Kessler's very flawed performance against Carl Froch-

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

I enjoyed Kessler/Froch the other night but I had HUGE issues with Kessler's performance, although guttsy.

Granted, I had a bit to drink the other night but I don't know what the hell he was doing for most of the fight. For one, he constantly moved to his left putting him in possition to get cracked my right hands... Two, his hands were constantly at chest level lacking his normal defensive prowess... and Three, with his hands at his chest he was hit with regularity for 12 rounds with a FUCKING up-jab from a guy like Froch who is not known for blinding speed.

Although the fight was crowd pleasing and I enjoyed myself, Kessler's performance was far from spectacular. He made the fight difficult on himself by ignoring text book shit...

I wasn't listening to his corner cuz I had alot of people over my house but I would have been screaming at him that this is fucking amatuer shit he's doing...

Anyway, Hell, I think Green will give him a run for his money after that highly flawed performance. I like Kessler but all the king's shoulders and all the kings men won't be able to put Kessler together again.

I think he's falling out of favor as the favorite. He definitley has in my eyes.

[The Fightfan]

Couldn't agree more and Tarver had even pointed it out."This was not the Kessler of a year a two ago". He kept pushing his right hand,kept backing straight up to where all Froch had to do was step forward and throw the right hand and land cleanly. Another no-no from the sport is pulling straight back with your head straight up. Kessler did this all night to where I thought he would get knocked down or worse knocked out. Great fight but alot of stuff needs to be worked on before his next fight. Like getting back to his old self with that piston jab and laser beam right hand.

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

Couldn't agree more and Tarver had even pointed it out."This was not the Kessler of a year a two ago". He kept pushing his right hand,kept backing straight up to where all Froch had to do was step forward and throw the right hand and land cleanly. Another no-no from the sport is pulling straight back with your head straight up. Kessler did this all night to where I thought he would get knocked down or worse knocked out. Great fight but alot of stuff needs to be worked on before his next fight. Like getting back to his old self with that piston jab and laser beam right hand.

Yup, forgot to mention that. Great point... You don't back straight up... Especially against someone who throws wide punches like Froch.

I'm a Kessler fan and picked him to win the fight but had he just done BASIC shit he would have won by a larger margin, taking far less damage.

When I saw Froch landing his up-jab round after round I was laughing, like... How do you let that happen if you're Montoya? I would have slapped him myslef in the corner!

[CFH]

I agree totally Pride. I actually think Green will beat him at this point, especially if he keeps backs straight out with his head stationary.

Kessler, to me, looked like a guy clearly on the slide. He looked like one of those fighters/athletes who could still see what needed to be done, but who couldn't make his body react in time. His counters were all just a little late, against a glacier like Froch, and he just looked old to me. Like you said, he was getting hit by a ton of shots that he would have been able to avoid a couple of years ago. I also agreed with what Tarver said about his 1-2. It used to be deadly, but he's clearly lost a step.

Allen Green by TKO.

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

Anybody catch Froch's tryout for the ballet with his pirouette in the middle of the ring?

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

I can't really say anything bad about Kessler because it was a really gutsy performance but it did feel like I was watching a completely different fighter...
None of that 'typical European' stuff that were become used to.

He had the look of a little brawler fighting out of his weightclass. It was weird

I'll try to remain optimistic with regards to his chances from here on, mainly because I know how terrible Dirrell looked against Froch but then came out looking World Class against Abraham (for the first 7 rounds).

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

I can't really say anything bad about Kessler because it was a really gutsy performance but it did feel like I was watching a completely different fighter...
None of that 'typical European' stuff that were become used to.

He had the look of a little brawler fighting out of his weightclass. It was weird

I'll try to remain optimistic with regards to his chances from here on, mainly because I know how terrible Dirrell looked against Froch but then came out looking World Class against Abraham (for the first 7 rounds).

I'm not dogging Kessler but he was making mistakes someone of his caliber shouldn't be making.

[RP33]

I don't disagree with anything POB stated, but Kessler did say that he knew that he had to fight more of a brawlers fight against Froch, because Froch was going to make it difficult and rough on the inside.. So, maybe Kessler had that too clearly in mind and didn't do the normal stuff he would do - hands up high and jab jab jab right hand. Kessler also used to be really good at keeping his distance and not allowing guys to get in close because of his hard jab, and this did not show against Froch.. I think that if Kessler realizes this, and goes back to basics and trusts his jab and right hand, then he will be fine, and still a favorite in this tournament.

[GAME]

Couldn't agree more and Tarver had even pointed it out."This was not the Kessler of a year a two ago". He kept pushing his right hand,kept backing straight up to where all Froch had to do was step forward and throw the right hand and land cleanly. Another no-no from the sport is pulling straight back with your head straight up. Kessler did this all night to where I thought he would get knocked down or worse knocked out. Great fight but alot of stuff needs to be worked on before his next fight. Like getting back to his old self with that piston jab and laser beam right hand.

Yup, forgot to mention that. Great point... You don't back straight up... Especially against someone who throws wide punches like Froch.

I'm a Kessler fan and picked him to win the fight but had he just done BASIC shit he would have won by a larger margin, taking far less damage.

When I saw Froch landing his up-jab round after round I was laughing, like... How do you let that happen if you're Montoya? I would have slapped him myslef in the corner!

Its easy for Tarver to say this wasnt the Kess of old but he was facing an unbeaten guy who had found a way to win against every style he had met. Kessler was never going to look good in this fight. He knew he had to go to war and slug it out so when a fighter does that they are going to make mistakes. What it did show is that Kessler still has a great chin and bags of heart

Kessler stops Green and I think he will rematch Ward in the final .

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

Couldn't agree more and Tarver had even pointed it out."This was not the Kessler of a year a two ago". He kept pushing his right hand,kept backing straight up to where all Froch had to do was step forward and throw the right hand and land cleanly. Another no-no from the sport is pulling straight back with your head straight up. Kessler did this all night to where I thought he would get knocked down or worse knocked out. Great fight but alot of stuff needs to be worked on before his next fight. Like getting back to his old self with that piston jab and laser beam right hand.

Yup, forgot to mention that. Great point... You don't back straight up... Especially against someone who throws wide punches like Froch.

I'm a Kessler fan and picked him to win the fight but had he just done BASIC shit he would have won by a larger margin, taking far less damage.

When I saw Froch landing his up-jab round after round I was laughing, like... How do you let that happen if you're Montoya? I would have slapped him myslef in the corner!

Its easy for Tarver to say this wasnt the Kess of old but he was facing an unbeaten guy who had found to win against every style he had met. Kessler was never going to look good in this fight. He knew he had to go to war and slug it out so when a fighter does that they are going to make mistakes. What it did show is that Kessler still has a great chin and bags of heart

Kessler stops Green and I think he will rematch Ward in the final .

...and he'll lose.

[GAME]

Yup, forgot to mention that. Great point... You don't back straight up... Especially against someone who throws wide punches like Froch.

I'm a Kessler fan and picked him to win the fight but had he just done BASIC shit he would have won by a larger margin, taking far less damage.

When I saw Froch landing his up-jab round after round I was laughing, like... How do you let that happen if you're Montoya? I would have slapped him myslef in the corner!

Its easy for Tarver to say this wasnt the Kess of old but he was facing an unbeaten guy who had found to win against every style he had met. Kessler was never going to look good in this fight. He knew he had to go to war and slug it out so when a fighter does that they are going to make mistakes. What it did show is that Kessler still has a great chin and bags of heart

Kessler stops Green and I think he will rematch Ward in the final .

...and he'll lose.

In America yes but in Denmark Ward wont be able to get away with headbutts and Kessler can rough him up instead

[Pugilistic]

I think Kessler is on the slide imo.

Ever since the Calzaghe fight, he seems less accurate and abit more sluggish when he fights. His straight right hand to the head used to be a major weapon of his but i barely seen it the other night.

His body work seems to of improved though.

[Hunter]

Like others have said Kessler was in with a tough un orthodox unbeaten puncher in Froch that looks alot slower and easier to hit than he is.

I was actually impressed with both guys. Kessler has a hell of a chin and unreal determination.

Good thing Froch knocked up his girl or she might have left with Mikkel after the fight...

[Kirkland Laing]

I think it's easy to look bad against Ward and then to be facing an unbeaten world champion with an awkward style in your comeback fight isn't exactly going to be your first choice. I think it took him six rounds to get going and that the win will do him a lot of good. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets some of the way back to where he was a few years ago in his next fight but he definitely looks to be missing a step, not the same crispness or accuracy with his punches.

[Snakey]

So tell me, coz I havent seen heaps of kessler I gauge alot off his mundine performance which I think was quite good. Is this version of Kessler as good as he was against Mundine or is he slipping? Because what I saw against Mundine was a good boxer with good speed and decent power.