Weights from Denmark:
WBA Super-Middleweight Title – Mikkel Kessler: 76,0 kg vs Gusmyr Perdomo: 75,8 kg
WBA/WBC Female Welterweight Title – Cecilia Braekhus: 66,2 kg vs Lucia Morelli: 64,5 kg
The stage is set for a historic night of boxing: “We are thrilled to stage the first of many big fight nights in Denmark and the whole of Scandinavia,” Kalle Sauerland said at today´s press conference at MCH Herning. Danish national hero Mikkel Kessler (41-1, 31 KOs) will defend his WBA Super-Middleweight Title against mandatory challenger Gusmyr Perdomo (16-2, 10 KOs) on Saturday night before participating in the hotly-anticipated Super Six World Boxing Classic. U.S. premium TV network SHOWTIME will be airing the fight on a special Saturday primetime edition of ShoBox: The New Generation at 10 p.m. ET/PT (same day tape delay). Right afterwards, SHOWTIME will be airing the clash between Super Six World Boxing Classic contestant Andre Ward and Shelby Pudwill live..
In Herning, the Viking Warrior will make his first fight in 10 months and the first in Denmark since his KO victory over Dimitri Sartison back in June 2008. The public interest has been gigantic. Almost 90 percent of the tickets were sold within 24 hours.
A sell-out crowd of 6.150 fans will attend the clash. The Danish newspapers have dedicated countless of sports pages to their hero. “I am very grateful for the support of my fans in Denmark,” Kessler said. “I will pay back their confidence with a great performance. Of course there is a risk in taking this fight before the Super Six, but I am not the kind of guy who is avoiding risks. I am confident of success against Perdomo.” Kessler will have long-time coach Ricard Olsen and Jimmy Montoya in his corner. “Mikkel is in great shape,” Montoya said. “He hits very hard. He is a very dedicated student and he will win on Saturday. I never predict KOs, but I don´t think the fight will go the distance.”
Meanwhile, Perdomo coach Michael Timm believes his boxer got what it takes to spring a surprise. “Mikkel is a great champion but Gusmyr is here to take home the title. It is nothing unusual for us to go abroad and return with the belt. Gusmyr is in the shape of his life for the fight of his life. He can certainly pull off a major upset here.” And Perdomo added: “I am pleased to be here and I look forward to fighting Mikkel Kessler. He is a great fighter, a great champion. But this fight means so much to me. I am not intimidated by the sell-out crowd and the Kessler fans. I can beat him. And I will prove that on Saturday.”
Mikkel Kessler, Perdomo work-out in Denmark – Video and Report
Mikkel Kessler received a rocking reception from his home crowd in Denmark today when he conducted an open training session in the city centre of Herning. The Viking Warrior (41-1, 31 KOs) puts his WBA Super-Middleweight Title on the line against mandatory challenger Gusmyr Perdomo on Saturday. U.S. premium TV network SHOWTIME will be airing the fight on a special Saturday primetime edition of ShoBox: The New Generation at 10 p.m. ET/PT (same day tape delay). “It is great to be here and I look forward to fighting in front of my fans,” Kessler said. “There is a lot of pressure on me, especially with the Super Six tournament coming up, but I love pressure. This fight is of tremendous importance for me. Perdomo has worked very hard to get his chance and he is challenging me for the title. But I will defeat him. I am in great shape.”
Kessler is set to take on Andre Ward, whose September 12 fight against Shelby Pudwill will also be aired on SHOWTIME, in the first round of the Super Six World Boxing Classic. However, his full focus is on Perdomo. “I am only thinking about him,” Kessler added. “I am taking one step at a time.” When asked about the fact that Perdomo (16-2, 10 KOs) has never been stopped before, Kessler replied with a smile: “Then I will have to be the first one to do just that.”
The Danish national hero only underwent a light work-out inside the ring on the town square in Herning, which is located 200 miles north of Hamburg and 190 miles west of Copenhagen. “I am ready for Perdomo,” he said before leaving the ring and signing lots of autographs.
Perdomo did not spend much time in the ring either. After a quick round of padwork with Michael Timm, he was done. “Mikkel is a great champion and I really enjoy watching him in the ring,” Timm said. “But we are here to win the title.” And the challenger added: “I have worked very hard. Kessler is a great boxer but this is the biggest fight of my career. We have analysed him closely and know how to beat him. But that will remain our secret until Saturday.”
Public Training on Twitter: http://twitter.com/teamsauerland
Kessler-Perdomo, Ward-Pudwill on Special Edition of ShoBox, This Saturday on SHOWTIME
An incredible fall lineup for boxing kicks off this Saturday on SHOWTIME® with a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
SHOWTIME will televise the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight Championship between defending champ Mikkel Kessler and challenger Gusmyr Perdomo on same-day coverage from Herning, Denmark.
Immediately following Kessler vs. Perdomo, SHOWTIME will air a LIVE 10-round Super Middleweight bout between unbeaten U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward and Shelby Pudwill from Temecula, Calif. Kessler and Ward will face each other later this fall (Nov. 21) in the first stage of SHOWTIME Sports’ groundbreaking tournament, the Super Six World Boxing Classic, a six-fighter tournament featuring the class of the super middleweight division.