I dug this up from an old thread .... mention of lots of things ..... but no damaged hand tho interestingly.....Have a read and see what ya think...


Originally Posted by jangeorg
CARDIFF--I felt like I was walking into the lion�s den�no make that the Welsh Dragon�s den Sunday morning at Millennium Stadium. I heard 50,000 voices, about 90 percent very unfriendly and a small sprinkling of guys waving my red and white Danish flag.

I could not hear a word the people were saying but I know it wasn�t, �Hey, Mr. Kessler, good to see ya, good luck.� After Joe Calzaghe, a masterful champion beat me over 12 hard rounds, some in Team Kessler told me the Calzaghe partisans were screaming obscenities and singing the football song, �Who Are You
The whole world knew who Mr. Calzaghe was BEFORE this bout which was seen in 70 countries. Now I think, and I hope, the whole world, or at least that part of it which cares for our great sport of boxing, knows who Mikkel Kessler is.

I offer no excuses except to say I was not in 100 percent top form. It didn�t help that my guy, Mogens Palle, fell seriously ill and remains in hospital here. I am praying that Mogens soon rebound and returns to Denmark. He will be celebrating his 50th anniversary as a fight promoter Wednesday and I hope to visit with him on that special day. Because of his condition he could not be with us at ringside.

Like I say no sour grapes, no whining, and no excuses. Joe beat me fair and square on his home grounds. This cat has more tricks than any magician. I knew he would be difficult to hit but I think I clearly hit him harder and more often than any other opponent he�s ever had! I tip my hat to Joe, to his father/trainer Enzo and to their promoter, Frank Warren.

Warren told me in the ring when it was over, �You will be the top champ, you will be The Man, once Joe retires.� Good, sportsmanlike comments and I got more of those plus genuine applause from the punters when I walked out of the arena after doing interviews with Danish TV, with British Setanta and with HBO.

I also appreciated the fact that HBO�s Kery Davis came over to me after the press conference and told me I still figure in their plans and there are �many� good fights which they will consider for me. Kery is a real gentleman.

I didn�t want to spoil Joe�s moment, his big night, but I wanted to ask and I ask now of Warren and Enzo and Joe, why not a rematch? But Joe made it clear as we sat on the podium, saying, �I don�t think so because you will only do better and I may not do as well. I don�t like rematches.�

Maybe, when the magnitude of the event sinks in, Team Calzaghe will reconsider. This show was a huge commercial and artistic success and a rematch would be even more lucrative for all the involved parties.

An American reporter asked me and our American agent, Michael Marley, who I might fight next. Marley said, �A guy who was willing to come into Joe�s kitchen and fight him right there, as Mikkel did tonight, will go anywhere and fight anybody.�

My two world title belts are suddenly gone. I miss them already. I am young, only 28, and I believe my best fights and better nights are ahead of me.

I will look at any opponent out there�IBF champ Lucien Bute, the winner of Taylor-Pavlik II, Anthony Mundine for a rematch�my options are many. I know I didn�t hurt myself, especially in the UK and America, with my performance.

I thank HBO, Setanta, Viasat in Denmark, my promoter/manager Bettina Palle, my training team and everyone else who gave me their support.

I didn�t win this fight but I believe I won over millions of fans.

"I hope my effort and Joe�s give more fuel to boxing�s brilliant resurgence.

He has proven, for the moment that he is Number One at 168 pounds. If he abandons the weight, I lay claim to that position. I am not guy who is content to be Number Two in anything.

I will be back. And I will return stronger, sharper and tougher than ever. I know I am just going into my primetime years in boxing.

Again, big respect for Joe. But the best of Mikkel Kessler is yet to come!

MIKKEL KESSLER