I might get reamed for this, but I'll take the risk. Calzaghe/Kessler
Check out the interviews below. Usually you can't copy anything from this site so I'll assume this is OK.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MIKKEL KESSLER
By G. Leon
GL: You have a huge fight coming up against Joe Calzaghe on November 3. Can you give us some thoughts on that and tell us what we can expect to see? "You're going to see a great fight between a half English fighter from Denmark and I'm going to pull off a great fight against Joe. I think he's going to be surprised and I know he doesn't consider me as anything, as he told some reporter. But you're going to see a great fight so you have to watch and see what's going to happen on the third of November."
GL: What's going to be the difference in this fight that leads to a Mikkel Kessler victory?
Mikkel Kessler: "I'm younger, I'm faster, I'm stronger and I have my physical and mental health. I feel good, there's no injury and that's why I'm going to win this fight."
GL: How do you feel about Calzaghe as a figher?
MK: "He's a great, great fighter. He throws a lot of combinations. He's an awkward fighter, but we're going to train properly and put together the plan for me to beat him."
GL: His hand problems are no secret. Do you plan on forcing him to make a fight of it to see if his hands could hold up for twelve rounds?
MK: "I'm not concerned about his hands, I'm just going there fighting. I'm not going to wait for him to hurt his hands before I fight. I'm very confident that he's going to be surprised with some of the tricks I have in my bag."
GL: Does this fight go the distance?
MK: "I don't know yet. I'm going to be ready to fight for twelve rounds, but if I have to do it before then, I have to do it."
GL: What does a victory over Calzaghe mean to you?
MK: "It's a dream come true and I'm not going to miss my chance to win."
GL: Obviously you're focused on Calzaghe, but the fans are going to wonder, if you win this fight would prefer the winner of Jones-Trinidad or Bernard Hopkins?
MK: "I have only one fight in my head now and that's Joe. I'm not thinking about anybody but Joe."
GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?
MK: "Tune in on the third of NOvember, I'm going to put on a great fight, I promise you."
September 05, 2007
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: JOE CALZAGHE
By G. Leon
GL: Boxingtalk.com here with undefeated super middleweight champion of the world, Joe Calzaghe. Huge fight coming up on November 3rd, tell us about it. "What can I say, everyone says I should fight Kessler. We have a combined 80 odd wins between us. They should write more about this stage of my career, I've been champion for ten years. All I'm after is the big fights, and this is one of the biggest. I'm so excited, hopefully there's going to be 50,000 plus spectators there in Cardiff, Wales. It's going to be live on HBO, live in the U.K., live all around the world. What can I say, except that I'm really excited, and I'm loking forward to the challenge."
GL: Clearly this is your biggest fight since Jeff Lacy. How do you compare Lacey and Kessler as fighters?
JC: I think Kessler is a more difficult fighter than Lacy, I think he's better. He's obviously a brawler, he's more of a boxer than Jeff. I'll need to use some intelligence for this fight, and use my boxing skills more. It's going to be good. Listen, you get into the ring and you don't know what's going to happen. I'm going to win the fight, I'm going in there ready for anything. I'm going to be in great shape, hopefully the same shape I was in when I fought Jeff Lacy. If that's the case, I believe in my heart, that noboby can beat me.
GL: What do you consider to be your biggest advantage going into this fight?
JC: My speed, my southpaw, my heart, everything. I'm the world champion, and I'm going to prove it on November 3rd.
GL: All of the above are going to be the reason your hand gets raised on November 3rd?
JC: I think so, you've seen in the past that I've had some poorer performances. The bad performances are always with opponents that I don't get up for. Kessler is a dangerous opponent, and a very good fighter, he's going to get the best of me. I'm more relaxed fighting the top guys, than the not-so-big guys. In my mind I'm up for the fight. This fight I've trained tremendously for, I'm sparring. Enzo Mackranelli is a gymmate of mine, he's the best cruiserweight in the world. I'm going to be sparring with him. He's tall, I've got some other tall guys at the gym, so I'm going to be in great shape. This is a massive event and I want to be in great shape.
GL: There's been speculation you're having hand troubles. How are your hands, are they a concern going into this fight?
JC: It's no secret that I have hand troubles. At the moment, thank God, everything is fine with my hands. It's something I've dealt with from a young age, but I am the champion, I'll still fight. If I've got one hand or two hands, I'll fight.
GL: Does Kessler go the distance?
JC: I train for 12 round fights, I don't get paid to knock anybody out. I don't make those predictions, the only prediction I'll make is I'm going to win the fight. As far as knocking th guy out, who knows which way the fight will go? I always train for 12 hard rounds. My hand will be raised and I will be the undisputed champion.
GL: Earlier, I overheard you describe this fight as something that's going to be all out action, unlike the Hopkins-Wright fight. If that fight to come to fruition, is there any way for you to meet in the middle, and go at it, and have the fight go on 12 rounds?
JC: It takes two to tango. I don't know whether Kessler will want to stand toe-to-toe, he's more of a distance fighter. I should imagine he'll want to keep his range. It will be up to me to fight my fight, get inside, and do what I need to do, to get him off his game plan.
GL: Can you give us some closing thoughts for the fans?
JC: Tune in on November 3rd, it's going to be a tremendous fight. I'm going to fight my heart out like I always do. I'm going to go in there and give it 150%, you're going to see a great fight.
Source: www.boxingtalk.com
