Froch V Kelsser

Kessler by wide UD would be my choice.

Despite Froch's chin I would not rule out a stoppage either.

Kessler is way too polished for Froch.

 

Well the Kessler question is the only thing I have against a Froch-Calzaghe showdown at the present time at a catchweight or whatever. I believe Kessler is head and shoulders above the other 168 fighters when looking at the difference in the level of the Froch-Pascal bout compared to the Calzaghe-Kessler bout. It would be great to see Froch beat Kessler purely because it is the one thing that would really shake Calzaghe up but I just don't see it. Froch-Kessler needs to happen as I don't see Bute and Inkin being tempted out of their armchairs - in Bute's case he is frantically trying to avoid getting into the ring with Andrade again, who Kessler toyed with. As for "exposing Kessler's limitiations" as has been posted in this thread, that would require someone with the in and out footwork plus lateral movement of a Calzaghe, and Froch clearly doesn't have that. You can only expose someone's "limitations" if you don't possess them yourself. In Kessler's case he also needs to pull his finger out now he finally has proper hold of the WBA strap. So at present it would be Kessler by wide UD, but I have a funny feeling it will be quite tough to get the various 168 strap holders into unification bouts

 

Anyone who throws wide, slow punches you can see coming a mile off like Froch will struggle against a fighter like Kessler who has a very good jab, straight right and uppercut.
I think a comfortable UD for Kessler would be most likely, with Carl definitely going out on his shield.

 

I agree Carl is not fully proven but Kessler certainly is. He has won a title twice and unified and has quite a few defenses. He gave a decent account of himself when in with an elite on top form. Bar the Calzaghe fight he has still barely lost a round in his career despite already having been in over 10 world title bouts. What the hell do you have to do these days to be proven in your book? Excluding Calzaghe no current 168 fighter is more proven than Kessler.

EDIT: Oh as for the original question Carl should keep well away from Mikkel as its a fight he will almost certainly lose. I can see Carl beating Taylor, Inkin and Bute but I cant see him beating Kessler.

 

Froch really will have to tighten up against the higher grade fighters, but he wont so for me Kessler by decision. But Froch will leave a mark or two.

 

Kessler's greatest ever win is Andrade, need I say more. He was completive early on against Calzaghe, but despite the first few rounds the fight was clearly only going one way. You are right though, the whole division is largely untested at the higher level - including Kessler himself, imo.

 

...

 

Compare Bute/Andrade to Kessler/Andrade.... need I say more?

I'd say Keesler is fully tested at normal world level (Andrade, Mundine, Beyer, Lucas etc)... but a bit short at elite level. Seeing as since Joe moved to 175 there are no elites at 168 so Mikkel is in effect fully tested.

 

kessler ko

 

Exactly my point . Bute is no great shakes but he too beat the guy who is Kessler's greatest ever win. Sure it was ropey at the end with the knockdown but he out boxed the guy before that. Lets just hope that Kessler doesn't plan on fighting yet another tomato can next, another Haussler type character would be desperate.

 

Lets be honest it was a bit more than ropey at the end.

I agree though Kessler need to step it up now and stamp his name all over the division and that can only ever be done by making the important fights.

 

Greatest win Andrade :huh What about stopping Siaca to win his first world title? Then travelling to Australia to dominate Mundine (who was regarded top 5 SMW at the time) then stopping Lucas and Beyer.

 

Probably the most sensible statement regarding Kessler that I have actually seen :good

 

I don't want to see it, because I don't want to see Froch get beat before he has had a few big fights on ITV.

Kessler would be him fairly easily, IMO, not sure if he knocks him out or wins on points though, either way, Froch would be outclassed.

 

Kessler by 12 round beat down with the possibility of a late rounds stoppage.

Froch has only faced 1 border line top 15 supper middleweight and that was Pascal, and for 8 rounds he struggled.