs, I am going for a Ward UD. Might even end up a SD. But I think Ward takes this.

Do you think hes had enough experience to beat Kessler? I just haven't recognised any names on his resume other that Miranda who is several rungs down from the Dane.

Well you have to step up sometime don't ya... It's a tough fight and this is the biggest and toughest fight of his career, but that's what the super 6 is all about ain't it.


Wards good man, tricky little speedster. And as a 36 year old Calzaghe proved against Kessler, speed does cause him problems. And in many aspects Ward is a bit more refined in the technique department than Calzaghe, and Calzaghe always loved a bit of a tear up anyway.

I think Ward will cause Kessler probs with his footwork and speed and I have noticed something about Ward, that he is a clever fighter in the way if he gets caught he doesn't automatically want to get back at his opponent. I think if Ward might outmanoeuvre and out speed Kessler, but It's tough one, they are all tough picks in the super 6.


Home advantage may be the key too if it's close.

Ward is definitely quick but he's not as elusive as say Dirrell and that may be the difference - in his fight with Miranda he looked like a sucker for the uppercut which will play into Kessler's hands if he can land the punch. I reckon the fight is going to be very competitive throughout unless Ward gets tagged early and decides to run and Kessler has to chase him down.

Ward has got everything stacked in his favour for this fight - home advantage, an inactive Kessler, and up until yesterday rigged judges. Still, I dont expect it to be enough and MK's experience and toughness will be enough for him to win a close decision or late KO.

All good points fatty, but you have to pick one or the other. I think Ward will squeak out a decision.

You pissed already chubbs?

I wish I was pist mate, pist off yeah. Still got 2 hours left in this shit hole I call a job.

Weekend here mate - just got back from the beach. Out for a few beers tonight.

http://www.aljazeerasport.net/schedule/sun...2914159553.html

Beginning to get excited about this fight now. Its not on for another 6 hours but got the feet up and settling in nicely.

This super six tournament is brilliant, so many of the fights are such good matchups and so hard to predict the result.

This morning I watched Ward Miranda and I was well impressed by Ward - he looked to be as good a boxer as Dirrell but with better balance and much more aggressive - he showed a pair of stones to fight that way against Miranda. His only flaw looks to be his power, he can sting but he can't hurt people at elite level.

I think the fight will go in a similar way to Froch Dirrell, i.e. a boxer vs puncher sort of matchup. Kessler is a better boxer than Froch and will have more success against Ward, who for his part will be more positive and better balanced than Dirrell.

As for the result I am torn between Kessler's proven record at elite level and Ward's talent and promise. Not really sure if Ward's speed is going to make Kessler look pedestrian or if one of Kessler's monster straight lefts takes his head off.

Anyway, no sitting on the fence, I am going to predict the home advantage makes the difference and Ward wins a close but non-contraversial UD.

Yeh its difficult one to predict but I'm going with Kessler. I actually thought he might the only fighter that would come closest to beating Calzaghe and for a few rounds he didn't disappoint. I have no real reason to suspect that he has lost anything even although he has been inactive.

I actually don't think it would have mattered if Ward had huge power or not because Kessler has never even been rocked. However, if Ward keeps it on the outside and dances in and out he has a good chance of winning the UD. Having said that Kessler isn't slow and has a superb left right.

End of the day I don't care who wins as long as its a great fight and not the snoozefest that was Froch/Dirrell.

I put a tenna on Ward by decision today...

I havnt seen that much of either fighter to be honest, but I'm going for Ward with the home advantage..

Yep, I hope it will be a great fight as well. Actually I sort of want Kessler to win the tournament. I think just to show the yanks how good a fighter Calzaghe beat

Wow!!

Ward too akward, too good, and kessler looks a bit washed up, it might be time for him to hang them up

wow is right.. look at all these dumbshits in this thread

I'm looking at him



Personally I think I'd rather stay here than in a thread that just stinks of yanks getting high off the smell of their own farts.

Keep it civil.

As I predicted you skinny yank twat

Thats whats known as an oxymoron.

I haven't made up my mind whether Kessler was an over hyped fighter due to his calibre of opponents or whether JC damaged him psychologically or whether Ward is just very good. I have a feeling its a bit of all three.

He looked like DLH in the Pac fight, just slow and unable to pull the trigger.

ive been saying for ages kesslers never actually fought any1. take away the joe loss (beaten convincingly i may add, historys been rewritten again that it was closer) and whos he fought? Andrade is the only other name on his record.

Bayer was ancient when they fought, I wont even start with Mundine. Where is eric by the way?

He's now going by the name of 'sadamwhofarted'

should have known!

for me this was a case of how good is andre ward.

i've had doubts on his chin and how willing to commit he would be once he felt some stiff punches.

but he ticked the flaming boxes didn't he. i've always admired ward's skills whenever i've seen him.

was trying to up the andy kolle fight onto youtube a few weeks back. i was watching it back thinking f*ck me lovely skills.

kessler-froch is shaping up nicely.

we all know how childish he is, the guy wears WWF t-shirts.