NEW YORK (November 17, 2009) – The Mikkel Kessler vs. Andre Ward fight will be televised live on SHOWTIME from Oracle Arena, in Oakland, California, on Saturday, Nov. 21, beginning at 10p.m. (ET/PT) (delayed on the West Coast). The Kessler-Ward fight is part of the historic inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic, a six fighter, round-robin tournament featuring the class of the Super Middleweight division from home and abroad. Five of the world’s top boxing promoters have collaborated with SHOWTIME Sports® to facilitate this epic tournament. Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment, Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor Promotions, Mick Hennessy of Hennessy Sports, Gary Shaw of Gary Shaw Productions LLC and Wilfried and Kalle Sauerland of Sauerland Event will promote the tournament which began October 17th and runs through spring 2011..
Kessler, Ward Attend Raiders Game
San Francisco (Nov. 15, 2009) – The Viking Warrior is in town! WBA Super-Middleweight Champion Mikkel Kessler arrived in San Francisco in the early hours of Sunday morning. He left Sacramento after watching the Pacquiao-Cotto clash. “That was a great fight,” he said. “I have the utmost of respect for both fighters. They really put on a great show.” Kessler will take on Oakland hero Andre Ward in their hotly-anticipated Super Six World Boxing Classic opening clash next Saturday. Today he caught a first glimpse at the Oracle Arena when he and his team attended the NFL Game between the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Coliseum.
“The atmosphere was great,” Kessler said. “It was the first time I watched an NFL game live and I really enjoyed it. The fans were very passionate and enthusiastic – I was really impressed. To us Europeans, American Football is a complex sport because we are not so much into the rules, but as soon as you get the idea, it is really entertaining. Speaking of entertainment, you could once again see that the Americans are great when it comes down to organising events. They know how to entertain the fans. I am sure my fight with Andre Ward will also be very entertaining.”
On Monday, Kessler and Andre Ward will hold an open training session in Oakland. “Things have been going great in practice,” Kessler added. “My physical shape could not be better. Now it is just about keeping up the form until I enter the ring on Saturday.”
Oakland’s Andre Ward also mingled with fans and watched his hometown team the Raiders fall to the Kansas City Chiefs 16-10 at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday.
For more information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic including exclusive videos, photography, expert analysis from Al Bernstein and Steve Farhood, and much more please visit www.WorldBoxingClassic.