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Joe Calzaghe W12 Mikkel Kessler...
In front of 50,000 Welsh fans, Joe Calzaghe put on brilliant performance against Mikkel Kessler in a battle between the top two 168-pounders in the world. Seven years older than Kessler, Calzaghe threw over 1000 punches and maintained a fast pace throughout the entire bout en route to a unanimous decision by scores of 116-112 (twice) and 117-111. To Calzaghe's great credit, he did what other pound-for-pound fighters don't always do: he fought hard in the twelfth round against a desparate Kessler even though he could have coasted to the decision. The fight was close for the first four rounds, and Kessler seemd to be throwing straighter, harder punches, but Calzaghe's unconventional southpaw style became indecipherable for Kessler in the fifth. Kessler tried hard, but his corner didn't seem to offer any solutions: perhaps he'll consider a big name trainer next time. The fight between undefeateds can be summed up by saying Kessler fought a good fight, but Calzaghe fought a great one. Calzaghe, already generally recognized as the true world super middleweight champion, adds Kessler's WBA and WBC to his collection. Out of respect to our Boxingtalk colleague George Kimball, we wont call Calzaghe the undisputed champion because he insists that the IBF recognition of another boxer-- after Calzaghe won the IBF belt from Jeff Lacy-- precludes him being "undisputed". We'll just call Calzaghe the indisputable world super middleweight champion
In front of 50,000 Welsh fans, Joe Calzaghe put on brilliant performance against Mikkel Kessler in a battle between the top two 168-pounders in the world. Seven years older than Kessler, Calzaghe threw over 1000 punches and maintained a fast pace throughout the entire bout en route to a unanimous decision by scores of 116-112 (twice) and 117-111. To Calzaghe's great credit, he did what other pound-for-pound fighters don't always do: he fought hard in the twelfth round against a desparate Kessler even though he could have coasted to the decision. The fight was close for the first four rounds, and Kessler seemd to be throwing straighter, harder punches, but Calzaghe's unconventional southpaw style became indecipherable for Kessler in the fifth. Kessler tried hard, but his corner didn't seem to offer any solutions: perhaps he'll consider a big name trainer next time. The fight between undefeateds can be summed up by saying Kessler fought a good fight, but Calzaghe fought a great one. Calzaghe, already generally recognized as the true world super middleweight champion, adds Kessler's WBA and WBC to his collection. Out of respect to our Boxingtalk colleague George Kimball, we wont call Calzaghe the undisputed champion because he insists that the IBF recognition of another boxer-- after Calzaghe won the IBF belt from Jeff Lacy-- precludes him being "undisputed". We'll just call Calzaghe the indisputable world super middleweight champion