If Andre Ward stays disciplined with his jab, he should beat Kessler easy

[China_hand_Joe]

Originally Posted by IntentionalButt

CHJ.

I just dug back to see when you started posting again, and it appears you never actually stopped. Perhaps it is the lack of avatar that caused me to miss your contributions...once upon a time you brought an eye-catching color palette.

I have been busy trolling football threads.

Now it is back to serious boxing discussion.

I do want my original avatar back, however it is on a broken laptop.

[Danny_Rand]

Originally Posted by IntentionalButt

Come on Danny. You know boxing. An effective jab, to get somebody thinking, needs to serve as a deterrent. It needs to sting. It doesn't have to be like a swing of a 2x4, but it needs to earn respect to be effective. Kessler will most likely not respect Ward's jab.

The issue with Calzaghe that threw off Kessler's offense ("spoiled my boxing", as Kessler put it) was his awkward angles. Ward is slick but he's not a throw-the-textbook-out-the-window type. He puts his pants on one leg at a time like Kessler and learned from the same textbook.

Calzaghe didnt give Kessler many awkward angles. The 5th round, he came out straight up, and pretty much beat Kessler at his own game, a jab and a straight left behind it. Only when Kessler morale was torn to shreds then Calzaghe started to really put it on him. Ward isnt as good as Calzaghe in terms of movement, but he's on that plane of movement, and I see it giving Kessler fits being a rhthym fighter. Its why Marquez got Pacquiao in trouble. He was able to break up his rhythm.

Again, Calzaghe did not hit Kessler with any stiff jabs. If those little flick shots, where he doesnt even extend is arm fully hurt Kessler, then Kessler is in more trouble then I originally thought. If he doesnt respect Wards jab, Ward will start piling up the rounds like Ihop piles up pancakes.

[BazookaJab]

Delete.

[o_money]

Originally Posted by Danny_Rand

That just proves you never saw the fight. Kessler got his ass kicked. He won 2 rounds. Maybe 3 if you give him the 12th based on desperation.

Even the 2 rounds he won were basically him and Calzage going tit for tat. Calzaghe basically jabbed him up in round 5, then proceeded to beat him up for the next 6. Kesslers left eye looked like that because of all the right hands Slap landed on him.

I think you need to either rewatch the fight, or reexamine what you consider good performances. Hatton was more competitve against Mayweather to give you an example.

I've watched the fight and i don't need to rewatch shit. Okay he only won a few rounds. Big deal he was in with the best fighter p4p in the world at the time. You can put on a good performance, lose and have nothing to be ashamed if the guy you are fighting is as good as Calzaghe and you push him the way Kessler did.

Originally Posted by Danny_Rand

Dirrell should have beaten Froch if not for blatant home town robbery. Both were brought up fine.

True he got robbed...what's your point --> he still looked like shit. And no he wasn't brought up fine you don't go from beating on Estiban Camo to fighting at world level on foriegn soil. I would have like to have seen him figh at least one fight against an Allen Green type fighter before trying his luck against a world champion on on his home turff. Ward was brought alone better.

Originally Posted by Danny_Rand

And I fail to see how Dirrells a bitch?

Cause in the middle rounds he fought like one. And don't get me wrong I love the sweet science of boxing. But leaping across the ring bre hug a guy and hold on for dear life looks bad.

[Danny_Rand]

Originally Posted by BazookaJab

I'd tell him to turn south-paw and smother Kessler. That's one of Ward's big advantages here - versatility. He can box for a few rounds, then turn lefty and fight on the inside. That should keep Kessler thinking and cautious for 12 rounds. If Kessler can't adjust, he'll lose.

I'd like to see this aswell. You can tell alot of people have never seen Ward fight and think he's like Dirrell, when he's not. Very scrappy, very dirty when he has to be.

I'd like to see if Kessler can adjust aswell. He couldnt against Calzaghe. His solution was to start throwing hayemakers. And that doesnt cut it at the elite level.

[JJ]

Andre Ward is a future star, I hope it will happen a bit later and not against Kessler.

Im surprised that he is not more hyped by his countrymen, he is a former Olympic goldmedalist and undefeted as a pro!

I hope that Kessler will win, but the odds is too low on him for me to bet on it.

[Bodysnatcher]

edit

[China_hand_Joe]

Originally Posted by Danny_Rand

I'd like to see this aswell. You can tell alot of people have never seen Ward fight and think he's like Dirrell, when he's not. Very scrappy, very dirty when he has to be.

I'd like to see if Kessler can adjust aswell. He couldnt against Calzaghe. His solution was to start throwing hayemakers. And that doesnt cut it at the elite level.

Ward is a very good fighter, but is not on the same level of consiousness as the elite fighters out there. He lacks an extra dimension the like of Calzaghe have. Everything he does is technically excellent. However the likes of Hopkins, Calzaghe and to a lesser extent Kessler are boxing genii.

Speed and accuracy alone will not open up Kessler. Calzaghe had to fake punches, feint with his body and feet to do that. Ward is no boxing genius and will just throw at gloves this fight.

[Danny_Rand]

Originally Posted by o_money

I've watched the fight and i don't need to rewatch shit. Okay he only won a few rounds

He won 2 over the course of 11 rounds. He may have won the 12th, but thats meaningless when you are already dg.own 9 rounds. From round 5 on it was a complete shutout, near pummelin

Big deal he was in with the best fighter p4p in the world at the time.

Sorry, I do believe Floyd Mayweather was the best P4P in the world, with Pacquiao right behind him.

You can put on a good performance, lose and have nothing to be ashamed if the guy you are fighting is as good as Calzaghe and you push him the way Kessler did.

He didnt put on a good performance. He won 2 close rounds, with Calzaghe blitzing him the rest of the way. How is that a good performance?

True he got robbed...what's your point --> he still looked like shit.

He looked fine. He basically fought how I expected the fight to go. He held a little too much and did some negative things, but Froch was doing his own dirty stuff. Doesnt negate the fact that in his first big fight, he went to Froch's hometown and basically pounded him the last 3 rounds and nearly KO'd him in the 10th. At a nuetral location Dirrell is the WBC champ of the world. Consider the fact that most of yous were expecting him to b
e run over. I.e Cobbler.

And no he wasn't brought up fine you don't go from beating on Estiban Camo to fighting at world level on foriegn soil.

Dirrell fought 2 contenders before he fought Froch. Oganov and Anthony Hashaw Who gave Roy Jones jr fits. He was fine. Especially considerng a figher of Froch's caliber.

I would have like to have seen him figh at least one fight against an Allen Green type fighter before trying his luck against a world champion on on his home turff. Ward was brought alone better.

How woul fighting Allen Green, possibly prepare him for fighting Carl Froch? Totally different styles ad Green got outboxed by Miranda.

But yeah, thats exactly what his promoters should have done. "Nah I dont think we should do this super six thing, with potntially millions of dollar and international recognition involved. Let fight Allan Green instead.

But leaping across the ring bre huge a guy and hold on for dear life looks bad.

Mayweather does that. Hopkins does that. Hit then wrap up so the opponent doesnt have a chance to throw back. Hell, Tunney made an art out of it. He did hold a little to much but he made up for it by going straight up with Froch and nearly getting him out of there. Taylor didnt land those punches that Dirrell did. Certainly doesnt qualfy bitch. Again, you're struggling here.

[Danny_Rand]

Originally Posted by China_hand_Joe

Ward is a very good fighter, but is not on the same level of consiousness as the elite fighters out there. He lacks an extra dimension the like of Calzaghe have. Everything he does is technically excellent. However the likes of Hopkins, Calzaghe and to a lesser extent Kessler are boxing genii.

Speed and accuracy alone will not open up Kessler. Calzaghe had to fake punches, feint with his body and feet to do that. Ward is no boxing genius and will just throw at gloves this fight.

Sorry Kessler isnt even close to that level. Boxing genius? No. Thats actually an insult to guys like Mayweather, Pacquiao, Calzaghe, Hopkins ect.

[Danny_Rand]

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

I remember Kellerman remarking that Calzaghe was just `touching` Kessler with his jab. It was a jab that nullified aggression and kept up his connect rate, rather than hurting Kessler, I thought.

It was a flick jab. No power behind it, basically breaking up Kesslers timing.

[China_hand_Joe]

Originally Posted by Danny_Rand

Sorry Kessler isnt even close to that level. Boxing genius? No. Thats actually an insult to guys like Mayweather, Pacquiao, Calzaghe, Hopkins ect.

I twisted the truth slightly.

He is the equal of Pacquaio though, he is just a physical monster who Roach has programmed.

[JMP]

I'm interested to see if Ward has success getting in close, working Kessler's body.

[China_hand_Joe]

Calzaghe has an underrated and very snappy jab.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/2008/writ...aghe_getty.jpg

His jab has snapped back the head of every opponent he has faced. Do not listen to Kellerman.

Ward throws his from too far away and he doesn't punch through his target with it much.

[China_hand_Joe]

Originally Posted by JMP

I'm interested to see if Ward has success getting in close, working Kessler's body.

He will be countered by short right and hooks if he attempts to get close. Even Mirander landed a couple of lefts from this.

Ward does have an advantage when it comes to holding though, he looks comfortable when he does this. More so than Kessler.