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HBO World Championship Boxing Recap

November 4, 2007

Millennium Stadium-Cardiff, Wales

Interest for this match is huge across Europe. People traveling to see the match are expected to bring between 5 and 10 million British pounds into the local community in tourist money. At the current exchange rate ($1 U.S.=0.476 British pounds) that could be well in excess of $20 million this event could generate for the community. The crowd at what is usually arugby stadium could break the European indoor attendance record to see a boxing match. Part of the hold up in making this match happen was a disagreement between the sides of where the match would take place. Kessler drew 20,000 to a soccer stadium for his last match in March. Then Calzaghe set the attendance record for Wales drawing 35,000 to this building for a match a few weeks later in April.

WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Super Middleweight (168 pounds) 12 Round Championship Unification Match:

Joe Calzaghe (43-0, 32 KO's, 166.75 pounds) (WBO and Ring Champion) vs. Mikkel Kessler (39-0, 29 KO's, 168 pounds) (WBA and WBC Champion)

Calzaghe began his over decade long run of dominance at 168 pounds by defeating Chris Eubank via blowout 12 round unanimous decision on October 11, 1997 at Sheffield arena in Sheffield, Yorkshire. The title had previous been held by Steve Collins whowas forced tovacate the title, and retire for health reasons. Calzaghe is making 21st defense of the WBO Championship, and is the longest reigning champion in boxing today.

After taking every round of a 12 round decision in a unanimous decision victory overJeff Lacy on March 4, 2006 at theM.E.N. Arena in Manchester, Calzaghe wasnamed by The Ring magazine as their champion at 168 pounds. Calzaghe is making his third defense of that title.

Kessler wonhis WBA Championship from Manny Siaca via round 8 technical knockout on November 12, 2004 at Brondby hallen in Copenhagen, Denmark. Siaca did not come out of his corner to answer the bell to start round 8 in that match. Kessler is making his fifth defense of this title.

The native of Denmark won his WBC Championship from Markus Beyer via knockout, 2:58 into round 3 at Parken in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 14, 2006. Kessler is making his second defense of this title.

Calzaghe has an outstanding amateur pedigree. He won 4 schoolboy ABA titles and 3 consecutive senior British ABA Championships progressing from 140 pounds to 147 pounds to 154 pounds. He became only the second boxer in history to accomplish that feat.Following a technicality that keptCalzaghe from boxing in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics, Calzaghe won one more ABA championship in 1993 and turned pro in October 1 of that year. Calzaghe has not lost a match, since Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of Britain (1990).

Calzaghe has a history of injuries to his left hand. He has broken it several times during matches and during training. Calzaghe most recent hand injury came in training for a match with Glen Johnson scheduled for July 8, 2006. That match never happened, instead Calzaghe faced and defeated Sakio Bika on October 14, 2006, when he was healthy again.

The Welshman's last match was a round 3 technical knockout win 1:30 into round 3 over Peter Manfredo, Jr. on April 7, 2007 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. The stoppage may have been a few seconds premature, but the result was inevitable.

Calzaghe is rankedby The Ring magazine as the champion at 168 pounds, and the number 8 pound-for-pound boxer behind number one pound-for-pound boxer, Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Kessler had a decorated amateur career. He compiled an amateurrecord of 44-3, and won the gold medal at the European Youth Championships in Turkey at 16-years-old. Theboxer from Copenhagen, Denmarkturned pro at 19-years-old, and had his first world championship at 23-years-old.

Kessler has held his last few matchesin the soccer stadium that houses Denmark's national team to accommodate all ofhis fans. All the publicity (and the country's high taxes)on him in Denmark have caused Kessler to relocate to Monaco for relative anonymity, except when he is training. (Kessler is reported to be making 2.5 million pounds for this match, and the taxes on that in a socialist country are ugly.)

Kessler has a history of back injuries and has suffered injuries to both hands. There are titanium parts in both of Kessler's hands. British journalists reported that Kesslerhad to skip3 weeks of sparring preparing for this match, because of a right hand injury.

Kessler's last match was a 12 round domination of Librado Andrade. The Danish boxer won every round of the match, landing 49% of his power punches, while holding his opponent to a 10% total connect percentage.

The Ring magazine ranks Kessler as thenumber 1 contender at 168 pounds to Calzaghe.

Kessler has the age advantage at 28-years-old, compared to the 35-year-old, Calzaghe. The Dane has the height advantage standing 6' 1" tall, whilethe Welshmanstands 6' tall. Kessler has the reach advantage with an arm length of 28" measured from the armpit to the end of the fist, and Calzaghe has an arm lengthof 26" measured the same way. Calzaghe worked hard to make weight and accidentally cut too much weight ending up more then a pound below the weight limit. Kessler needed to stand behind a towel on the scales after failing to make weight with his garments in place. There are no unofficial weights for the boxers approaching match time available, but Kessler should be the heavier boxer entering the ring. Calzaghe will employ the southpaw stance, while Kessler will box out of the orthodox stance.

The unified rules of boxing are in effect for this match. The referee is Michael Ortega. The official judges keeping score from ringside are fromItaly and the other two are from the United States.Harold Lederman will be keeping unofficial score for HBO.

Kessler is smiling coming out, but there are over 50,000 hostile fans awaiting him in the stadium. This match is taking place after 1 AM Cardiff time on Sunday morning and the crowd has been having a good time all of Saturday in preparation for this match. The result is a WrestleMania level crowd.

Very close round 1, that Calzaghe barely wins, 10-9. Lederman scores round 1 for Kessler, 10-9. With 2:02 to go in round 2, Calzaghe receives his second warning for holding behind the head of Kessler. Kessler wins round 2, 10-9. Both boxers are having a tough time finding their rhythm against opposition of this caliber. Calzaghe win round 2 on Lederman's scorecard, 10-9. A left to the body by Calzaghe sends Kessler to the mat, with 2:45 to go in round 3. It is ruled a slip, and not a knockdown. Kessler appeared to be going down, because he lost his footing on the paint on the canvas when reacting to the punch. It is the correct call. Calzaghe wins round 3 big behind constant pressure. The boxer from Wales even dropped his hands and played to the crowd at points in the round, against a very dangerous power puncher. Calzaghe wins round 3, 10-9, and leads on my scorecard after 3 rounds, 29-28. Lederman gives round 3 to Calzaghe, 10-9, and also has Calzaghe wining the match at this point,29-28. Calzaghe is smiling in his corner after round 3, having out landed the younger boxer 26 to 16. Kessler's corner spoke to their boxer in English after rounds 1 and 2, then switched to speaking Danish in the corner after Kessler lost round 3.

Kessler behind some hard punches, especially right uppercut counter puncheswins round 4, 10-9. This match is living up to the hype. Lederman scores round 4 for Kessler, 10-9. At the end of round 5, Kessler is beginning to bleed out of his left nostril. The bleedingwas probably started by a Calzaghe left hand.Kessler wins round 5, 10-9. Calzaghe wins round 5 on Lederman's scorecard, 10-9. Calzaghe wins round 6, 10-9. My scorecard has the match even after 6 rounds, 57-57. After round 6, Kessler's corner told their boxer that he was behind on the scorecards. Lederman scored round 6 for Calzaghe, 10-9, and has the Welshman winning the match after 6 rounds, 58-56.

With 1 minute to go in round 7 Calzaghe is bleeding from a cut in between his eyes in the lower half of his forehead. It was probably caused by a Kessler uppercut. Calzaghe wins round 7, 10-9. Lederman scores round 7 the same. Calzaghe threw 105 punches in round 7. With 27 seconds to go in round 8, the referee interrupts the offense by Calzaghe on a potentially hurt Kessler to warn the Welshman again about holding. Calzaghe wins round 8, 10-9. In round 8, Calzaghe landed 18 of the 59 power punches he threw, for a 31% power connect percentage. Kessler landed 15 of the 30 power punches he threw in round 8, for a 50% power connect percentage. Calzaghe wins round 8, 10-9, on Lederman's scorecard. Calzaghe wins round 9, 10-9. The Welshman leads on my scorecard after 9 rounds, 87-84. In this match Calzaghe is showing why he is an all time great boxer. Lederman, also scores round 9 for Calzaghe, 10-9.Calzaghe leads on Lederman's scorecard after 9 rounds, 88-83.

Kessler has had swelling above his right eye,caused byrepeated left hands fromCalzaghe, for the last several rounds, howeverthe Dane'scorner is not treating it between rounds. Calzaghe is amazing. He has taken some huge punches,yet continues to come forward and throw more punches every round. Calzaghe wins round 10 on Lederman and my scorecard, 10-9. Calzaghe to further show his dominance is not sitting down the full rest period in between rounds, always up at least 15 seconds before the start of the next round. Twice Calzaghe has not sat down between rounds. Kessler is tired, and the veteran is tauntingthe Danish boxer by showing superior conditioning without throwing a punch. Kessler is also having the best match of his life, and it is not good enough tonight. Kessler would easily defeat Bernard Hopkins, and win the championship at 175 pounds, andcould possibly win the championship at 200 pounds with this performance. However, Calzaghe is proving that he is the best in the history of this weight class. Calzaghe wins round 11 on Lederman and my scorecard, 10-9. Kessler gives everything he has to win round 12, 10-9. Calzaghe still wins the match, 116-112. Lederman scores round 12 for Kessler, 10-9, but awards the match to Calzaghe, 117-111.

The official decision as read by Michael Buffer is that the judges have scored the match: 117-111, 116-112, 116-112, all for the winner by unanimous decision, the Unified Super Middleweight Champion of the World, "The Fighting Pride of Newbridge Wales" Joe Calzaghe. The win moves Calzaghe to 44-0 with 32 wins coming by way of knockout.

The final punchstat numbers have Calzaghe landing 285 of 1010 total punches thrown, for a 28% total connect percentage.The Welshmanlanded 148 of the 460 power punches he threw, for a 32% power connect percentage. Kessler landed 173 of 585 total punches thrown, for a 30% total connect percentage. The former champion landed 121 of 259 power punches, for a 47% power connect percentage. Kessler's historically big punch has been the jab. However,in this match Calzaghe landed 137 jabs, while Kessler landed only 52 jabs.

The first post match interview is conducted by Max Kellerman with Kessler. Kessler admitted that when the referee stopped Calzaghe to warn him for holding in round 8, that was the only time in the match he (Kessler) was really hurt and in trouble. Kessler hopes for a rematch with Calzaghe. Next time he will try and come in with new tactics and after training harder. Kessler was not bitter and upset in asking for the rematch, but very classy in that he was beat by the better boxer tonight. He believes there must be something he can do to beat Joe Calzaghe with another chance.

Calzaghe said in his post match interview that he wants The Ring magazine champion at 175 pounds Bernard Hopkins, and is done with boxing at 168 pounds.

Kessler remains ranked as the number 1 contender at 168 pounds by The Ring magazine following the loss. He boxed a great match, but he does not appear to possess the ability to beat Calzaghe at this time. Which is the story of every Calzaghe opponent for the last 17 years. A rematch between the two boxers would be fun to watch, but the result is unlikely to be different. Kessler could cement himself as the solid number 2 in that division for the day Calzaghe decides to vacate it or the champions skills actually diminish, or move up to 175, where the Dane could win the championship.

Calzaghe has moved up in The Ring magazine pound-for-pound rankings to fifth following this victory, still behind Hopkins, which is very debatablebased on both of their performances in the last year. Kellerman described Calzaghe's performance in this match well saying, "It's not that Calzaghe's performance in this match was perfect. It's that it was beyond that." Hopkins has talked about facing Calzaghe at Yankee Stadium, and 2008 will be the final year for this Yankee Stadium, before it is torn down and replaced by Yankee Stadium version 2.0. A match between Calzaghe and Hopkins could be ugly to watch, though. From a fans standpoint it would be preferable to see Calzaghe stay at 168 pounds. If Calzaghe defends his WBO title 5 more times it would break Joe Louis' record for most consecutive title defenses. Also, it would open up the possibility of him facing the winner of the scheduled rematch between Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor. A Calzaghe-Pavlik match up would be very interesting, because it would feature another young undefeated boxer traveling to Cardiff to take on the undefeated legend in front of over 50,000 hostile fans.

The official attendance for the event was 50,150. That was a new record to see a boxing match indoors in Europe, and the third best crowd to see a boxing match indoors anywhere. This was a great event to see the advancing of a hall of fame career. If there are any replays left they are worth finding.