Kessler Beats Hopkins, No Doubt About It

[Wayne]

This is a classic case of writing with one's heart rather than one's head. See how he contradicts himself here:

As good as Kessler looked, I doubt that Hopkins will want to take the hook and seek out a fight with him. Hopkins wants a fight with Joe Calzaghe or Roy Jones Jr., either of which would bring in much more money without all the risk that Kessler would bring to the table. I realize that Kessler has been beaten by Calzaghe, but the fight was very close and in a rematch, I’m fairly certain he would beat him. That’s why Calzaghe probably doesn’t want to face him again. As far as Kessler-Hopkins, I don’t see any reason why this fight can’t place.

Hopkins doesn't need a 'stay busy' fight. He's looking to retire next year and considering Jones-Calzaghe is only a few weeks after his fight with Pavlik there's every reason for him to be stomping to make a match with the winner of that bout next. This guy is writing as if Hopkins won't fight Kessler because Mikkel will beat him up. No, Hopkins won't fight Kessler because Americans don't know who he is. Hopkins also wants to avenge two losses in one bout. If Calzaghe wins and Hopkins beats him in the rematch, Hopkins can feel a moral victory over Jones and same thing if Jones wins. And then the obvious, a trilogy match in which he would go for 2 wins out of 3. If that match can't happen he may go for a match against Chad Dawson. IMO, this is a much more dangerous match than anything Kessler would bring. But 'Nard's ego won't tell him he can't do it. As much as this writer thinks Kelly Pavlik was too small for B-Hop, the fact of it is is Pavlik is built better for higher divisions than middleweight, his metabolism just allows him to sweat down to 160. Hopkins wants legacy-cementing fights and Kessler just doesn't bring that to the table.

Now if the fight did take place? Again, Kessler's punching power would come to nil against a guy who is flat out a defensive genius. Kessler would have to step on the gas for a full 12 rounds to make Hopkins come unwound, something only Joe Calzaghe was able to do. How this guy sees Hopkins being taken out when no one has ever been able to do that is anybody's guess. Not that I don't think Kessler could win it. I think it's possible, but I have my doubts.

[Fenster]

I wouldn't back ANYONE to "easily handle" Hopkins. I would make Kessler underdog if they fought too.

And I certainly wouldn't take much notice of that fellas opinion.

He said he thinks Kessler would beat Calzaghe in a rematch and more alarmingly Pavlik would beat Hopkins.

[Deanrw]

Kessler stepped up once and lost. He has been fighting unworthy guys since. How is that going to prepare him for stepping up again? Against Joe he ran into adversity for the first time and did not seem to handle it well. The Haussler's of the world are not going to prepare him for Bernard in any way shape or form.

Kessler, like Pavlik, have a lot to prove to me at this point to show they are on the top level. Right now they are both question marks.

[Wayne]

Kessler stepped up once and lost. He has been fighting unworthy guys since. How is that going to prepare him for stepping up again? Against Joe he ran into adversity for the first time and did not seem to handle it well. The Haussler's of the world are not going to prepare him for Bernard in any way shape or form.

Kessler, like Pavlik, have a lot to prove to me at this point to show they are on the top level. Right now they are both question marks.

Kessler fought a great fight against Calzaghe. That wasn't a fight where he got destroyed or he looked like he lost something. Maybe he did and we didn't see it, but he didn't really need to retool anything. I'd like to see him again against a name, but who at this point? The SMW division seems to be going through a temporary lull, but with stars in the wings like Dirrell and Ward and maybe Taylor if he can get it going again or Lacy.

[The Fightfan]

Apparently this guy really didn't watch the fight almost two weeks ago. Kessler is a European fighter very straight up no bending in the waist knees any of that. He has a solid one-two I haven't seen anything thing else in his arsenal. The one punch he hit Calzaghe with was lunging uppercut that caught Joe completely by suprise.He probably thought the same thing I did at the time" Damn he threw something different." I like Kessler I think he is very talented but the B-Hop that showed up almost two Saturday's ago would do the same thing to him IMO.

[Taeth]

Apparently this guy really didn't watch the fight almost two weeks ago. Kessler is a European fighter very straight up no bending in the waist knees any of that. He has a solid one-two I haven't seen anything thing else in his arsenal. The one punch he hit Calzaghe with was lunging uppercut that caught Joe completely by suprise.He probably thought the same thing I did at the time" Damn he threw something different." I like Kessler I think he is very talented but the B-Hop that showed up almost two Saturday's ago would do the same thing to him IMO.

What are you talking about. First he landed plenty of right crosses on Joe Calzaghe, but I hate how people watch two fights of a guy and think they know how he fights. Watch any of his earlier fights, Kessler can punch in combinations, his best punch besides his jab is his left hook, watch that punch pick Andrade apart in their fight. Kessler has good movement, and timing. IMO he is the stereotypical boxer, he fights exactly how its taught out of the book. I think his problem with Calzaghe was stamina based, Calzaghe fought at a quick pace and Kessler couldn't keep up, but Mikkel landed the far harder punches in that fight.

Its Pavlik who is the one dimensional fighter that Bernard picked apart, Pavlik throws wide looping hooks, he basically has a right hand that he sets up with his jab, but he has poor footwork, and he's pretty easy to hit.

I think Kessler has an honest arguement in beating Hopkins, and I believe he would pick Pavlik apart.

[The Fightfan]

Apparently this guy really didn't watch the fight almost two weeks ago. Kessler is a European fighter very straight up no bending in the waist knees any of that. He has a solid one-two I haven't seen anything thing else in his arsenal. The one punch he hit Calzaghe with was lunging uppercut that caught Joe completely by suprise.He probably thought the same thing I did at the time" Damn he threw something different." I like Kessler I think he is very talented but the B-Hop that showed up almost two Saturday's ago would do the same thing to him IMO.

What are you talking about. First he landed plenty of right crosses on Joe Calzaghe, but I hate how people watch two fights of a guy and think they know how he fights. Watch any of his earlier fights, Kessler can punch in combinations, his best punch besides his jab is his left hook, watch that punch pick Andrade apart in their fight. Kessler has good movement, and timing. IMO he is the stereotypical boxer, he fights exactly how its taught out of the book. I think his problem with Calzaghe was stamina based, Calzaghe fought at a quick pace and Kessler couldn't keep up, but Mikkel landed the far harder punches in that fight.

Its Pavlik who is the one dimensional fighter that Bernard picked apart, Pavlik throws wide looping hooks, he basically has a right hand that he sets up with his jab, but he has poor footwork, and he's pretty easy to hit.

I think Kessler has an honest arguement in beating Hopkins, and I believe he would pick Pavlik apart.

I did say he has very solid one two correct meaning the jab and the right hand. No I have seen a couple of his fight's not just the Calzaghe fight the fight with Mundine same thing one-two,one-two.

[CutMeMick]

I'll start off by saying that a Hopkins fight should be the last thing on Kess mind...

He needs to take over SMW like he was doing. There's no reason for Kess to move up to 175 to fight.
He's got some career defining fights to be made at SMW.

I think a Hopkins fight should be his last resort meaning if there is no other possible fight that he can make.

I'd def. side with Kess if he fought Hopkins.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

As unlikely as this match up is, i think this is a good match up.

I think Kessler has the tools to keep Hopkins humble for a whole 12 rounds but it is logical to assume that Hopkins could out fox Kessler and steal every round.

Good Match-Up.

[OumaFan]

I don't see Kessler's people wanting a fight with Bernard. Kessler would rather have a guy come to him, I don't think he wants to press the fight and have to figure out a guy like Hopkins.

Not to mention say he does win convincingly, people can just spin it as Bernard finally got old.

I still am not totally sure about why Arum made the Pavlik-Hopkins fight.

[Phil]

Don't know who'd I'd go with in this one, I think it would be a close fight,
maybe lean towards Hopkins... I'd love to see it though!

[Galaxy]

In regards to the title of the thread:

I rember people saying the same thing about Pavlik against Hopkins!

&

Kessler against Calzaghe!

I have doubts, major ones. IMO Hopkins would put on another clinic!

[Spicoli]

Kessler wishes he could get that marquee match,up until the opening bell I believe.I like Kessler but Hopkins Imo would box his ears.Why exactly would Hopkins,who has about one or two left in the tank in good form,even consider this fight with a little known (stateside) Mikkel Kessler......ecspecially off of a career highlight performance with Pavlik.

He will be Roy's biggest fan the 8th,watching every second with dollar signs running through his head.He'llwatching Roy's back and probally even winces when Roy crosses the street in heavy traffic.

[oakleyno1]

kessler in my opinon would beat bernard up badly

jus my opinon but as wonderfully as hopkkins was against pavlik im confident kessler would beat anyone from 160 ( if they moved up) to 168 atm and probably the 175 guys aswell, if kessler fights the right fights he can and will go down as greater than joe, again all in my opinon, hopkins would get knocked out or at best largely ud'd. sig bets will be made if this fight happens lol

[Rantcatrat]

Clearly the article is vacant of truth and completely opinionated and wildly provocative, but I do think a fight between Bhop and Kessler would be fun to watch. Unlike the author of the article, I believe it is far from certain that Kessler would beat Bhop. Moreover, the author made too much of Kessler's victory over Haussler; we all recall Pavlik's destruction of Gary Lockett and his dismal performance in his next fight against none other than Bhop.

RJJ will retire if Joe beats him badly. Joe won't fight Bhop again. Who does that leave Bhop to to fight that is of any relevance? In my opinion, Chad Dawson or Mikkel Kessler. In his newsletter, Kessler stated that he would be in New York to see the Calzaghe v. RJJ right. Well, so will will Bhop. Maybe the seed for a fight between Kessler and Bhop will be planted on November 8th.