Anybody else up for this? Before you hoot and holler about Kessler not deserving a title crack off a 2-year layoff, remember that he was a top man in the division for a full decade before that...and if you go on down the line of succession nobody else really is a lock for "deserving" it. Froch, due his ridiculous flirtation with a Chavez Jr. payday at the expense of both his younger countryman and old Danish rival, at this point deserves neither a lucrative Kessler rubber match nor a crack at DeGale's title for a consolation prize. Dirrell needs to join his brother in taking a little time off from whining to work on some things in the gym. There are no strongly distinguished enough super middleweight contenders to say they'd be getting sorely gypped if leapfrogged by a "top contender emeritus" in Kessler. The Viking Warrior and Chunky both deserve the payday here (the former due to lifetime achievement, the latter for all his improvements in recent years culminating in capturing the belt abroad) while the Cobra & Matrix deserve to be frozen out. Maybe that pair can have a rematch, which nobody in their right mind would buy a ticket or tune in for. :deal
I don't know IB. Love me some Viking warrior, but I think at this stage after a long lay off, Degale might be too much for Kessler. Mayhap after a tune up or something.
Kessler is retired, and will not fight again. If he did, and Degale was his opponent - the Dane would be badly outboxed, and possibly stopped for the first time in his career.
People are selling Mik short in a big way here. Freitas returned from an even lengthier retirement and was even more badly shot when he stepped away the first time, and put in a hell of a performance with no tuneup (and several weight divisions up from where he left off, no less!). Granted, he beat Oliveira who is no DeGale, but still.
If this was a prime or close to prime Kessler, he would have his way with DeGas. There's no question. But the dude hasn't fought in 2 years and he's half blind.
Kessler is likely a gamer challenger than all but 1 or 2 other SMWs (including his fellow Euros in the WBO circle jerk: Abraham, Stieglitz and Sturm)
Degale fights like he did against The Renovated/Reinvigorated One or whatever he called himself, Kessler knocks him out