Sharkie’s Machine
By Frank Gonzalez Jr.
November 3rd 2007
“Calzaghe Too Slick For Kessler”
Saturday night in Cardiff Wales,
reigning WBO Super Middleweight Champion, Joe Calzaghe (44-0,
32 KO’s) treated his loyal hometown fans at the Cardiff
Stadium to the toughest fight of his career, taking on the
younger and arguably stronger, WBC Champion, Mikkel Kessler
(39-1, 29 KO’s) of Denmark.
Once again, Joe Calzaghe proved he is
the best fighter in his weight class as he used speedy hands,
tricky ring generalship, toughness and a vast array of punches
to tame the technically sound Mikkel Kessler during the course
of 12 exciting rounds.
Late 2007 has been good to boxing
fans. Fights like Calzaghe vs. Kessler is boxing the way it
ought to be. This is what raises Boxing’s stock in the minds
of even casual sports fans. As a fan who constantly advocates
for unification bouts, I want to give a shout out to the
people who made this fight possible. Let's hope this trend
continues.
The Fight:
In the first round, Calzaghe applied
pressure early and was able to touch Kessler on occasion but
after tasting Kessler’s power, Calzaghe settled down a bit and
seemed to reassess his approach. Both guys landed some shots
during the feel out moments of the beginning. Calzaghe was
busier and delivered a couple of decent body shots to tip the
round in his favor. 10-9 Calzaghe.
Round Two
The second round began a little
wildly until the ref warned Calzaghe for hitting behind the
head during clinches. Kessler looked very sharp and landed the
cleaner shots in the second round. Calzaghe held his own and
it was close, but I thought Kessler’s punches did more damage.
10-9 Kessler.
Round Three
They boxed and brawled to start the
third, with Kessler going down to the canvas, compliments of a
slip, which was rightly ruled as such. Calzaghe pressed
Kessler with punches from all angles but wasn’t connecting
squarely. Kessler was unflinching and crisp. He landed some
good shots but Calzaghe took them well and even turned the
pace in his favor late in the round. 10-9 Calzaghe.
Round Four
Kessler rocked Calzaghe during a
brawling moment early in the fourth. He also landed a pair of
uppercuts that stunned Joe, who was aware of the shifting
momentum and Kessler was finding that his uppercuts were
working well. Calzaghe stayed busy enough to keep it close but
Kessler landed the more telling blows in the fourth. 10-9
Kessler.
Round Five
Lots of back and forth action as both
took turns controlling the tempo. Calzaghe was landing more
but Kessler was landing cleaner. Calzaghe stepped up the pace
right before Kessler’s nose started to bleed. Calzaghe was
beating Kessler to the punch and dictating the pace. 10-9
Calzaghe.
Round Six
Calzaghe was landing lots of ‘slappy’
shots which were taking a toll on the chiseled Kessler, who
was moving slower and throwing less. Calzaghe made it a boxing
match and he was winning the round by landing more and
controlling the action. Kessler looked frustrated. 10-9
Calslappy.
Round Seven
Kessler landed a strong series of
punches but Calzaghe took them well and whacked Kessler with
some punishing shots that had the crowd roaring. Hell of a
fight. Kessler imposed his will and landed some good shots
himself, making the seventh tough to score for me so I called
it even, 10-10.
Round Eight
Kessler’s corner implored him to be
more aggressive going into the eighth. Calzaghe went back to
his unorthodox style of boxing and countered many of Kessler’s
shots. During one rally, Kessler teed off on Calzaghe, who
came back with an effective rally of his own. What a fight!
Calzaghe went after the body and was going on the attack when
the referee warned Calzaghe about hitting and holding. Though
Kessler did well, Calzaghe stole it with a show of huge heart,
chin, stamina and will. Great round. 10-9 Calzaghe.
Round Nine
Calzaghe was in charge by this time.
Kessler was more dangerous at that point as his corner was
telling him he needed to do more and that he was losing the
fight. Mikkel was hunting for the big punch that would end
things but Calzaghe out boxed him and neutralized Kessler’s
ability to do any real damage. 10-9 Calzaghe.
Round Ten
Calzaghe was flirting with losing a
point as he hit Kessler again behind the head (he’d been
warned for that too a couple of times already by referee, Mike
Ortega). Kessler was out of his game plan and slipping into
desperation mode as he sought to slug it out with Calzaghe,
who was the superior fighter with the quicker hands and cagey
ability to always get the last word in punch wise. 10-9
Calzaghe.
Round Eleven
More of the same, with Calzaghe
always winning the exchanges and Kessler unable to catch him
with anything significant. Calzaghe displayed amazing agility
and tenacity in the eleventh round and Kessler wasn’t able to
hurt him—as he so desperately tried. 10-9 Calzaghe.
Round Twelve
A brawl. Kessler was loading up with
every punch, giving every bit of his energy to turn things
around in his last chance to win the fight. Kessler managed to
land a few big shots but Calzaghe ignored the pain and
returned fire.
At the bell, they hugged, in show of
respect and admiration. This was the toughest fight of Joe
Calzaghe’s career, as it was for Kessler’s. In the battle of
speed vs. power, speed set the tone and won the fight.
* *
The official judges scored it 117-112
and 116-112 twice all in favor of Joe Calzaghe, who is now the
closest to being the undisputed Super Middleweight Champion of
the World. (There’s still the IBF title if he’s to have all
four of the most recognized belts.)
Calzaghe was pure class during the
post fight interview, crediting his opponent and admitting
that Kessler rocked him a few times. Kessler was equally
gracious. He said he’d like a rematch where he could employ a
different tactic.
Congratulations to Joe Calzaghe! This
man continues to surprise his critics with dominating
performances. The official scores don’t reflect what a
tremendous fight this was.
Congratulations also to Mikkel
Kessler, who showed big heart and plenty of quality against
the best man in the division. This loss can only make the 28
year-old Kessler an even better fighter. I can’t wait to see
him fight again. I don’t think he should chase a rematch with
Calzaghe just yet though.
Calzaghe has a more lucrative fight
in mind then a rematch with Kessler for his next appearance.
He’s been talking for some time about wanting to fight Bernard
Hopkins (who has more experience fighting smaller men).
Chad Dawson might make for an interesting match should Joe
decide to fight in the States in his next appearance. But why
would he come to the USA when he can fill an entire Stadium in
Cardiff, Wales, and still be televised in every market on the
planet? Besides, Dawson would be lucky for the opportunity to
fight Calzaghe, regardless of the location.
There’s also Kelly Pavlik, who
knocked out Jermain Taylor recently to become the best
recognized Middleweight Champion in the World. That could be
an interesting fight. I think Calzaghe is too fast for Pavlik.
But Pavlik has good boxing skills, uses his jab nicely to keep
opponents at a favorable range. As much as I like Pavlik, I
doubt his long jab would dictate the pace to Joe Calzaghe. It
would be interesting to watch him try though.
Kessler’s people should consider
going after the only other Super Middleweight Title unclaimed
by Calzaghe—the IBF version, which is currently the property
of Lucien Bute of Canada by way of Romania (21-0, 17 KO’s). If
they can’t get Bute, Kessler will have to find another way to
get a title. Maybe lose a few pounds and go to Middleweight or
gain a few and go up to Light Heavyweight.
But…can you imagine Hopkins vs.
Calzaghe? Two guys whose modus operandi is to disrupt the
boxing skills of their opponent; both schooled in the art of
getting away with little fouls that subtly influence outcomes.
It might be a very boring fight unless one of them finds a way
to impose his will on the other and administer a beating.
It would be interesting to see two
guys who’ve never been ‘beaten up,’ battling it out. I’d lean
towards Calzaghe because he’s more athletic, throws more
punches from more angles, has great head movement and ring
smarts. Bernard could counter punch well enough to force
Calzaghe into a chess match that would give B Hop the
advantage—while putting the crowd to sleep.
Both are geniuses in their art.
Hopkins would probably have to fight a faster paced style,
which favors Calzaghe. Neither are big punchers. Both have
unique styles. Calzaghe is a voluminous puncher and Hopkins
has a way of hurting opponents during clinches on the opposite
side of the referee. Hopkins has made fouling into an almost
acceptable art form. It could get ugly but still turn out to
be a great fight after all!
* * *
Comments can be emailed to Frank Gonzalez, Jr.
~For more on Joe Calzaghe's
journal visit
here
~
11-03-2007
