Maple Leaf
Mentor
Tonight's fight on HBO in Denmark featuring Mikkel Kessler and Mexican Limbrado Andrade showed that boxers can have a furiously fierce and intense fight but maintain respect and admiration for each other.
From their weigh-in to their post-fight interviews both fighters behaved well by never insulting or making contemptuous remarks about the other. They fought a clean fight: no head butting, no elbows, no thumbs, no throws or tripping, no gouging with the inside of gloves, no low blows, and no taunting or spitting. Just clean shots from both fighters and the best man, Kessler, won.
At the beginning of the final round, the 12th round, Andrade and Kessler hugged each other, and then Kessler went back to work pounding on Andrade, trying to knock him out. Andrade has a chin like Marciano, and Kessler didn't loose any stock by not knocking him out. The post-fight comments were really impressive by both men. Andrade said he is a "time collector" and he was "happy to be around all of these people", adding that Kessler is "a great boxer but I could not pass up on this opportunity" -meaning he thought he would get beat but he was game anyway. And boy was he game. Kellerman, one of the HBO colour commentators, and on his best behaviour this night as well, compared Andrade to Randy "Tex" Cobb, and I would say that is a fair comparison.
Kessler, during his post fight interview with HBO, said something like "my God, that guy was so tough," sounding like The Terminator when he spoke. He looks like The Terminator as well. When asked by Kellerman who he would like to fight next he said, in such a complimentary way, "Oh, Calzaghe," and added: "Calzaghe come and fight me...if you dare!" When Kessler speaks about himself he is proud, confident, and fair. He proves that you don't have to be an ******* like a Floyd Mayweather or a Roy Jones Jr. when you are a star.
The difference between athletes like Klitschko or Kessler, and Mayweather or Jones Jr. is that the first two are famous and the second two are infamous. Most fan interest around Klitschko and Kessler is to see them win, fan interest around Mayweather and Jones Jr. is to see them lose.
On this fine night of exciting action and sportsmanship, even the HBO crew must be given a tip of the hat. Kellerman was fair and observant, Letterman scored correctly and showed no bias in any way, and Many Stewart, well if he isn't the most likeable black American in boxing I don't know who is and he had nothing but praise for Kessler all night.
Lastly, with regards to the fight itself, I though Kessler was going to have some trouble with Andrade's reach and size and the fact that Kessler would be forced to fight up rather than down as he has been used to for many fights. He fought hands up with straight shots and stepped inside and out so well that the reach and size of Andrade was negated. Actually Andrade does not use his reach very well anyway and Kessler's handlers probably knew that through video research. I think Tarver, Hopkins, and Wright would all get a blasting if they fought this machine. Somehow I doubt Kessler will ever get the change to fight those guys.
Edited by: Maple Leaf
From their weigh-in to their post-fight interviews both fighters behaved well by never insulting or making contemptuous remarks about the other. They fought a clean fight: no head butting, no elbows, no thumbs, no throws or tripping, no gouging with the inside of gloves, no low blows, and no taunting or spitting. Just clean shots from both fighters and the best man, Kessler, won.
At the beginning of the final round, the 12th round, Andrade and Kessler hugged each other, and then Kessler went back to work pounding on Andrade, trying to knock him out. Andrade has a chin like Marciano, and Kessler didn't loose any stock by not knocking him out. The post-fight comments were really impressive by both men. Andrade said he is a "time collector" and he was "happy to be around all of these people", adding that Kessler is "a great boxer but I could not pass up on this opportunity" -meaning he thought he would get beat but he was game anyway. And boy was he game. Kellerman, one of the HBO colour commentators, and on his best behaviour this night as well, compared Andrade to Randy "Tex" Cobb, and I would say that is a fair comparison.
Kessler, during his post fight interview with HBO, said something like "my God, that guy was so tough," sounding like The Terminator when he spoke. He looks like The Terminator as well. When asked by Kellerman who he would like to fight next he said, in such a complimentary way, "Oh, Calzaghe," and added: "Calzaghe come and fight me...if you dare!" When Kessler speaks about himself he is proud, confident, and fair. He proves that you don't have to be an ******* like a Floyd Mayweather or a Roy Jones Jr. when you are a star.
The difference between athletes like Klitschko or Kessler, and Mayweather or Jones Jr. is that the first two are famous and the second two are infamous. Most fan interest around Klitschko and Kessler is to see them win, fan interest around Mayweather and Jones Jr. is to see them lose.
On this fine night of exciting action and sportsmanship, even the HBO crew must be given a tip of the hat. Kellerman was fair and observant, Letterman scored correctly and showed no bias in any way, and Many Stewart, well if he isn't the most likeable black American in boxing I don't know who is and he had nothing but praise for Kessler all night.
Lastly, with regards to the fight itself, I though Kessler was going to have some trouble with Andrade's reach and size and the fact that Kessler would be forced to fight up rather than down as he has been used to for many fights. He fought hands up with straight shots and stepped inside and out so well that the reach and size of Andrade was negated. Actually Andrade does not use his reach very well anyway and Kessler's handlers probably knew that through video research. I think Tarver, Hopkins, and Wright would all get a blasting if they fought this machine. Somehow I doubt Kessler will ever get the change to fight those guys.
Edited by: Maple Leaf
