Saturday November 21st, 2009 Ward vs Kessler

[Guest]

The biggest fight in the career of Andre Ward as well as the biggest day in the history of Pound 4 Pound Apparel.
Mikkel Kessler is standing in the way Of Ward's dream, to be the Super Middleweight champion.
We know that Andre is ready and prepared for anything. The fight takes place in Oakland, Andre's hometown.
I just don't see S.O.G. losing on Saturday. He has all the tools to be champion for a long time and Kessler is a true champ and will be prepared and do whatever it takes to keep his belt.
This one is going to be a great fight and i'll be on the edge of my seat for every single minute of it.

[swerb]

Can't wait for this one. Winner will be a big favorite to likely end up facing Abraham in the finals of this thing. Neither face Abraham in their first three prelim fights.

Both guys have the potential to be top 5-6 pound for pound guys in the sport. Ward, still young, Gold medal pedigree ... has looked very good in beating up marginal opponents. Kessler looked good in dominating Andrade and then giving Calzaghe all he could handle, then disappeared off to Denmark to fight nobodies.

We learn a lot about both guys Saturday night. How good is Kessler? Is Ward ready for this type of step up?

I think this is going to be a great fight. I'll be pulling for Ward, but like Kessler in a close, hard fought decision.

[Guest]

How did I know you would pick Kessler?
You better be wearing your S.O.G. shirt on Saturday cuz.

[swerb]

How did I know you would pick Kessler?
You better be wearing your S.O.G. shirt on Saturday cuz.

Cause I've correctly predicted the winners to like the last 20 big fights?

I'll be cheering like a mother for Andre though, tee on and all.

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

Great article from Iole on our boy:

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=A ... &type=lgns

[Rusty]

I haven't seen too much of either guy, but I'll take Ward in this fight by close decision.

This could be the best scrap of the whole tourney, can't wait!

[swerb]

Lets go Andre ...

[swerb]

This crowd is amped. Big homecourt advantage for Andre against a guy that came halfway across the world for this one, only fought once in America.

Never used to be a huge fan of Jimmy Lennon. He's grown on me.

Lets get it on.

[swerb]

Two very high level, technincally sound super middles. This ones gonna be fun. Good opening round for Andre. Established the jab. Did enough to win the round.

10-9 Ward

[swerb]

Kessler is just stalking Andre. Constantly has Ward going backward. But Ward is HARD to hit. Mayweather-esque. Great rally by Andre at the end of the round, great last 30 seconds.

Very tough round to score. Neither guy has come close to hurting the other through two. This one reeks of going the distance. With a lot of close rounds, which should help the hometown Ward.

I'll give round 2 to Kessler.

19-19

[swerb]

Nice round for Ward. Landed more punches than any fighter in any round so far. Kessler just can't get off ... frustration may start to set in.

Round 3 for Andre

29-28 Ward

[swerb]

Wow. Really impressed by Ward. What a showing so far. And what a round there. Hurt Kessler and dominated round 4. Kessler with a cut and a mouse under the right eye.

Ward is crisp! The movement, knowing when to strike, when to hold back ... the defense. Incredibly impressive. A very, very smart fighter.

10-9 Andre

39-37 Ward

[swerb]

A lot of fight left .. but man does this seem like a big time coming out party for Andre Ward. He's been great. Quick, sharp, showing good punching power, and excellent defense.

Another round for him in rd 5

49-46 Ward

[swerb]

Andre got a little cocky, a little sloppy there ... and it was Kessler's best rd since rd 2. Still Andre's round though.

I got it 5 rounds to 1, and could VERY easily be a shutout so far.

59-55 Ward

[swerb]

Very strong final minute of rd 7 for Andre. He's getting inside Kessler's head. Kessler is starting to take uncharacteristic gambles. This one could end in rd 8 or 9.

Another round for Andre. 6 to 1.

69-64 Ward

[swerb]

What a performance for Andre. One that American boxing desperately needed. This one may be over

7 rounds to 1

79-73 Ward

[swerb]

Kessler's been begging his corner to stop this. They won't let him. Now you know why this pretender fights all these nobodies in Denmark.

Not to diminish the effort by Ward. Another roudn for him. 8-1.

89-82 Ward

[swerb]

The intensity from Ward has been incredible. He's showing a mean streak and power I've never seen before from him. Beating the snot out of a guy thats been considered one of the worlds best super middles for half a decade. Making what Calzaghe did to him look like nothing.

Another rd for Andre 9-1.

99-91

[swerb]

Andre. Wow. Happy for you cuz. You got a superstar on your hands. Another one in the wings with Danny Jacobs.

Going to the cards but it should be a slaughter. Think Andre loses the KO Pts in the tourney though.

[swerb]

After round one, it looks apparent. This tourney is coming down to a title fight between Andre Ward and Arthur Abraham. And what a fight that will be.

Great tournament so far. All three first round fights were very entertaining.

[swerb]

He has arrived.

And what a great story it is. Olympic gold medalist. All around great guy, family man, man of the faith.

And all at a time when American boxing needed it most. In front of his hometown crowd.

[swerb]

What a bitch Kessler is. Take the loss like a man. Wouldn't even stand next to Andre post-fight when blaming headbutts for the loss. There were some headbutts. The one was bad, others were accidental. Ward fought an gressive fight against a guy that was stalking him aggressively. By no means was Andre dirty. Andre beat his ass. Kessler gave him no credit. Again, doesn't surprise me that this chump Kessler has been hiding from big fights his whole career.

[Rusty]

Kessler really looked like a bitch, didn't he? Sucks when you are not fighting taxi drivers in Denmark on a regular basis. Just another over-hyped Calzaghe opponent.

Big fan of Andre Ward, great fighter.

[Guest]

What a great night.
Andre looked awesome, bullied Kessler and owned him.
He's the real deal, it's his time.
I haven't been this excited in a long long time.
Andre Ward is the new Super Middleweight champion, that sounds so damn good.

www.Pound4PoundApparel.com

Get the champs shirts before they sell out.
There will be some new gear coming soon.
Championship gear.

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Rusty]

Kessler got owned last night. Ward made him look like a one-dimensional BUM!

[bustedknuckles]

Yep Rusty, Ward v. Kessler a kin to BHop v. Pavlik...not even as competitive at the score cards IMO and I'd like to know what three rounds the Danish judge scored to Kessler because I only saw one that I could have scored for him and that was the 5th.

Swerb-Jimmy Lennon is great...come see him at YSU on the 19th, it may be the best part of that fight.

Oh and while I'm here, Jim Gray, I wish Mike Tyson would have left Lennox Lewis's progeny alone and ate you. I wish Ward would have head-butted him for #6. I love how the ref tells Gray he thought there were 5 butts during the fight, but yet never warned either fighter or corner that I can recall. WTF

Ward is tough and appears that he can win a fight with a variety of styles. I don't see him with an L anytime soon. He is everything JT should have been...if he cared enough...and that is what I like about Ward...he does.

[swerb]

Ward is tough and appears that he can win a fight with a variety of styles. I don't see him with an L anytime soon. He is everything JT should have been...if he cared enough...and that is what I like about Ward...he does.

Exactly. That's who he reminds me of. The young Taylor that beat Hopkins twice. The young Taylor we all thought was going to carry the sport for the next decade.

Taylor has since been exposed as a mental midget that doesn't train hard enough and falls apart late in fights. Andre Ward? This kid just seems so grounded, so mentally strong. So technically sound. Such a high boxing IQ in the ring.

What we've learned in round one of the Super Six is that there are two fighters head and heels above the others. King Arthur and Andre Ward. They will meet in the finals and it is going to be a helluva fight. Maybe the start of another epic trilogy.

Taylor is shot. Kessler was exposed. Froch .... eh. Dirrell? I like Dirrell. Not as technically tight as Andre. A bright future IMO, but not quite ready for this tournament. Can't see any of these four guys beating Arthur or Andre.

[Guest]

S.O.G.