Andre Ward Defeats Mikkel Kessler in Showtime Super Six Tournament

Mikkel Kessler of Denmark was the strong favorite going into Show Time's Super Six Middleweight tournament. Kessler's only previous loss was to Wales' Joe Calzaghe, a man on his way to becoming a legend in Europe and the Americas. Kessler is strong in the weight class, which may account for his impressive knockout record against largely European opponents. Mikkel Kessler KOd 32 of his 42 opponents, though head-of-stone Librado Andrade wasn't one of Kessler's KO victims. Librado Andrade's one of those largely unknown (except to boxing insiders) but highly capable boxers who often prove to be an insurmountable obstacle on the way to ring glory. Kessler's victory over Andrade went a long way toward making me a Kessler fan; it was a chancy fight to take just months before the bigger money fight with the widely known Calzaghe. Kessler's reliance on strength may have also account for Kessler's upset against Andre Ward in the Super Six tournament fight of November 21. People who are still scratching their heads and wondering how former Olympic Champion Andrew Ward did it should look to boxing itself for the answer.

There is "fighting" and there is "boxing." In boxing, a weaker, even a smaller man, can defeat a stronger more powerful one by employing a variety of techniques. In his match against Kessler, Ward was full of techniques and not all of them were advisable but most worked. One of the smartest things Andre Ward did against Kessler was in controlling physical space. Conventional boxing wisdom is that a backwards retreat makes a fighter vulnerable and advantages an opponent. Ward never went "straight back" but took little half steps to the rear and side as Kessler tried to move in for the kill. This more than anything took away Kessler's power advantage. Having to follow and reach out with his punches frustrated Kessler who mostly gave up on his very good jab.