I think ward and Dirrell would give him big problems... Bute and kessler or froch would be more of a 50/50 Abraham.... I need to see what he looks like now.
For some strange reason, many sports writers and ABC rankings have had Kessler rated so high...Once Calzaghe left the 168 division, he was awarded that tag...Do I agree with it?? No, but we cant overlook the facts either!
Ward would beat kessler again...if he gave him a choice of styles to fight him. it would happen again and again. It was great to see him less robotic and come to life in his hometown. That won't always be the case. I liked kessler to take it before the whole shebang started.
I check the ring magazine rankings pretty often and I never saw Kessler as the SMW champion. Sorry man but if Kessler didn't beat anyone to become the man, then he was not the man.
kessler was brave to go against the slapping shots...and be brave enough to trade with calzaght.... those shots didn't hurt him... he was just being outpointed. all in all... kessler lost a bit of himself. (that i see) especially after he was rocked and confused in the ward fight. now with his new trainer..he got a bit of himself back. whenever someone got exposed for some type of handwraps fiasco... the fighter in question never won. trinidad..margarito..and kessler vs. ward. kessler went as far as to get rid of his life long man after that.
And that proves??? Just because you dont feel the need to rate him that high still doesnt erase the fact that many regarded him as the guy...you're acting like I made this up!
I was rooting for Kessler in that fight...he was putting up with Joe until Joe adapted and took over. LMAO, thats true that Kessler was outpointed but to be fair to Calzaghe...he did hurt Kessler with a vicious body shot! Thats has been a trend and I didnt look at it like that...Whoever has been accused for having " Improper wraps" have went on to lose. We can agree on this...Lets just hope Kessler can bounce back!:good
well I'm just saying Kessler was never considered the undisputed champion of the SMW division nor the lineal champion at any point in his entire career, so its not true to say he was the man. He was just one contender among many, but at some point he was the highest ranked one.
Philla, I'm by no means saying that Kessler was the Undisputed Champion of the SMW divsion...I was pointing out how many observers regarded him as the #1 contender when Calzaghe vacated his belts( hence calling him the man at 168)...Thats a fact buddy...I agree that the Undisputed Champion title is still vacant IMO...The only way we can prove the undisputed Champ is by having the Winner of the tounament vs Bute.:good
Bute is the best! He destroyed Andrade in the 4rd, who did that? tell me? And he beat the crap out of Miranda in the 3rd... Allan Green lose to Miranda and he is in the super 6 and AA got his jaw broke to pieces and I believe AA is in the super 6 too, super 6 is just crap... Ward is the only one who can beat Bute because he is dirty and throw a lot of punches...? But then again, I can see Bute winning by K.O
Ken Hershman, president of Showtime Sports, claimed that Showtime/Sauerland did not invite Lucian Bute or Kelly Pavlik because including them would be to expensive. If it is true that fighters were excluded due to costs, then this tournament was never about "the best fighting the best." Prior to the start of the S6 Kessler had some good wins under his belt. Each of the other 5 fighters claimed his best win over a Pavlik left over, or someone not as good as Pavlik's left overs. Jermain Taylor had been knocked out in two of his previous 4 fights. He lost to Pavlik twice in two different divisions. His record at SMW was 1 win - 2 losses. After he dropped out Showtime replaced him with Allan Green who, at age 30, still has not beat a top 10 SMW. Carl Froch's best win was a hail mary KO over two-time Pavlik victim Jermain Taylor. Andre Ward's best win was Edison Miranda. Pavlik destroyed Miranda and Bute put him to sleep right quick. Ward went 12 rounds with Miranda. Abraham had to fight Miranda twice. It took him 16 rounds to do what Pavlik did in 7 and Bute did in 3. Dirrell's best wins were Hanshaw and Oganov. Former Pavlik and Bute victim Fulgencio Zuniga utterly destroyed Oganov long before Dirrell got to him. Hanshaw was a good amatuer, but he was never anything special as a pro. No -- the S6 was never about the best facing the best. It was about creating an illusion, and marketing it to a rather gullible boxing-public. The fact that fighters were excluded on the basis of cost proves that.
I agree, in all honesty Bute is hyped to hell KOing less than nobodies. He has yet to even fight a B level guy. Was pretty much KOed by C level guy. Even Froch should be higher with a loss, at least he is fighting A level talent. Bute is SO unproven and I think B-Hop is going to make some Bute fans cry if that fight comes off..............:deal
Bute is making a career out of fighting guy's the "supposedly" "limited" and "overhyped" Pavliks leftovers after Pavlik ruined them..........I mean if he fights Brinkley........He is going to be the SMW Haye.:deal