A few more picks from the boxing world for Kessler v Calzaghe

[skel1983]

http://www.secondsout.com/news/index...s=534&cs=23147

CALZAGHE 15 - 2 KESSLER

SecondsOut Team Pick Calzaghe vs. Kessler

Is Joe Calzaghe headed for another win?

It is another legitimate super fight for 2007 and SecondsOut’s team of fearless writers make their picks for this weekend’s undisputed super middleweight boxing world title fight at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales between undefeated WBO world champion Joe Calzaghe and undefeated WBC/WBA world champion Mikkel Kessler.

“Prior to this fight being made I fancied Kessler to prevail over Calzaghe, but now the fight is made and Calzaghe has home advantage, I’m not so sure. Also there is a rumour that Kessler is carrying a hand injury. If that’s the case, he cannot beat Joe with one hand. All things being equal, neutral territory and both being 100%, I’d go for Kessler. But home advantage could make all the difference so I’m tipping Calzaghe to get the tightest of decisions to leave enough of a controversy for a rematch. Calzaghe W12.”
- Clive Bernath, Editor in Chief

“If they were fighting at a normal local boxing hour, I’d be picking Kessler. But fighting in the early hours of the morning hurts the travelling boxer. The 2am time factor affected Jeff Lacy against Calzaghe and Kostya Tszyu against Ricky Hatton. Kessler won’t be at his 100% best in this fight either. This coupled with Calzaghe’s boxing skills and hometown support will see the Welshman win over the distance. Calzaghe W12.”
– Paul Upham, Content Editor

“I like Calzaghe by majority decision. Calzaghe has more ‘big’ fight experience, and as always, Calzaghe’s hand speed will be the difference. Calzaghe WMD12.”
- Gregory Juckett, Content Editor

“Despite the hype, I think this is a fairly comfortable win for the Welshman. Calzaghe is too fast, and too fluid with his boxing for Kessler. While the Dane has an excellent jab, he is too upright and does not fight particularly well on the inside. Calzaghe has shown no signs of slowing down despite his age, and will throw too many punches per round. To be honest, I don’t actually think this will be too competitive. Calzaghe W12.”
- Ben Cohen, Contributing Editor

“This is, in theory, the toughest test of Calzaghe’s career. But while he may be surprised by Kessler’s youthful strength, Joe is unlikely to be puzzled by the Dane’s more straightforward style. Calzaghe’s blend of speed, power and unorthodoxy is a more difficult conundrum to solve and I believe the Welshman will move through the gears to clinch a well-deserved decision. Calzaghe W12.”
- Mark Butcher, Founding Editor
“Calzaghe is the better boxer and he will use that skill against Kessler. Kessler moves in behind a jab, good form, but Calzaghe will move out of range and box behind his own jab until Kessler begins to wilt from Calzaghe’s long-range combinations. Calzaghe understands distance as well as any boxer. At that point, around the seventh or eighth round, Calzaghe will move in for the kill. Calzaghe KO/TKO8.”
- Jerry Glick

“Media reports that Kessler has been nursing a deep bone bruise in his hand are extremely troubling. The Dane will need to punch hard and often behind his jab and if a hand is wounded then so are his chances. Calzaghe is a master of his trade and his hand speed and vast experience should see him through this test. It won’t be a Lacy-like beat down but I predict a decision of the unanimous kind for the Welshman. Calzaghe WUD12.”
- Michael Norby

“This will be the toughest fight of Calzaghe’s career, no doubt about it. But Calzaghe can take Kessler places he’s never been to before, how will Kessler react? I see Joe edging it, it will be a close fight but backed on by almost 60,000 people Calzaghe wins. I think Kessler will underestimate just how fast Calzaghe’s hands are, it will be tougher than the Lacy fight because Kessler is a far better boxer, but end result... Calzaghe wins. Calzaghe W12”
- Craig Phillips

“Kessler’s a sharp-shooter and the harder puncher, and that might make Calzaghe wary of leaving himself open by letting his hands go too often, neutralizing a key advantage. That said, I think the Welshman’s edge in inside boxing skills and speed plus the passionate hometown crowd will allow him to pull out a tight decision in an intense duel. Calzaghe WSD12.”
- Sean Waisglass

“Boy oh boy, this is one of these fights were you spend all afternoon with anticipation. This is one of these fights where it’s easy to wimp out by saying X will won but don’t be supervised if I wins. Knowing this, I will go out on a tight limb and say Calzaghe wins a decision. But I see him tasting the canvas, and hurting his hand from throwing many punches at a strong Kessler moving forward and not bothered by Calzaghe’s blows. Give both men credit; they deserve a lot of respect no matter who wins this fight. Calzaghe W12”
- Ray Kilgore

“I’ve picked against Joe in all his big fights, so why stop now. My feeling is that a younger Joe Calzaghe would have been able to outbox Kessler from distance on route to a big points victory. The 35-year-old version won’t be able to keep such discipline and will lose a close points decision after controlling the opening stages. Kessler W12.”
- Sanjeev Shetty

“I’m still amazed this is a free fight here in the USA. Kessler is slick as snails, but only knows one trick. Calzaghe will beat Kessler’s body while taking pot shots in the initial rounds, walk Kessler down as he tires, and force a rough-up Calzaghe can win before the final bell. Calzaghe TKO11.”
- Chad Edward

“It might have gotten him the acclaim he desired but Joe Calzaghe’s victory over Jeff Lacy is highly overblown. In Mikkel Kessler, he’s found a worthy opponent; a fellow champ with the skills and hunger to dethrone him. Methinks the Punching Welshman will outbox and outwork his younger foe en route to a close but decisive unanimous decision. Calzaghe WUD12.”
- Kenneth Bouhairie

“Both men are absolutely focused on this unification clash and though Calzaghe is the slight betting favourite, this just might be the fight where the long-reigning champ starts to show his age. At 35 to Kessler’s 28, Calzaghe may find himself having trouble with the Dane’s strength and sheer desire in the later rounds. I’d say this one’s about as 50/50 as you can get, but I lean, ever so slightly, in Kessler’s favour. Kessler W12.”
- James Slater

“Someone’s unbeaten record is going to go and it doesn’t look like it will be Calzaghe’s, especially not in his home town. He is just after coming out of a twelve week training camp and looks in super shape. Kessler will need everything he’s got to slay the Dragon. Calzaghe to win.”
- Bernard O’Neill

“I pick Calzaghe by decision. He’s fought the better opposition and will be fighting at home. He seems to fight his best against good opposition and Kessler will give him something to compete against. Calzaghe W12.”
- Harry Rosenbluth

“Calzaghe once again is being written off leading up to a big fight. The same thing happened with Jeff Lacy and the same things are being said. Lacy was the hottest property in the division and was apparently coming over to knockout Calzaghe. For those who watched the fight that’s not exactly how it happened, Calzaghe handed Lacy a harsh boxing lesson. This time it’s Mikkel Kessler, the unbeaten Dane who is coming over to take Calzaghe’s thunder. Kessler is unbeaten in 39 fights. He has superb technique and also carries power, stopping 29 of those fighters inside the distance. Apparently he is younger, faster and hungrier and is posed to take Calzaghe’s belt. Calzaghe however has proved that every time he has faced an opponent of real class he has stepped up his game and won well. This will be no different, Kessler will have a 70,000 crowd cheering against him. It will be like nothing he has ever experienced before. This will give Calzaghe a huge advantage from the start. Kessler is great at the basics and has a good boxing brain, but it will take much more than that to beat Calzaghe. Calzaghe W12”
- John Tandy

[skel1983]

“If they were fighting at a normal local boxing hour, I’d be picking Kessler. But fighting in the early hours of the morning hurts the travelling boxer. The 2am time factor affected Jeff Lacy against Calzaghe and Kostya Tszyu against Ricky Hatton. Kessler won’t be at his 100% best in this fight either. This coupled with Calzaghe’s boxing skills and hometown support will see the Welshman win over the distance. Calzaghe W12.”
– Paul Upham, Content Editor


wtf??

Are some people born stupid?? This guy needs geography lesson, does he not realise Denmark is less than a two hour flight to Wales?? Hahahaha Yes Kessler has had to travel so far the time difference will be the major factor!!!

[LEGION]

Even though I have to think Joe will win, these same experts were picking Taylor to beat the shoes off Pavlik; and that didn't happen.

[satyiion]

there is one hour difference.........it may hurt kesslers performance....right.

Tonight you will see an upset that resmbles the lacy fight. However this time you will see calzaghe be beaten senseless and truly humiliated. The man is a hype job. He aint no god of boxing.

The guy will suffer the same destiny as Beyer did.

They are both southpaw's. They are of same age. Claim to be in the shape of their life.
That they are faster and BS like that.

All these socalled boxingexperts sucks. They are scared of being humiliated by Joe once more. The funny thing is thats just whats gonna happen tonight.

I do not have a shred of a doubt that Kessler will show superiority and give a masterperformance that will make these guys wonder why they are giving their opinion publicly, when they suck at predicting anything.

Calzaghe seems to be the safe bet among commentators. Because they wont be ridiculed if they are wrong. So are all the others. They are either pussies or plain ignorant of true talent and average proffesionels.

Joe have fought shit incl. Lacy. Look at Evans Ashira. The guy is fighting in lightmiddleweight. Manfredo aint a SMW, Bika nether. They are small guys handpicked for the show.

Kessler aint handpicked. He comes from a small shitty country with no clout what so ever within the dirty business of boxing. He is WBA/WBC champ because he became unavoidable to any top SMW. Not because of greasy connection and arranged mandatories.

Imagine Calzaghe's hands after 10 rds hitting fullpower in the face of Andrade. BUSTED.

Joe has been lucky and protected all along. Thats over.

Execution time is up.

Kessler brutal KO 6

[skel1983]

there is one hour difference.........it may hurt kesslers performance....right.

Tonight you will see an upset that resmbles the lacy fight. However this time you will see calzaghe be beaten senseless and truly humiliated. The man is a hype job. He aint no god of boxing.

The guy will suffer the same destiny as Beyer did.

They are both southpaw's. They are of same age. Claim to be in the shape of their life.
That they are faster and BS like that.

All these socalled boxingexperts sucks. They are scared of being humiliated by Joe once more. The funny thing is thats just whats gonna happen tonight.

I do not have a shred of a doubt that Kessler will show superiority and give a masterperformance that will make these guys wonder why they are giving their opinion publicly, when they suck at predicting anything.

Calzaghe seems to be the safe bet among commentators. Because they wont be ridiculed if they are wrong. So are all the others. They are either pussies or plain ignorant of true talent and average proffesionels.

Joe have fought S*** incl. Lacy. Look at Evans Ashira. The guy is fighting in lightmiddleweight. Manfredo aint a SMW, Bika nether. They are small guys handpicked for the show.

Kessler aint handpicked. He comes from a small shitty country with no clout what so ever within the dirty business of boxing. He is WBA/WBC champ because he became unavoidable to any top SMW. Not because of greasy connection and arranged mandatories.

Imagine Calzaghe's hands after 10 rds hitting fullpower in the face of Andrade. BUSTED.

Joe has been lucky and protected all along. Thats over.

Execution time is up.

Kessler brutal KO 6

Bika aint a super middleweight?? Ok yes small guy isnt he.

[bambamdaddio]

there is one hour difference.........it may hurt kesslers performance....right.

Tonight you will see an upset that resembles the lacy fight. However this time you will see calzaghe be beaten senseless and truly humiliated. The man is a hype job. He ain't no god of boxing.

The guy will suffer the same destiny as Beyer did.

They are both southpaw's. They are of same age. Claim to be in the shape of their life.
That they are faster and BS like that.

All these so called boxingexperts sucks. They are scared of being humiliated by Joe once more. The funny thing is thats just whats gonna happen tonight.

I do not have a shred of a doubt that Kessler will show superiority and give a masterperformance that will make these guys wonder why they are giving their opinion publicly, when they suck at predicting anything.

Calzaghe seems to be the safe bet among commentators. Because they wont be ridiculed if they are wrong. So are all the others. They are either pussies or plain ignorant of true talent and average professionals.

Joe have fought S*** incl. Lacy. Look at Evans Ashira. The guy is fighting in lightmiddleweight. Manfredo ain't a SMW, Bika nether. They are small guys handpicked for the show.

Kessler ain't handpicked. He comes from a small shitty country with no clout what so ever within the dirty business of boxing. He is WBA/WBC champ because he became unavoidable to any top SMW. Not because of greasy connection and arranged mandatories.

Imagine Calzaghe's hands after 10 rds hitting fullpower in the face of Andrade. BUSTED.

Joe has been lucky and protected all along. Thats over.

Execution time is up.

Kessler brutal KO 6

And whats all that about...did Joe burgle ya Ma's house or something ...seriously tho, can I pick you up on a few points ...

Joe holds his belts on merit, he earned them in the ring and has been delivering the goods since his amature bouts as a kid and continuing throughout his pro career...Also the time factor you mention in this case affects both fighters...its about T.V rights and other parts of the world paying money....

Do you really think Enzo said to son Joe, Here Ive got it Joe, this will throw em all...lets fight at 1 or 2 am, I mean not forgetting that poor old Kes is from a small country with no clout,

Hey lucky for Joe that he hails from such a massive massive country..... Wales...that mecca of industry..that hive of activity.. who's financial clout and mass production of easy fights determines how the worlds economy is run, it's vastness only being equalled by the sheer size of it's boxing fraternity...so powerfull so strong and so crooked, that wait for it...they gave Joe C an unbeaten pro record, and a championship reign spanning a decade,

Wow he was so looked after ... they even convinced the world that Lacy was the real deal knowing full well that he wasn't...and just so Joe could look good..

But Ive got this theory myself that goes Joe C, used his ability to its best, and strangely enough, or it coulda been a coincidence, but the very night Joe beat up a courageous and determined fighter called Jeff Lacy, there seemed to be much nodding of heads, mutterings, enlightenment and wizdom gained..

As that was the time that a mass admission from the wise ones was bestowed upon us, and that was that they all knew Lacy was nothing to write home about all along, I mean look what Joe did to him and he's only hype himself...so Lacy can't have been that good,as Joe only fights set ups and arranged mandatories,

Imagine how disgusted Joe must have felt when told, look mate to make things look real, when you fight this Byron Mitchell guy you gotta go down in the second round, but don't worry as its a great script we have, because you get off your ass and stop him in the same round, the fans will love it, INFACT JOE MAY EVEN BE CONTRACTED TO WWF NEXT FIGHT,THEN HE CAN BE SHOWERED WITH MORE FREE BELTS AND TITLES...WOW , Bud I only wish I lived in your world...

In truth I'm a realist,and both are very competent boxers/ fighters and this is a gen 50/50 fight you cant knock world champs with double belts and unbeaten records..and while I respect your right to your opinion bud, the way you talk about this fight does both Joe and Mikkel an injustice, these guys are both aware that in facing each other, they are potentially fighting the hardest fight of there career, while squaring off against the other top guy in that division...
that is a bit more realistic...

Oh for the record, for me it's Joe on points big or late stoppage, because he's brilliant, he's on home soil and form a boxing perspective Joe has been seen and done just that little bit more, he has been in the trenches, he ain't for once carrying injuries or hassles, he has argueably fought a slightly better level of opponents to Kes, and training has gone brilliant this time round with only good reports coming back from camp and reporters, worst of all tho he ain't showing the signs of slowing up at all yet, and he is fast and pretty accurate too, Joe can take Kes to a place he ain't been before, and Kes may pass that test, who knowes, I don't think he will though...

[Kel]

“If they were fighting at a normal local boxing hour, I’d be picking Kessler. But fighting in the early hours of the morning hurts the travelling boxer. The 2am time factor affected Jeff Lacy against Calzaghe and Kostya Tszyu against Ricky Hatton. Kessler won’t be at his 100% best in this fight either. This coupled with Calzaghe’s boxing skills and hometown support will see the Welshman win over the distance. Calzaghe W12.”
– Paul Upham, Content Editor


wtf??

Are some people born stupid?? This guy needs geography lesson, does he not realise Denmark is less than a two hour flight to Wales?? Hahahaha Yes Kessler has had to travel so far the time difference will be the major factor!!!

Yeah what a pillock

[Preme]

“If they were fighting at a normal local boxing hour, I’d be picking Kessler. But fighting in the early hours of the morning hurts the travelling boxer. The 2am time factor affected Jeff Lacy against Calzaghe and Kostya Tszyu against Ricky Hatton. Kessler won’t be at his 100% best in this fight either. This coupled with Calzaghe’s boxing skills and hometown support will see the Welshman win over the distance. Calzaghe W12.”
– Paul Upham, Content Editor


wtf??

Are some people born stupid?? This guy needs geography lesson, does he not realise Denmark is less than a two hour flight to Wales?? Hahahaha Yes Kessler has had to travel so far the time difference will be the major factor!!!

Yeah what a pillock

considering in th lacy and tszyu fights that they would prolyl come over here and sleep their normal times, whislt joe and ricky still were getting up at 9am daily coz they done it for so long