Kessler

[Mikkel_K]

Kind of fallen off the face of the earth hasn't he? I mean for a guy who was such a name for a while, who was so talked about, I barely even know what he's doing these days, or even pay much attention to him.

I mean a comeback fight is all right but this Hauser fight seems like a waste of time. I assume its some kind of mandatory and I get that but he needs to get back in the mix, I mean this was a guy who dominated Andrade, beat Mundine, I mean he's a bit stiff, he's got some flaws but still a very viable guy.

To be fair I just looked at boxrec and it hasn't even been a year since the Calzaghe fight. For some reason I thought it had been longer than that. But still he has kind of faded away for the time being.

Needs to get back into big fights, there's got to be options, Bute, Froch (not sure its a big fight, just my daily dig at Froch), Abraham, Pavlik, even Chad Dawson if he was to move up.

Well put, with a pretty fair run-down of the situation. Sartison was for the (joke) regular WBA title, where Häussler afterwards got appointed as mandatory. It is a stupid, meaningless fight that can only make Kessler look bad (provided Häussler makes it to the end), but it means he'll keep the title.

Next fight is _very_ important. Either he chooses the Mundine-route, defending a silly title against hand-picked opposition, or he aims at the big ones. In addition to the names you mentioned, I wouldnt mind seeing him against Inkin in a unification or against Jermain Taylor for that matter. Anything less than a top 10 fighter will be saddening.

FWIW I still think the win against Sartison is among the best wins anyone has at 168 in 2008 though (not counting Pavlik-Taylor, Abraham-Miranda or Calzaghe-Hopkins).

[kingfrnk]

Im not gonna be impressed with kessler untils he fights froch or taylor. thats it

[Rantcatrat]

Although Kessler's slide into contemptible complacency was discussed in another thread, you are spot on that Kessler needs to start fighting someone worth mentioning.

From what I gather, the winner of the Froch v. Pascal fight faces the winner of the Taylor v. Lacy fight. I don't think Pavlik would move up for anyone other than Calzaghe because an unifying fight with Abraham would be too huge at middleweight. That leaves Kessler to face the winner of the Bute v. Andrade fight and Kessler has already beat Andrade.

Bute v. Kessler would be interesting. I don't know which fight I'd be more excited about: Kessler v. Bute or Taylor v. Froch?

As of now, I favor Taylor over all three - but, that is just based on his previous competition.

[boozeboxer]

I agree with Daxx to an extent. I would also say that he lives in Scandanavia and fights there.......so it is harder for the rest of us to get the fights if they aren't megafights.

Hell i haven't seen his last fight. But that is the point. It is alot easier for him to be obscure than British fighters or Americans.

[ICB]

I really don't even know why he is wasting his time with opponent's like these, the first time it was understandable but again ? he could of fought Alejandro Berrio who is a decent name but not too good, or Jean Pascal etc.

But i'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but after this fight i want to see some progress in Mikkel Kessler. If he doesn't fight any of these names Carl Froch, Lucian Bute, Jean Pascal, Andre Ward, Jermain Taylor, Denis Inkin, next year i will be disappointed.

[killersheep]

I really don't even know why he is wasting his time with opponent's like these, the first time it was understandable but again ? he could of fought Alejandro Berrio who is a decent name but not too good, or Jean Pascal etc.

But i'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but after this fight i want to see some progress in Mikkel Kessler. If he doesn't fight any of these names Carl Froch, Lucian Bute, Jean Pascal, Andre Ward, Jermain Taylor, Denis Inkin, next year i will be disappointed.

Oooh Ward didn't even think of that one, good pick man.

[jangeorg]

I really don't even know why he is wasting his time with opponent's like these, the first time it was understandable but again ? he could of fought Alejandro Berrio who is a decent name but not too good, or Jean Pascal etc.

But i'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but after this fight i want to see some progress in Mikkel Kessler. If he doesn't fight any of these names Carl Froch, Lucian Bute, Jean Pascal, Andre Ward, Jermain Taylor, Denis Inkin, next year i will be disappointed.

I think he will fight Bute or Inkin next

[OumaFan]

I highly doubt that Ward's people are gonna step him up that much any time in the next year or so. Nothing wrong with that, they're moving him along fine IMO.

Bute would be fine. Kessler-Froch would be great for personal reasons.