Kessler/Ward in Oakland

[HattonTheHammer]

Taylor stopping him would be much more shocking than what Hopkins did to Pavlik. Size wise, they were both big 160's, Taylor's obviously taller but I don't see either guy being huge at the weight.

He could build up a points lead due to AA's inactivity and use that inactivity to rest a bit at times and maybe hold on late but stopping him is unlikely.

hopkins was like a 5/2 underdog

taylor is 2/1 in many bookmakers

[OumaFan]

But that's to win the fight, not get a stoppage. Some people think a Taylor win is possible but not a KO.

And Hopkins shouldn't have been that big of an underdog. Me and many others picked him for a number of reasons. In fact looking back I'm surprised I had any doubts at all (of course that's the way it always goes), you'd be hard pressed to build a fighter more stylistically perfect for Hopkins than Pavlik.

[HattonTheHammer]

But that's to win the fight, not get a stoppage. Some people think a Taylor win is possible but not a KO.

And Hopkins shouldn't have been that big of an underdog. Me and many others picked him for a number of reasons. In fact looking back I'm surprised I had any doubts at all (of course that's the way it always goes), you'd be hard pressed to build a fighter more stylistically perfect for Hopkins than Pavlik.

true about the hopkins thing

its hardly as lousy a ko percentage as someone like malignaggi. Taylor can bang and if AA doesnt realise that i suggest he sticks on the 2nd round against pavlik and the fourth against froch

[Kirkland Laing]

I think Kessler beats Ward convincingly enough that the judges can't give it to Ward or maybe even stops him.

[skel1983]

I cant remember seeing abraham throw more than 15 power punches in a single round in the endless fights ive seen him in. And thats with 3rd tier opponents.

Ive said all the way through this thing write jermain off at your peril. Im confident he`ll be too big for a 160pound abraham on the night and AA`s inexperience at the very top level will cost him dear. Taylor will also be able to keep abrahams inside combinations at bay through many stages of the fight with those long arms.

Taylor in 10 - this is the pavlik-hopkins of 2009

We have to remember Taylor has a poor record at 168 and has fought most his career at 160, Abraham looked fine at 168 against Miranda when he smashed him to pieces, we will have to see but Taylor stopping him is one outcome I dont see.

cant really compare miranda to jermain taylor though can you

Sure JTs record at 168 isnt great but he does have the natural physique of a 168 pounder and im quite sure come the night he`ll not only have a few inches height and reach advantage but he`ll also be the heavier guy by a couple of pounds.

This is unchartered territory for abraham and just like froch had to he will have to find that extra 10-15% thats never been there before!!

I wasnt comparing Miranda to taylor, you said your confident in Taylor beating at 160 lb Abraham, my point was Abraham carried the extra pounds fine against Miranda and even looked stronger. There is no secret Abraham has struggled to make 160 for a longtime, the weight issue will not be an issue imo, for natural strength id give the advantage to Abraham, im not worried one bit about Abraham fighting another fighter at 168, if taylor wins it will be because he is the smarter more skillful fighter.

[skel1983]

We have to remember Taylor has a poor record at 168 and has fought most his career at 160, Abraham looked fine at 168 against Miranda when he smashed him to pieces, we will have to see but Taylor stopping him is one outcome I dont see.

cant really compare miranda to jermain taylor though can you

Sure JTs record at 168 isnt great but he does have the natural physique of a 168 pounder and im quite sure come the night he`ll not only have a few inches height and reach advantage but he`ll also be the heavier guy by a couple of pounds.

This is unchartered territory for abraham and just like froch had to he will have to find that extra 10-15% thats never been there before!!

I wasnt comparing Miranda to taylor, you said your confident in Taylor beating at 160 lb Abraham, my point was Abraham carried the extra pounds fine against Miranda and even looked stronger. There is no secret Abraham has struggled to make 160 for a longtime, the weight issue will not be an issue imo, for natural strength id give the advantage to Abraham, im not worried one bit about Abraham fighting another fighter at 168, if taylor wins it will be because he is the smarter more skillful fighter.

Not saying Taylor hasnt got any power but has hasnt stopped anyone for 10 fights and that was getting on for five years ago at 160, add to that Abraham has never been down in his career it would be something special for Taylor to go knock out a guy like Abraham in his own backyard.

[awdleyfuturehalloffamer]

The biggest upset in all this is if Jermaine Taylor takes the whole thing. He has to be the biggest underdog at this moment.

[HattonTheHammer]

cant really compare miranda to jermain taylor though can you

Sure JTs record at 168 isnt great but he does have the natural physique of a 168 pounder and im quite sure come the night he`ll not only have a few inches height and reach advantage but he`ll also be the heavier guy by a couple of pounds.

This is unchartered territory for abraham and just like froch had to he will have to find that extra 10-15% thats never been there before!!

I wasnt comparing Miranda to taylor, you said your confident in Taylor beating at 160 lb Abraham, my point was Abraham carried the extra pounds fine against Miranda and even looked stronger. There is no secret Abraham has struggled to make 160 for a longtime, the weight issue will not be an issue imo, for natural strength id give the advantage to Abraham, im not worried one bit about Abraham fighting another fighter at 168, if taylor wins it will be because he is the smarter more skillful fighter.

Not saying Taylor hasnt got any power but has hasnt stopped anyone for 10 fights and that was getting on for five years ago at 160, add to that Abraham has never been down in his career it would be something special for Taylor to go knock out a guy like Abraham in his own backyard.

Taylors been fighting and going the distance with world class opposition for 4/5 years now. Abrahams only genuine scalp was miranda and we all know edison got robbed in that 1st fight by the ref.

Taylor needs this win so badly, abraham on the other hand could conceiveably lose a points decision and still mantain the current buzz thats around him. If its the same taylor that blew out lacy and almost beat froch then i just dont see him losing to a 160 pounder!!

[TheMacMagician]

I wasnt comparing Miranda to taylor, you said your confident in Taylor beating at 160 lb Abraham, my point was Abraham carried the extra pounds fine against Miranda and even looked stronger. There is no secret Abraham has struggled to make 160 for a longtime, the weight issue will not be an issue imo, for natural strength id give the advantage to Abraham, im not worried one bit about Abraham fighting another fighter at 168, if taylor wins it will be because he is the smarter more skillful fighter.

Not saying Taylor hasnt got any power but has hasnt stopped anyone for 10 fights and that was getting on for five years ago at 160, add to that Abraham has never been down in his career it would be something special for Taylor to go knock out a guy like Abraham in his own backyard.

Taylors been fighting and going the distance with world class opposition for 4/5 years now. Abrahams only genuine scalp was miranda and we all know edison got robbed in that 1st fight by the ref.

Taylor needs this win so badly, abraham on the other hand could conceiveably lose a points decision and still mantain the current buzz thats around him. If its the same taylor that blew out lacy and almost beat froch then i just dont see him losing to a 160 pounder!!

I'm not convinced by AA atall. Would love to see Taylor hand him his ass in this one. I definately think as AA fights in spurts this will help a Taylor who runs out of steam. Taylor has far superior boxing skills than AA. I'd like to think with a smart fight Taylor takes this by UD.... Just hope he doesn't get burgled by some dodgy judging.

I'm also gonna go against the grain for Ward too. Think he will give Kessler all kinds of problems and win a decision.....

[Nameless]

Ward has a lot of potential and a bright future ahead if he can display some mental strength. However, he's not, as far as I am concerned, ready for a warrior like Kessler with a killer jab, tons of power and a meticulous technique, I think he'll systematically get broken by the Danish Vicking. I could easily see a final Abraham vs Kessler and that my friends, could be a damn good and exciting fight between 2 good jaws, 2 good technicians and 2 fierce punchers.

[Mar]

We've been to just about all of wards fights that have been here so we'll probably make it out to this one as well. Not sure what to think or who to pick. I'm not all that big on kessler but outside of outboxing miranda which any decent fighter can do ward really hasn't done or fought much of anyone.

[Gandalf]

Kessler will beat the shit out of him and that's why Kessler is willing to travel for this. I don't see it being all that competitive.

[Bomp]

I think Ward will take some of the early rounds, seems to take Kess a few rounds to find his range, especially against guys who don't come forward. Expect Kess to take over in the middle, and if the judges are swayed by hometowners it could be close.

[Bigdog1981]

kessler still wins,can't see anyone really beating him.
Kessler vs Direll = Kessler ko
Kessler vs Froch = Easy kessler UD
Kessler vs Abraham = Kessler UD, his skills are better.AA's power won't
bother Kessler it may even stay at middleweight.
Kessler vs Taylor = Kessler ko,Taylor is the onlyone who could outbox
him but only in a 6 round fight Taylor wont see the
eighth.