I wouldn't be surprised if Ward won a controversial decision over Kessler

Kessler will win a wide UD......or possible stoppage late.......

 

People said this about Calzaghe.

Calzaghe also hurt Kessler to the body. Having said that, I lean towards Kessler but think it will be close.....

 

kessler will get boxing lesson # 2 .....he will get his ears boxed off

 

Ward is not Calzaghe though. How many guys would have weathered those bone-crunching uppercuts Kessler landed on Calzaghe?:think

 

I expect this fight to be opposite of Calzaghe/Kessler. Ward wins early rounds, Kessler takes over the 2nd half. I am impressed with Ward though. I think he's a good bit better than Dirrel, but we'll see.

 

I think it will be close but Kessler will win. Wards movement will give Kessler lots of trouble and seeing as how Kessler doesn't go to the body much, I expect Ward to be tricky throughout the fight. But I think Kessler will fight strong and land the harder shots and will drop Ward later in the fight and thus getting the decision or stopping Ward late.

 

Hard to pick against Kessler as he is as good as he can get right now - very prime physically as far as that goes.

OTOH, it is always easy to seem better than you are when your promoters and management generally only allow you to feast on soft touches, semi-bums, and guys who can't generate any offense or threat because they are athletically inferior. Ward, while he'll be even better in a couple years, is gonna actually be taking it to Kessler and may shut him down with his own offensive capabilities. I'll take Ward by TKO late. The Dane is strong (prime) but he suffers from the usual slight Euro deficiencies in the aggregate (feet too slow, handspeed okay but unexceptional, technique too 1-2 & unvaried, too square and rigid, not particularly agile, not hard too hit, etc.).

Ward is gonna land, touch often and repeatedly. While Mikkel has sufficient strength/power to possibly hurt Ward and win the fight he has only fought one or two guys with anything close to Ward's talent over 43 fights so he may just get straight-out out boxed, frustrated, and beaten again. Ward will be coming to fight the best fight (against what he (rightly) perceives to be his toughest opponent to date) of his life. Kessler will be coming in with 43 fights in which he has ALWAYS been either the bigger man or the better athlete. He may well be less able to raise his game (if it is necessary) at this point in his career when it becomes apparent that he doesn't have either advantage over his opponent in the ring that evening.

 

Kessler is the one who fades late. Ward fights the 12th just like he fights the 1st. The fight will get easier for Ward as it goes. Feel free to hold me to this statement.

 

Makes perfect sense.

 

Kessler will win. Ward is a local guy, but Kessler is equally strong and skilled if not more+the experience. Cali and the Bay Area in general is fair-it's not Houston.

 

i wouldn't be surprised either. since it seems like a relatively even matchup (giving the advantage to kessler of course since he is more experienced and, to me, seems like the all around better fighter at this point) i'm gonna say ward gets the decision in the US, while kessler would more than likely get it anywhere else. ward by SD.

i would much rather someone just got knocked out. i REALLY don't want to see any controversial decisions in this tournament.

 

i see kessler winning wide ud or late ko, kessler's jab should see him through the fight quite comfortably.

 

Kessler is more experienced and when Ward gets hit with a solid good shot it seems like he goes into shock to an extent(saw just a little of that last night in the 2nd round of the Ward-Pudwill fight last night), but Ward knew he didn't have a great opponent in front of him last night and it was no problem to go back to work after that. Kessler on the other hand will keep landing good shots on Ward every round. Ward has very good skills and handspeed but it's going to come down to how well Ward handles the pressure Kessler will put on him. I think Kessler will hurt Ward's workrate and will slow his confidence enough to win a clear UD.

 

ANybody going im getting my Ticket as soon as it's Available. And I think Kessler Knocks Ward out in 8

 

I agree, a close decision is definitely a distinct possibility.