Calzaghe: Kessler Is The 2nd Best Super Middleweight
http://www.secondsout.com/UK/news.cfm?ccs=228&cs=22999

Joe Calzaghe: HoganPhotos.com

For those of you who were unsure, if Joe Calzaghe is considered the best super middleweight boxer in the world today, the 35 year-old from Wales says that he will be facing the second best super middleweight in the world when he battles Mikkel Kessler on November 3 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

“Obviously, he’s a very good fighter,” said Calzaghe. “You can’t not be impressed with him. He’s the second-best super-middleweight in the world, what can I say?”

While Calzaghe suggests that the undefeated Kessler is a better fighter than American Jeff Lacy, who Calzaghe dominated, he won’t say if he thinks Kessler is the toughest boxer he has faced until after their fight.

“I would say Kessler’s a better fighter than Lacy,” he said. “Lacy is more one-dimensional and predictable. Obviously, Kessler is more a thinking fighter, he’s taller. I think he’s a better fighter than Lacy but I’m more confident in this fight, I’m more relaxed in the build-up to this fight than I was in Lacy fight.

“Potentially he could be one of my toughest opponents. So was Jeff Lacy on paper the toughest opponent, but at the end of the day, look what happened there. I think his record speaks for himself. He’s undefeated, he’s young. He’s at his peak. He’s 39-0. So of course, all the statistics add up to being potentially my toughest fight, but potentially being the toughest fight and actually being the toughest fight is two different things.

“I’m 100% confident I’m going to win this fight. This is why I picked this fight and I pushed for this fight, and I think I can do a good job on this guy. You know, he’s potentially the toughest fight of my career, but I’m hoping it’s not going to be the toughest fight in my career. As long as I prepare like it is going to be the toughest, it won’t be the toughest.”

Humble & respectful as ever.

This is going to be a great fight...no matter what anyone thinks.