Andre Ward tore up the form book in a sensational victory against Denmark's Mikkel Kessler. The sporting press and the majority of neutrals fans (myself included) didn't believe the young American stood a chance against such a seasoned champion but, in spectacular fashion, Ward dominated from the first through to its premature stoppage in the 11th. The only blot on the copybook was his repeated use of the head butt.
With the first round of matches in the Super Six now complete it is the Americans who have provided the surprises. Going into the tournament most analysts viewed the winner as a tossup between any of the three Europeans but it is the two Andre's who have made people sit up and take note. Even in defeat, Andre Dirrell demonstrated blinding speed and flashy technique (shame about the tactics) while Ward has just dethroned the super middleweight king in a display brimming with confidence and ability that belied his tender years.
The opening two rounds were a cagey affair but Ward still managed to assert his dominance. The sharpness and speed of his combo's were too much for the Dane, who could only offer an ineffective jab in return and his big right was nowhere to be seen. Still, Kessler often takes a couple of rounds to acclimatise while charting his opponents' demise, so there was no cause for undue alarm.
His fans certainly must have hoped so but the third proved no different to the opening two and as the fight progressed into the fourth it was clear that Kessler was in trouble. A minute in, Ward landed a beautiful combo starting with two shots to the body then a big left hook to the head. He followed that up with two big right hooks later in the round while the Dane was unable to pull off anything of note.
The trend continued into the fifth; Ward's headwork, movement and repeated stance changes totally frustrated Kessler. He was unable to find his range or any kind of rhythm. All the meaningful shots were landed by the American.
The sixth and seventh saw Ward lose his composure. He repeatedly lunged headfirst at Kessler while throwing scrappy shots and the opportunities were there for 'The Viking Warrior' to land a punch that could change the direction of the fight but he was unable to capitalize. Indeed, in the final minute of the seventh he threw a monstrous left hook on the break that could have knocked Ward clean out but it was so wild and telegraphed that the American easily ducked it. It was a tangible indication of frustration.
In Kessler's corner before the eighth his body language was that of a beaten man but things were about to get a whole lot worse for him. Ward's repeated head-lunging finally opened up a nasty cut above his right eye, which bore all the hallmarks of a fight-ending injury, though the ref didn't spot it.
Gamely he fought on, but the pattern remained much the same as in earlier rounds; Ward's speed proved decisive in landing flashy combos while his movement and clinching prevented his opponent from gaining any foothold in the fight.
In the tenth another head butt from Ward - this one even more shocking and damaging than the last - opened up a cut above Kessler's other eye. This clash of heads did not go unnoticed but the ref ruled it accidental.
Going into the 11th, Kessler's face was a real mess. The cuts were severe and his trainer asked him - not for the first time - if he wanted to quit. Admirably he fought on, still trying to find a home for the big right that had eluded him all night, but midway through the round the ref took the decision out of his hands and stopped the fight on cuts following doctor's orders. He ruled the head butt, which he spotted, as being decisive so the fight went prematurely to the scorecards (as opposed to a TKO victory) with Ward winning comprehensively; 98-92 on two cards and 97 - 93 on the other.
In the post-fight interviews Ward was gracious in victory calling Kessler "a super champion." He should have left it at that, instead he had to spoil it all by spouting his rabid and arrogant religious views. Does he fail to see that by suggesting his victory wass assured because God is on his side he is thereby inferring that God was not on his opponent's side? What is so special about Ward that he is so favoured by the almighty? Nothing that I can see. 'Son of God'... Get out!
Kessler was no better. In one of the most galling examples of sour grapes I have ever had the misfortune of witnessing, he blamed the defeat on everything (the ref, clinching, head butts, hometown decisions) except his own performance. What is it about the Danes lack of decorum in the face of defeat? Their behaviour on internet forums and You Tube following Kessler's loss was pathetic and they really need to learn some magnanimity when things haven't gone their way.
Having said that, there were certainly contentious issues in this fight. First off, why was the ref American? Kessler's camp raised an issue with this in the build up to the fight - it infringed the Super Six contracts - and assurances were made that the ref would be Swedish yet, inexplicably, American Jack Reiss oversaw the fight.
This controversy was compounded by Reiss' performance. He did nothing to clamp down on Ward's repeated illegal use of the head and he aided the hometown fighter by rarely breaking up the American's repeated clinching. I have never seen a ref so reluctant to break up a clinch. This clearly upset Kessler's rhythm and it's no secret he hates fighting on the inside.
Despite the head butts and the clinching, it was Ward's superior boxing that proved decisive however. He was simply the better man on the day. Furthermore, head butts, though technically illegal, are part and parcel of the game. Boxers will utilize every tactic they can to gain an advantage. Look at Evander Holyfield and Bernard Hopkins - they have been getting away with it for years. This isn't snooker or golf with players calling fouls on themselves, this is professional fighting. Boxers have to cope with opponents' dirty tactics and use some of their own for good measure. The only unseemly aspect is Ward's religious moralising post-fight when he previously used such illegal moves in the ring.
Many analysts have suggested that the Kessler we saw against Ward was a shadow of the man we are accustomed to. Showtime described his performance as a very 'flat.' There might be something in that. Since losing to Joe Calzaghe in 2007 he had only fought three fights, so maybe there was an element of ring rust. However I think the biggest factor was Ward's superiority - he simply made Kessler look bad.
Next up Ward will face Arthur Abraham and Kessler will have to pick himself up and face Nottingham's Carl Froch. The Super Six is such a brilliant tournament, every fight is so intriguing and my interest has only increased after the first round. Bring it on!
With the first round of matches in the Super Six now complete it is the Americans who have provided the surprises. Going into the tournament most analysts viewed the winner as a tossup between any of the three Europeans but it is the two Andre's who have made people sit up and take note. Even in defeat, Andre Dirrell demonstrated blinding speed and flashy technique (shame about the tactics) while Ward has just dethroned the super middleweight king in a display brimming with confidence and ability that belied his tender years.
The opening two rounds were a cagey affair but Ward still managed to assert his dominance. The sharpness and speed of his combo's were too much for the Dane, who could only offer an ineffective jab in return and his big right was nowhere to be seen. Still, Kessler often takes a couple of rounds to acclimatise while charting his opponents' demise, so there was no cause for undue alarm.
His fans certainly must have hoped so but the third proved no different to the opening two and as the fight progressed into the fourth it was clear that Kessler was in trouble. A minute in, Ward landed a beautiful combo starting with two shots to the body then a big left hook to the head. He followed that up with two big right hooks later in the round while the Dane was unable to pull off anything of note.
The trend continued into the fifth; Ward's headwork, movement and repeated stance changes totally frustrated Kessler. He was unable to find his range or any kind of rhythm. All the meaningful shots were landed by the American.
The sixth and seventh saw Ward lose his composure. He repeatedly lunged headfirst at Kessler while throwing scrappy shots and the opportunities were there for 'The Viking Warrior' to land a punch that could change the direction of the fight but he was unable to capitalize. Indeed, in the final minute of the seventh he threw a monstrous left hook on the break that could have knocked Ward clean out but it was so wild and telegraphed that the American easily ducked it. It was a tangible indication of frustration.
In Kessler's corner before the eighth his body language was that of a beaten man but things were about to get a whole lot worse for him. Ward's repeated head-lunging finally opened up a nasty cut above his right eye, which bore all the hallmarks of a fight-ending injury, though the ref didn't spot it.
Gamely he fought on, but the pattern remained much the same as in earlier rounds; Ward's speed proved decisive in landing flashy combos while his movement and clinching prevented his opponent from gaining any foothold in the fight.
In the tenth another head butt from Ward - this one even more shocking and damaging than the last - opened up a cut above Kessler's other eye. This clash of heads did not go unnoticed but the ref ruled it accidental.
Going into the 11th, Kessler's face was a real mess. The cuts were severe and his trainer asked him - not for the first time - if he wanted to quit. Admirably he fought on, still trying to find a home for the big right that had eluded him all night, but midway through the round the ref took the decision out of his hands and stopped the fight on cuts following doctor's orders. He ruled the head butt, which he spotted, as being decisive so the fight went prematurely to the scorecards (as opposed to a TKO victory) with Ward winning comprehensively; 98-92 on two cards and 97 - 93 on the other.
In the post-fight interviews Ward was gracious in victory calling Kessler "a super champion." He should have left it at that, instead he had to spoil it all by spouting his rabid and arrogant religious views. Does he fail to see that by suggesting his victory wass assured because God is on his side he is thereby inferring that God was not on his opponent's side? What is so special about Ward that he is so favoured by the almighty? Nothing that I can see. 'Son of God'... Get out!
Kessler was no better. In one of the most galling examples of sour grapes I have ever had the misfortune of witnessing, he blamed the defeat on everything (the ref, clinching, head butts, hometown decisions) except his own performance. What is it about the Danes lack of decorum in the face of defeat? Their behaviour on internet forums and You Tube following Kessler's loss was pathetic and they really need to learn some magnanimity when things haven't gone their way.
Having said that, there were certainly contentious issues in this fight. First off, why was the ref American? Kessler's camp raised an issue with this in the build up to the fight - it infringed the Super Six contracts - and assurances were made that the ref would be Swedish yet, inexplicably, American Jack Reiss oversaw the fight.
This controversy was compounded by Reiss' performance. He did nothing to clamp down on Ward's repeated illegal use of the head and he aided the hometown fighter by rarely breaking up the American's repeated clinching. I have never seen a ref so reluctant to break up a clinch. This clearly upset Kessler's rhythm and it's no secret he hates fighting on the inside.
Despite the head butts and the clinching, it was Ward's superior boxing that proved decisive however. He was simply the better man on the day. Furthermore, head butts, though technically illegal, are part and parcel of the game. Boxers will utilize every tactic they can to gain an advantage. Look at Evander Holyfield and Bernard Hopkins - they have been getting away with it for years. This isn't snooker or golf with players calling fouls on themselves, this is professional fighting. Boxers have to cope with opponents' dirty tactics and use some of their own for good measure. The only unseemly aspect is Ward's religious moralising post-fight when he previously used such illegal moves in the ring.
Many analysts have suggested that the Kessler we saw against Ward was a shadow of the man we are accustomed to. Showtime described his performance as a very 'flat.' There might be something in that. Since losing to Joe Calzaghe in 2007 he had only fought three fights, so maybe there was an element of ring rust. However I think the biggest factor was Ward's superiority - he simply made Kessler look bad.
Next up Ward will face Arthur Abraham and Kessler will have to pick himself up and face Nottingham's Carl Froch. The Super Six is such a brilliant tournament, every fight is so intriguing and my interest has only increased after the first round. Bring it on!
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