Mikkel Kessler 2018 comeback... How successful can he be?

Weak division. Zurdo, DeGeale, Benavidez have all struggled with mediocre opposition.

DeGeale has shown that he can be really good, but often falls apart.

Groves is worn down and manages to have a though time with every opponent.

Dirrell brothers are mental midgets, but Andre can turn it up.

Eubank Jr. passes the eye test but is unproven.

Dont know much about Smith. But he seems to be just a basic puncher with good power.

 

He'll clean up.

 

His ass back to retirement

 

It’s gonna be very tough for Mikkel to come back after 5 years on inactivity and challenge the very best of the division.

The fact that he is nearly 40 years of age only makes that more difficult.

He’s probably looking to make a little extra money without taking too much punishment so will probably fight a couple of cans in Denmark before announcing he is hanging them up for good.

 

Wish he never retired

 

Cant see a 40 year old doing anything at SMW...its a weight class where speed and reflexes are even more king than they are at higher weight division. Very few men even at HW have ever managed to win a HW title, and that is where being slow is the least disadvantaged.

You always notice the loss of speed and reflexes in older boxers. Always.

 

He has absolutely no intangibles that would make him coming back
anything more than a farce.

He wasn't extraordinarily fast or an elite skillset guy, he wasn't a bomber who's power
is still with him. He didn't have an iron chin that would allow him
to wade through the punches of younger guys. He wasn't a workhorse
that threw 1000 punches every fight. he was an overall good boxer,
where nothing stood out. Some guys operated at such a high level that
they can still compete at an advanced age (Bernard, Mansour, Foreman, Calzaghe,
even Stevenson). Nothing about Kessler stands out.

If he competes, he's gonna get brutalized, and by guys that he'd probably
have beaten if he were younger.

 

He could be financially successful if he can somehow goad Froch out of retirement for a third fight, but I highly doubt that will happen. As far as beating top fighters, I think those days are behind him.

 

He can get a big payday, but wining is a long shot vs the best.

 

Surprised he can still make 168. But far safer there than the monster infestation that is 175

He's strong tough and fundamentally very sound. He could do well

 

Be shocked if he made 168 again and at 175 can't see him beating the top 2 or 3, also a lot of young hungry fringe level guys who would cause him problems.

Get froch back in the ring at 175.

 

I think he could fight his way to a world title again, but i'm not so sure he would against the likes of Ramirez, Degale, Groves, Benavidez and Zeuge.

 

He waited for Andre Ward to retire which was good because Ward conquered the him and the rest of Europe's best at the Super Six, need to get your butt beat twice like some people.
Mikkel will be rusty as an old Detroit auto factory. He will have a few warm up fights and either get destroyed by a young Brit, former Soviet, or American fighter as son as he steps up a bit.
He should just live off a few bum fights because of his name recognition and re-retire like David Haye.

 

Weak one or two opponents, not even "name guys," and then maybe shoot for the European title or something, depending. He should have an end game in mind. Euro title or a dance with another near-40-year-old sounds right. Big Kessler fan, not stoked on this comeback.