KESSLER TKO WINNER OVER PERDOMO; WARD TOO MUCH FOR PUDWILL IN TKO VICTORY...

 

By Larry Flores

  

 

 

 

Mikkel Kessler TKO Winner over Perdomo;  Andre Ward Too Much
for Overmatched Pudwill in TKO Victory..….
by Larry Flores

 

Showtime Boxing’s prelude to the upcoming “Super Six World Boxing Classic” showcased two of the Classic’s participants in Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward on Saturday, September 12th in separate boxing shows.

WBA world Super Middleweight champion Kessler, from Copenhagen, Denmark, was making the second defense of his title against Venezuela’s Gusmyr Perdomo (16-2 with 10 KOs) at the MCH MesseCenter in Herning, Denmark.   The undefeated Ward (19-0 with 12 KOs) faced Shelby Pudwill of North Dakota (22-3-1 with 9 KOs) at “Pechanga Resort & Casino” in Temecula, California.

The highly regarded Kessler (41-1 with 31 KOs) was making his first ring appearance in almost a year against the Venezuelan challenger.  The long inactivity did not have an adverse affect on the champion, who controlled the fight from the onset.   An active Perdomo tried to keep the champion at a distance with his jab,  but the stronger and harder punching Kessler landed effective combinations to both the head and body in the opening rounds. 

After several good exchanges from both fighters in the third round,  a solid right from Kessler dropped Perdomo to the canvas near the end of round.  Surprisingly, the replay showed the punch had landed squarely on the challenger’s shoulder, and he arose without showing any affect from the punch.   The knock-down was the first suffered by Perdomo in his career.

The Venezuelan challenger started round four very aggressively, taking the fight to the champion.  However, a stinging left jab and a strong right hand by Kessler drove an obviously hurt Perdomo reeling into the ropes.  As the champion landed several follow-up combinations on his now defenseless opponent, the referee had no choice but to stop the onslaught.  With the win,  Kessler successfully defended the title with the fourth round TKO in front of his delighted hometown fans.  Raising his record to 42-1 with 32 KOs,  Kessler now awaits the much anticipated bout against Andre Ward in the Boxing Classic.  

Kessler previously held the same WBA Super Middleweight title from November 2004 until November 2007 when he lost the belt in a decision to Joe Calzaghe.   He won his current title in June 2008 when it was vacated by Joe Calzaghe.

The unbeaten Andre Ward (19-0 with 12 KOs) tuned up for his upcoming fight with Mikkel Kessler by easily outclassing Shelby Pudwill (22-3-1 with 9 KOs) in a third round TKO victory.

Ward,  the 2004 Athens, Greece Olympic Gold Medal winner in the Light Heavyweight division,  displayed his power punching and quick hands against his opponent from the start.  His landed quick, hard combinations to Pudwill’s body and head, and it was evident that Pudwill could not take the pounding for too long, in spite of his willingness to mix it up.

Ward finally ended the evening’s action in the third round by landing two crushing left hooks to his opponent’s face,  who crumbled to the canvas.  Although Pudwill got up before the referee’s final count,  he was taking too many hard combinations on the ropes without being able to defend himself.   The referee had no choice but to stop the action and declare Ward the winner by TKO in the fourth round.

Raising his record to 20-0 with 13 KOs,  this was Ward’s first outing since his impressive and convincing victory over Colombia’s well regarded Edison “Pantera” Miranda a few months earlier.  His one-sided, dominant win over Miranda cemented Ward as a viable and dangerous opponent against anyone in the division.   He’ll have the opportunity to prove it in front of his hometown fans of Oakland, California in his anticipated fight against Mikkel Kessler in the upcoming “Super Six World Boxing Classic.”

The Ward- Kessler match-up is a “must see” for boxing fans and promises to provide plenty of action and a terrific opening fight for the Boxing Classic.

9-12-2009

 

==For Fight Recaps between January and May 2009, click here...  Fight Recaps Part I (January-May 2009)==

 ==For Fight Recaps starting June 2009, click here...  Fight Recaps Part II (June-December 2009) ==

 

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