Kessler scared of Pantera?

[Pantera]

Kessler rejects Miranda clash!
Thursday, March 6 2008


Despite offers to hold the bout in a neutral location and significant offers from both HBO and Showtime for the television rights to the bout, handlers of Mikkel Kessler have walked away from a lucrative showdown with the feared ‘Pantera’, Edison Miranda. “Viking Warrior?” asked Miranda, referring to the former super middleweight champion’s nickname. “Kessler should turn his horned helmet in after disgracing such a tribe of true fighters. He talks like a fighter, has tattoos like he’s a tough guy, but when it comes down to being a real fighter, he’s not even worthy of carrying my gloves.” The fight between Miranda and Kessler was originally pitched for the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, but that location was turned down. Seminole Warriors Boxing, Miranda’s promoter, immediately acquiesced and offered a neutral location for the bout – again, Kessler refused. Even extreme interest from HBO and Showtime couldn’t convince the Denmark native to fight the Colombian standout, even though a win over Miranda would help erase the memory of his decisive loss to Joe Calzaghe last November. “I have a message for Mikkel Kessler, or Kessler the Kitten as I call him after he gave away his belts without a fight last year," said Miranda. "Joe Calzaghe is not going to fight you again. What more does he have to prove after he slapped you around for 12 rounds? The only way you’re going to erase that loss from the fans' memories is if you beat a legitimate fighter like me, but you know you can’t beat me, that’s why you won’t take this fight. So my advice to you is to retire and leave the fighting to the men. I challenge any of the so called top super middleweight contenders to step up and fight Pantera, but I doubt any of you have the guts."

[Mar]

What happened to the so called pascal showdown ?? I'd love to see miranda "david banks" his ass ! I don't think kessler is necessarily scared of miranda. Edison can still be outboxed and we still have to realize although really impressive (especially in comparison to what pascal showed on the same card ) that it was still only david banks.

[RP33]

Kessler would KO Pantera in late rounds, if not he'd UD him.. It would be al ittle later than Pavlik's KO on Pantera cause Kessler isn't as much of a pressure fighter as Kelly, but Miranda keeps coming forward and Kessler would just keep dropping bomb after bomb, round after round..

Pavlik took a lot of punches from Edison, and i don't see Kessler getting caught with nearly as many, as he's quicker and throws his jab a lot more.. We know that Kessler can take a punch, but haven't really seen him getting hit by someone as powerful as Miranda.. but i'd still bet HEAVILY on Kess...

Anyway, i'd like to see this fight, just so that Kessler can get a win.

[:::PSL:::]

What happened to the so called pascal showdown ?? I'd love to see miranda "david banks" his ass ! I don't think kessler is necessarily scared of miranda. Edison can still be outboxed and we still have to realize although really impressive (especially in comparison to what pascal showed on the same card ) that it was still only david banks.

Yea, the throat slitting gesture exchange between them at the ESPN FNF.

Miranda-Pascal is more interesting imo.

[Violent Demise]

Very disappointing news from Kessler

[Phil]

this was a great chance for Kessler to bounce back, can't belive
he hasn't jumped at this

[ross]

"Joe Calzaghe is not going to fight you again. What more does he have to prove after he slapped you around for 12 rounds?

[The Fightfan]

I would like to see Kessler fight a tune-up or maybe Jermain Taylor that would be big.Then get the match with Miranda.

[Deanrw]

Miranda is one of my favorite fighters. With all his limitations, he is still entertaining and willing to mix it up with anyone. He will always be dangerous and is a likable fellow. You have to give him credit.

Plus he comes with a bonus feature!! That's right folks, he has a lil bit of Mayorga-ness in him and is willing to talk some trash.

[No Contest]

I swear he thinks this is the WWF. Soon he's gonna start shaking during interviews like he's Hulk Hogan. At the end of this interview did he rip his shirt off and say: What ya gonna do brother? What ya gonna do? When the 24" pythons are coming for you.

[Deanrw]

I swear he thinks this is the WWF. Soon he's gonna start shaking during interviews like he's Hulk Hogan. At the end of this interview did he rip his shirt off and say: What ya gonna do brother? What ya gonna do? When the 24" pythons are coming for you.

LOL so true. He is like a real life Clubber Lang. "Miranda Pity's The Fool who dares step into the ring with him."

No matter how you slice it though, he has one punch power and many fighters will be wary about him. I don't see Pascal listed as having any upcoming fights, so I guess he backed out of fighting Miranda also.

[No Contest]

I don't see anyone calling out Pantera, Pascal has pretty much vanished. Last time I saw him he was on ESPN calling out Miranda, and the fight still isn't signed? I gotta hear the excuse for this one

[CutMeMick]

I gotta say being the biggest Kess fan...
I'm really gutted to hear this.

I'd like to hear from Kess himself what happened here.

[Mikkel_K]

I gotta say being the biggest Kess fan...
I'm really gutted to hear this.

I'd like to hear from Kess himself what happened here.

I am not to happy to see that either to be honest. It would be a good fight, and I am sure Kessler would win it. So why not take it?

However, it seem a bit premature to just accept any press release from Miranda's people as facts - surely there could be more sides to the argument? First of all the definition of 'lucrative' is likely to differ. This would most likely be for less money than Kessler has earned for a fight in at least three years (the Beyer fight aside, but he took a cut there as a surefire investment), secondly this would be promoted by Miranda's people. It cannot be that surprising that Kessler does not just jump at the first chance.

Still, something about this bothers me. Not necessarily that Kessler rejects this fight, but more so that I think (fear) that Kessler and Palle are overestimating themselves. They find themselves in a position, they haven't been in since before 2004. Beltless contenders, back to the drawing board etc. And I dont think they are ready to accept this - that while they think the Calzaghe fight proved the continuation of succesful learning curve - and in fairness I agree, I dont think he should come out of the Calzaghe fight with a worse reputation, than he went in there with - it left him in a completely different part of the curve.

Now Kessler might actually need to fight someone who has lost two of his last six fights and has never held a title, in a fight with no belts on the line. And if he keep refusing this reality, then what will happen with his career?

However, all this being said, I am merely a fan. I want him to fight all the elite fighters, preferably at a rate of at least once a month. And he might as well do this for peanuts for all I know. I do respect though that Kessler, his promoter, his family and friends etc might have different views on his career.

[Mikkel_K]

Hmm, all this and then I left out the main points: a) Good to see that someone is calling Kessler out, b) Would have been a great fight, c) There might be more sides to the argument than the ones coming through in Miranda's press release.