Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler II: Preview & Prediction

09/14/201605/21/2013 Geoffrey Ciani

Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler When Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch (30-2, 22 KOs) squares off against ‘Viking Warrior’ Mikkel Kessler (46-2, 35 KOs) for the second time this Saturday, it will have been more than three years since their first grueling encounter in Group Stage 2 of the Super Six Boxing Classic. That contest unquestionably represented the most compelling and entertaining match-up in the entire super middleweight tournament, and there is good reason to believe the rematch will be an equally competitive battle that rivals, or perhaps even surpasses, the original. Froch and Kessler are still both universally recognized as two of the very best 168 pound boxers in the world, just as they were on April 24, 2010 when Kessler was awarded a hard fought unanimous decision on his home turf in Denmark. What can we expect this time from these two proven warriors? Will ‘The Cobra’ strike the Dane with a lethal bite, or will ‘The Viking’ savagely slay the serpent?

Carl Froch has fought five times since he faced Kessler, going 4-1 during that stretch, while Mikkel has won all three of his bouts. Of course the lone loss suffered by Froch was at the hands of Andre Ward, who is widely viewed as an elite pound-for-pound talent on par with Floyd Mayweather Junior. No shame there. Kessler himself was soundly beaten by Ward previously. The fact that Froch bounced back from the loss with an impressive brutal knockout against Lucian Bute holds far greater importance when searching for clues to explore that might give us some indication of what to expect on Saturday.

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Groves has good idea who’ll win between Froch and Kessler on Saturday

05/21/201305/21/2013 Michael Collins

kessler#11 Unbeaten George Groves sparred with both IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch and WBA champion Mikkel Kessler, and he feels knows who’s going to be the clear winner on Saturday night based on his sparring sessions. He won’t say who it’ll be though, but you can guess that Kessler will be the guy that comes out on top in this one.

Groves said to the telegraph.co.uk “I’ve sparred with both. I spared with Carl before his first fight with Kessler in 2010. I suppose I’ve had a better look at both of them than most have, and for me there’s a clear winner, but I can’t really share. It wouldn’t be fair to the lads.”

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Froch brands Groves and Cleverly “Bitter and Jealous”

05/21/201305/20/2013 Jack Scales

froch922 Boxing fans should already be aware that on Saturday the 25th of May, Nottinghamshire warrior, Carl Froch, will be fighting in his long awaited rematch with Mikkel Kessler at the 02 Arena. The first bout was a captivating toe to toe war and it is believed that this Super Middleweight contest will also be a battle for the ages.

In the build up to the fight there have been no real hiccups. This is a far cry from the volcanic ash cloud fiasco, one that Froch rather dubiously blamed for his loss in their 2010 match-up. However, there has still been some room for dissatisfaction in the Froch camp. He is allegedly enraged by George Groves’s and Nathan Cleverly’s decision to assist Kessler in sparring. As a result, has labelled the duo “bitter and jealous” in a cutting tirade of abuse.

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Magee: Kessler will beat Froch again

05/21/201305/20/2013 Michael Collins

Kessler#14 Former WBA super middleweight champion Brian Magee is picking the current WBA 168 lb. champion Mikkel Kessler (46-2, 35 KO’s) to beat IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KO’s) this Saturday night in their pay per view fight at the O2 Arena in London, UK.

Magee has fought both guys in the past, and he feels that Kessler is the far better fighter of the two.

Magee said to Sky Sports News “I think Kessler’s going to outbox him…he knows how to beat him, he has beaten him before and this time he is going to beat him better.”

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Calzaghe predicting Froch victory over Kessler

04/08/201304/07/2013 Jeff Sorby

kessler43 Joe Calzaghe knows a thing or two about WBA super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler (46-2, 35 KO’s) after having beaten him by a 12 round unanimous decision in a grueling fight in 2007. After watching some of his recent fights, Calzaghe believes that Kessler’s physical skills have deteriorated enough since their 2007 to where he’s now vulnerable to losing to IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KO’s) in their rematch on May 25th in London at the O2 Arena.

Kessler, 34, is a year younger than the 35-year-old Froch, but Calzaghe thinks Froch is the physically younger fighter now and is still at the peak of his career going into his rematch with Kessler.

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Froch will find out this week who his next opponent will be

09/14/201601/08/2013 ESB

froch3232 By Michael Collins: IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KO’s) will learn this week which guy he’ll be facing next – Mikkel Kessler or Adonis Stevenson. Froch, 36, has made it no secret that he wants the rematch with Kessler next, as he lost to the Dane by a 12 round unanimous decision in April 2010 and he’s been bugged about the loss ever since.

Froch thinks he should have won the fight but boxing fans as a whole disagree and saw Kessler as the rightful winner. The Kessler rematch, if it can be made, will give Froch and Kessler a $2 million payday. That’s good money for super middleweight. It’s obviously not even close to the kind of cash that superstars like Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. rake in each time they fight, but then again Kessler and Froch aren’t on the radar screen in terms of worldwide popularity like those two talented fighters.

Froch told the Nottingham Post “We should know something in the next few days. If the Kessler fight is finalized we can apply for an exemption from the IBF. If we have to give up the belt to fight Kessler, so be it.”

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Adonis Stevenson will have to step aside for Froch/Kessler II

01/03/201301/02/2013 ESB

stevenson34 By Joseph Herron: On October 12th, 1012, Super Middleweight contender Adonis “Superman” Stevenson knocked out Donovan George in spectacular fashion in the final round of a very entertaining twelve round slugfest to become the IBF mandatory opponent for current 168 pound title holder Carl “The Cobra” Froch.

According IBF bi-laws, Froch was given 90 days to negotiate a title defense with the number one contender after dispatching Yusaf Mack in three rounds on November 17th, 2012, in Nottingham, England.

But now, according to a spokesperson for the IBF, Adonis will have to step aside and wait until a unification bout between WBA title holder Mikkel Kessler and the incumbent IBF champ takes place.

“Usually, a mandatory defense is required of the reigning IBF Champion ninety days after a voluntary title defense,” stated a spokesperson for the International Boxing Federation. “But a unification bout always takes precedence over a mandatory defense upon request from the reigning champion.”

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Froch: I’ll be at my best when I face Kessler in 2013

12/28/201212/26/2012 ESB

By Michael Collins: IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch doesn’t believe he was at his best when he was beaten by Mikkel Kessler in 2010, and Andre Ward in 2011. Something got in the way of both fights that kept Froch from being 100%. However, Froch believes he was firing on all cylinders when he stopped IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute in May of this year to grab his IBF title. Forch also thinks he was 100% when he beat Yusaf Mack recently in Nottingham.

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