Mikkel Kessler retires

One of my favourites, so sad to hear this. :|:|

Cya Viking Warrior...

 

Enjoy it Mikkel ! Well deserved !

 

Ward should take that fight, it's not like he has a lot of other options.

 

As a dane, I am still more happy about him resigning than sad about it. Kessler already had an injury prone career and going through more wars would not be good for his body.

Highlights of his career was obviously the wars against Froch, the 12 round pounding of Librado Andrade and the clinical dismantling of a series of former world champions (though, some of them more shopworn than others).

The saddest thing about his career (except for the many injuries) are not really the defeats against Calzaghe, Ward or Froch but that he didn't change coach until after the Ward fight. Montoya brought some much needed versatility and more fighting spirit to Kessler even at a very advanced stage of his career.

In fact, Kessler had some of his best fights even being obviously way past his physical prime.

Overall, Kessler had a great career and will be remembered as the best or second-best danish boxer ever.*

*Battling Nelson of course being the only danish boxer in the Hall of Fame

 

1998 - pro debut with a 1st round ko

2004 - Won the WBA supermiddleweight title against Manny Siaca (RTD)

2005 - dominatetd former champ mundine over 12 rounds in Austrailia

2006 - defeated former champ Eric Lucas (TKO) and unified with the WBC
against Markus Beyer (KO)

2007 - Dominated top contender Librado Andrade only to face ATG Joe Calzaghe in a unification (wbo/wba/wbc - ibf was stripped) and lost a very competetive fight

2008 - knocked out undefeated Dmitri Sartison for the vacant WBA but was later plagued by promotional issues

2009 - lost to eventual super six winner Andre Ward in an ugly foul filled fight

2010 - came back to defeat WBC champion Carl Froch in a FOTY candidate. vacated the belt due to an eye injury sustained in the ward fight

2012 - beat down Brian Magee in 3 rounds to recapture the WBA after knocking out Allan Green in a KO of the year candidate

2013 - Lost a rematch to Froch in a fight where Kessler started late in another close fight (one judge scoring it 115-113) in an IBF/WBA unification

So in summary

46-3 (35 KO)

3x WBA Champion, 2x WBC Champion (fought for IBF/WBO in 2 unifications)

13 world title fights (10-3/ 7KO) 3 Unifications (1-2/1KO)

Calzaghe, Ward, Froch 2x, Andrade, Green, Lucas

Say what you will, Mikkel Kessler proved he was no bum and fought the best whenever given the chance and in his prime can hold his own with the best of them. Best of luck to the Viking Warrior !

 

good career. and he got out without tarnishing his legacy or causing serious damage to himself. respect to the viking warrior

 

Never ducked anybody, was willing to travel to Germany, Australia, US and UK to fight. Mikkel Kessler will be missed, I think he is hall of fame worthy he fought the best fighters of his era and gave it all for the fans

 

Danissh boxing icon Mikkel Kessler today, in an interview with Danish newspaper "Ekstrabladet" Mikkel Kessler anounced his retirement. Kessler tells he has waited since may 2014 for a match to be arranged - but the fights offered did not give him the desire to come back after the close 2013-defeat to Carl Froch. His goals were to fight either Froch or Ward - but as the possibilities ran out and ambition not fullfilled he saw no reason to go entirely for the money against young contenders.

 

People that think Kessler is a HoF dksab. Then again the HoF is full of **** fighters.

 

Good decision, had a great career.

 

2x wbc, 3x wba, 3 unifications, 13 world title fights, 46-3 / 35 KO

Calzaghe, Froch 2x, Ward, Green, Mundine, Beyer, Andrade, Lucas

Icon in Denmark, baddest tattoos in boxing :hey

Kessler is more than deserving of the HOF, especially as he has fought 1 inductee not to mention beating a future hof in Froch and possibly Ward in the future.

Beyer, Lucas, Mundine and Andrade are noteable scalps too as Green to some extent

just imagine how bad left hook lacy would be now if Kessler got his hands on him first

 

Farewell Viking Warrior. His entrance song alone is a ATG on its own