Andre Ward stunned the boxing world just moments ago by defying the odds to defeat Mikkel Kessler in the Super Six Boxing Classic.
Kessler was cut on several occasions in the fight, a mixture of punches and head clashes, which eventually stopped the fight. Because the fight was stopped due to a cut caused by a clash of heads, the fight went to the scorecards after the doctor called it off. All three judges scored the fight for the new champion, and rightly so.
From the offset Ward kept Kessler guessing by switching his stance and using his jab to keep out of the way from the Dane.
Kessler struggled to find his rhythm and was forced to look for the knockout toward the end of the fight. At the end of one of the rounds Kessler told his corner that he couldn’t see, although they sent him back in telling him he needed the knockout anyway.
Kessler said after the fight that he felt home refereeing as well as deliberate head butts and rabbit punches from Ward were what cost him the fight. Clearly most of the head butts were accidental, and some were caused by Kessler himself struggling with the timing of his shots. Head butts aside though Kessler struggled with Ward and was taken out of his element by the quick American. The judges scores were 98-92, 97-93 and 98-92 again and with it Andre Ward takes the WBA super middleweight title.
Abraham still leads the tournament standings due to getting a knockout over Jermain Taylor, but Ward should now be the favorite to win the tournament. Ward next takes on Jermain Taylor, who is reportedly not retiring until after the tournament is over. Mikkel Kessler next takes on the Carl Frotch
