Super Six World Boxing Classic

[Liquidrob]

http://sports.sho.com/sswbc/events/kessler-ward-nov-21-2009.html

Event Summary
By Al Bernstein

It is a match up that perhaps can be labeled the favorite vs. the "sleeper" when the first stage of the Super Six World Boxing Classic concludes on November 21 with a battle between WBA Champion Mikkel Kessler and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward, in Oakland, Calif. Read More

Many believe that the 30-year-old Kessler, who is a two-time super middleweight champ, is the front runner to win the Super Six. He is a complete fighter who has power and boxing ability. His only loss in 43 pro fights was a decision to Joe Calzaghe, who may be the best 168 pound fighter in history. Kessler is 8-1 in title fights and just had a good title defense against Guzmyr Perdomo.

Ward has fashioned a solid 25-0 pro record. This 25-year-old, Oakland native has had a slow and steady build in his career. The consensus is that he is peaking just as the Super Six tournament is about to begin. That perception has many boxing pundits suggesting that Ward is the one to watch. He is a solid fighter with sound fundamentals and an excellent work ethic. His game is not about flash, it is about getting results...it's about winning.

Ward is the only American to get a home game in the first stage of the World Boxing Classic. His fans will be out in force at the Oracle Arena in Oakland. For Kessler this will be just his 4th fight outside of his native Denmark. Both men are excellent technicians with superb skills. Kessler has an edge in power and experience, while Ward has youth and the hometown environment on his side. It should be an entertaining conclusion to Group Stage 1 of the Super Six World Boxing Classic.

[nflman2033]

can't wait, won't get to watch until sunday morning, but will definately watch it before the games start sunday

[Liquidrob]

So who you guys picking?

I think Kessler is the safe pick, but like I said earlier in the thread, this fight really sets up the rest of the tourny

[nflman2033]

i definately got Kessler since he is my pick for the whole thing, however if Ward wins, then he should be favorite.

[JrRawlins]

leaning towards Ward being that his style is hard to adapt too and he is home.... if Kessler wins i will be very impressed..

[nflman2033]

leaning towards Ward being that his style is hard to adapt too and he is home.... if Kessler wins i will be very impressed..

i never doubted for a moment you would be picking Ward :D

[Liquidrob]

Weigh Ins for Kessler/Ward

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnw9mp-kdzM"]YouTube- Kessler vs. Ward - Weigh-In - Live from Oakland[/ame]

[Liquidrob]

on tonight mfers

[Tailback U]

Can't wait, I'm pulling for Ward cuz he's the underdog and the hometown boy but I am a big fan of Kessler's style and think he's too good and experienced for Ward.

Should be a very entertaining and interesting fight. I just hope the judges don't let the crowd influence them and call it right.

[SHOGUN]

Let's go WARD!

[davie]

I can see a hometown decision coming if it's close.

[Liquidrob]

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/notebook?page=notebook/boxingnov20

Ward ready to fight for title
The opening two bouts of Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic were not kind to the Americans.

Germany's Arthur Abraham brutally knocked out Jermain Taylor in the 12th round, and England's Carl Froch took a split decision from Andre Dirrell to retain his 168-pound belt in the first two bouts of the six-man modified round-robin tournament Oct. 17.

Now the final bout of Group Stage 1 is at hand, the first bout of the tournament on American soil, and American Andre Ward aims not only to win his first world title but also to save face for the Americans. Ward meets tournament favorite and titleholder Mikkel Kessler at the Oracle Arena in Ward's hometown of Oakland, Calif., on Saturday (Showtime, 10 p.m. ET/PT).

"Even though the Americans fought well, unfortunately we were unable to get a victory in the first two fights," Ward said. " I'm definitely inspired to bring America their first victory in the Super Six tournament.

"If I beat Mikkel Kessler it will send shock waves into the tournament and throughout the boxing world because it's just something they cannot fathom happening," Ward said. "They just don't see it happening. They won't believe it until it happens. I think people's minds will change after this for sure."

Some young fighters might feel double the pressure, but not Ward, who has been groomed for this moment since turning pro after winning a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He is America's most recent boxing gold medalist.

"I don't look at it like pressure. I look at it like it's a privilege," Ward said. "I've been here before with the Olympics and it's something that I relish. There's always going to be pressure. It just depends on how you deal with the pressure. It was unfortunate that both Americans lost their fights but it's just added more motivation. I did take it personal because that's what everyone expected. Even Carl Froch said everything is going as scheduled. And I take that personal. I'm a proud American and it's time for the super middleweight champion to be an American.

"They've dominated over there for a long, long time, but I want to do my part to bring back the belt here on American soil."

Said Dan Goossen, Ward's promoter, "This is just like Andre's run to the gold medal, but in the pro ranks. On his path to gold, no one gave him a shot, everyone else was the favorite, and this is the same situation. They are all picking Kessler, and for good reason -- he's a great, experienced champion. We have all the confidence in the world that Saturday night we'll make history."

Ward (20-0, 13 KOs) has the opportunity to win his biggest pro fight at home. He's only fought once before in Oakland. In May, he earned a lopsided decision against Edison Miranda, and he's happy to be back.

"It's incredible to have this fight at home," Ward said. "A lot of people say that boxing is dead in Oakland. There used to be two or three gyms full of boxers here. Boxing was a huge thing, and to see the excitement for this fight here in Oakland and in the Bay Area and to give them something positive to support, I'm excited about that."

Said Goossen, "We'll see Andre bring the title not only home to Oakland but to American soil."

Kessler-Ward will the first world title bout in Oakland in 42 years. The last time it hosted one was Oct. 2, 1967, when Hall of Famer Curtis Cokes stopped Charlie Shipes in the eighth round to retain the welterweight title.

Denmark's Kessler (42-1, 32 KOs), however, has no intention of giving up his title. He's been training in Sacramento for three weeks to allow himself plenty of time to get accustomed to the climate and time change.

"I am ready to fight," said Kessler, whose lone loss was a decision to Joe Calzaghe in a 2007 unification bout. "I didn't come all the way from Denmark to lose, and I am fully prepared and 150 percent ready."

One of the many things in Kessler's favor is that that he's vastly more experienced than Ward against better opponents. Kessler, 30, has twice held a world title and owns notable victories against Librado Andrade and former titleholders Anthony Mundine, Markus Beyer and Eric Lucas.

Kessler has 12 more knockouts than Ward has fights.

"I think my strengths are also speed and my experience," Kessler said. "I have double the fights he has, and I have had a lot of big fights."

"We have a formidable task in front us," said Virgil Hunter, Ward's trainer. "Kessler's a real champion. All accolades he gets, he deserves. We know what's ahead of us. We know we got a real champ in our way."

Kessler, however, said he's not taking Ward lightly, having seen Ward fight several times.

"I see Ward as a very difficult fighter," Kessler said. "He doesn't know how it is to lose. But I have more experience than he does. I have seen many of his fights and I know he is desperate to win. He can change his style from right-handed to left-handed, so I have a lot of respect for him."

Despite his talent, Ward's résumé is thin on name opponents, but he said he's been training for this moment for years. He's moved steadily through the pro ranks, even though his rise was slower than other American Olympic gold medalists such as Oscar De La Hoya and Sugar Ray Leonard.

"It's something you dream about," Ward said. "The best words I can give you are I'm very impatient and I'm ready to fight. I've haven't been training for this for five or six weeks. I've been training for this for most of my life. I've been doing this since I was 9 years old and I'm 25 now so it's time. It's just time to go after this world championship."

"It's been a long road with Andre to get here," Goossen said. "[But] it's the perfect time."

[Warner2BruceTD]

As a casual boxing viewer at best, somebody tell me what I should be looking for when I watch this fight. How do they matchup?

[Mogriffjr]

Ward put in work...weak by Kessler to say he lost the fight due to headbutts...he may have cut the fight short because of it but he got his ass kicked.

[nflman2033]

Kessler looked like the overrated fighter that Jr said he was no question, i now will have to move the Kessler win from Calzaghe's list of impressive wins to a win over a suspect Opponent, not to take anything away from Ward, but a guy with 20 pro fights dominated far more than Calzaghe did tells me a little more about Kessler. I think Ward is no question going to be tough in this thing, it will come down to can he get away with being wild like he was in this fight against a guy Like Abraham. Right now I have to say Abraham is cofavorite with Ward, i still think a good counter puncher can beat Abraham, but is there anyone in this tourney with that kind of counter punching skills.