It's hard to call Calzaghe's prime - If we asume it was around 30 - in 2002 we have to judge on his fights against Brewer, Jimenez and Pudwill - hardly worldbeaters. Brewer being by far the best opponent of the three fought well against Calzaghe a took a few rounds of him - Brewer came of two loses to Ottke (one can be argued a win though) and a KO-loss to Echols. None of those fighters comes close to Kessler in skill. Comparing that way Calzaghe preformed better versus Kessler than he did versus Brewer - but again it's hard to call - Calzaghe is also notorouis for unestemating opponents - fighting to their level. Add to that that Calzaghe has changed his style due to his fragile hands - so it's hard to directly compare the Calzaghe of 2007 to that of 2002 - as he has changed his style a lot. Looking at the Hopkins fight it should be clear that if Calzaghe has faded it's not that much. It's a shame Calzaghe is too old for a rematch with Kessler - it could have been interesting to see how a wiser Kessler would fair. To me Kessler is the first fighter to actually beat Calzaghe's gameplan - Kessler-Calzaghe wasn't a question of Calzaghe dropping to Kessler's level (as he did versus Bika) it was a question of Kessler rising to Calzaghe's - unfortunatly Kessler came with no backup plan. He will the next time - although it wouldn't be against Calzaghe. Which wins do you rank above Kessler in terms of Calzaghe-wins?
Kessler hasnt got Calzaghe's ability, yet he is still a very qualified fighter who most protected fighters around the 168 pound mark would avoid.
Solely because of he problems he had in each of the fights. Eubank, Eubank came back late in the fight and it was a test on the composure of Calzaghe to manage to hold him off Reid, that was a close close fight, it was a close close thing and it was only the fact that Calzaghe swept the championship rounds that he kept his nose clean and the belt on. Hopkins, again, close close fight, Calzaghe down early in the fight and had to battle his way back, out adapt the master at adapting and put numbers on him that no one else ever had. You've got cases for the domination over Lacy, due to what Lacy had done to that point but Kessler had a better career prior to Calzaghe than Lacy did.
Eubanks was special - first championship fight - first fight to go beyond 8 rounds and so on - but if we look at the quality of opponent Eubanks of 1997 does not match Kessler of 2007. A prime Eubanks might have - Kessler's next fights will make us wiser on that point. Hopkins is also special - ATG - fighting in the US and against a fighter that has a bad style for Calzaghe. But again Hopkins of 2008 isn't at Kessler's level - if he had the stamina to fight he might - but he simply hasn't got that anymore. A prime Hopkins would beat Kessler by the looks of things - but again Kessler is still young and his next fights will give us a better view on how good he actually is. Reid - well a tough fight - but mainly because Calzaghe went to war instead of boxing - If Calzaghe had gone to war against Kessler I'm not sure he would have won actually - look at round 12 - the closest we came to war - Kessler won that pretty clear. Again if we look at the shere quality of opponent Reid isn't at Kessler's level - he came with a loss to Malinga (who was 42 at the time) and has lost several fights since - add to that that the fights he won he gave away plenty of rounds - Kessler only lost rounds to Mundine and Calzaghe (versus Mundine mainly because of an injury). Everything considered I'm finding it very hard to find a better opponent on Calzaghe's record - and no harm in that - Kessler is a very good fighter - how good will time tell.
I tried to follow the discussion between DanePugilist, PugilisticPower and Faetter_BR but got lost in too many assertions and digressions and to what end they were leading. However, I think I did get that PugilisticPower suggest that Kessler, for whatever reason, is surrounded by some hype on ESB and he distrust this hype because of Kessler resume. So, going out to PugilisticPower (and anyone else who cares): What fights should Kessler take on to qualify the suggested hype? I ask because it seems Team Palle is satisfying nobody, except perhaps his own wallet, when he talks Sartison and RJJ.
This guy is the biggest one hit wonder in Boxing when will he stop living off that one fight and do something FFS.............
I LIKE kESSLER AND THINK HE WILL BE BACK BUT IT WAS THE BODY PUCH JOE LANDED IN THE 4TH OR 5TH ROUND THAT TOOK THE STARCH OUT OF HIM
Which one fight is that? 1. The Siaca-fight that made him worldchampion - a fight he took with two weeks notice? 2. The Mundine-fight - when he beat a top5 fighter in australia in his first defense - a mandatory btw? 3. The Beyer-fight that made him a double champion? 4. The Andrade-fight where he totally outclassed the undefeated mandatory challenger? 5. The Calzaghefight - the first unificationfight in SMW, where he caught the champion more than any fighter has ever done and lost 8-4 in rounds?
It was in the eigth round he hit him in the stomach. And he tried to follow it up with some shots to the back of Kesslers head. (Like he did all night long) Referee stepped in and said "you cant do that". And everybody gets angry because they want to see a knockdown--- by any means necessary apparently!! Joe Calzaghe said he was at his best ever when he fought Kessler. He said that in the 7 minute interview with BBC the evening after the fight.
Of course there was also the Lucas fight before the Beyer fight. But when you take an overview of his championship career like that you can ask yourself: What the hell could Mikkel Kessler have done better in his career ? What could he have done better? Beat Joe of course, but other than that. What more could he have done in order to satisfy his critics ?
Is this list supposed to impress anyone? I guess you have answered your own question, as I see only one name there that reeks of any kind of luke warm respectability at the elite level.
Your post is plain non-sense. In what way is he living off the Calzaghe fight (if that's the one you are referring to)? Kessler is trying to fight his way back to the top, that's all. That he still has something to prove at the highest level is common knowledge around these shores (ESB). The latter can even be said about Calzaghe at the age of 36/37.
Cant beleive this thread is still running,Kessler is a good fighter but he lost to a BETTER fighter please get over it!
Fixed your post: Cant believe this thread is still running,Kessler is a good fighter but he lost to a BETTER fighter on the given night please get over it!:good