Mikkel Kessler

Mikkel Kessler
Data
Birth Name	Mikkel Kessler
Fight name	Viking Warrior
Weight class	Super middleweight
nationality	Danish
birthday	March 1, 1979
place of birth	Copenhagen
style	Left delivery
size	1.85 m
Combat Statistics
Struggles	49
Victories	46
Knockout victories	35
Defeats	3

Mikkel Kessler (born March 1, 1979 in Copenhagen , Denmark ) is a former Danish professional boxer and former and multiple world champion of the WBA and WBC in super middleweight.

amateur

Kessler's amateur career lasted from February 1993 to February 1998. He played 47 fights, of which he won 44, 22 of them prematurely. In 1994 and 1995 he was Danish Junior Champion and in 1996 and 1997 Danish Junior Champion.

His greatest international success came in 1995 during the European Cadet Championships (U-17) when he won the gold medal in the light welterweight division.

As an amateur, he defeated the later very successful professionals Spend Abazi , Lukáš Konečný and Sebastian Sylvester, among others .

Professional career

In 1998 Kessler turned professional and won his first fight on March 20 by knockout in the first round against the undefeated American Kelly Mays (6-0). He was also able to win his next 28 fights, 21 of them prematurely. The defeated opponents included Sammy Sparkman (7-0), Dean Martin (11-1), NABF champion Jaime Balboa, Tony Menefee (72-8), IBF World Championship challenger Miguel Julio (32-4) and ex- IBO World Champion Manny Sobral (24-1). These numerous successes opened up his first title chances.

On November 29, 2002, he defeated the three-time world champion Dingaan Thobela (40-9) unanimously on points and thus became the IBA title holder . In his next fight on April 11, 2003, he boxed for the WBC International Championship against Craig Cummings (51-4) and won by knockout in the third round. He then defended the title by knocking out in the ninth round against Henry Porras (26-1), knocking out in the first round against ex-WBA world champion Julio César Green and knocking out in the eleventh Round against Andre Thysse (15-3).

On November 12, 2004 he boxed in Copenhagen for the WBA World Championship against Manny Siaca from Puerto Rico. Kessler clearly dominated the fight and finally won prematurely by giving up his opponent after the seventh round. He then defended the title in June 2005 unanimously on points against the Australian Anthony Mundine (23-2) and in January 2006 by knockout in the tenth round against the Canadian Éric Lucas (38-6).

On October 14, 2006, he boxed in a title union in Copenhagen against WBC world champion Markus Beyer (34-2), was clearly superior and won in the third round by knockout. He was then able to defend both world championship belts unanimously on points against the undefeated Mexican Librado Andrade (24-0) in March 2007 .

In the title unification fight on November 3, 2007 in Cardiff against WBO world champion Joe Calzaghe (43-0), Kessler had to accept a point defeat after a powerful and aggressive duel. He suffered the first defeat of his professional career in his 40th fight. But already on June 21, 2008 he boxed again for the vacant WBA World Championship against the new, undefeated title holder Dimitri Sartison (22-0) and won by knockout in the twelfth round. He defeated the German challenger Danilo Häußler (29-3) in October 2008 by knockout in the third round. Against Gusmyr Perdomo (16-2) from Venezuela, he was able to defend his title in September 2009 by knocking out in the fourth round.

He then took part as one of two reigning world champions in the super middleweight tournament “ Super Six World Boxing Classic ” organized by Sauerland in cooperation with the US TV broadcaster Showtime . Having started as a favorite in the tournament, he lost his first tournament fight on November 21, 2009, not without controversy, against the US Olympic champion and undefeated professional Andre Ward (20-0). Due to a headbutt by Ward in the eleventh round, Kessler suffered a bleeding cut injury, which led to the referee breaking off the fight. After evaluating the score sheet on which Ward was in the lead at that time, he was declared the winner.

Kessler played his second fight as part of the tournament on April 24, 2010 in Herning against the previously undefeated WBC world champion Carl Froch (26-0) from Great Britain. The encounter with the strong Brit Kessler was able to win unanimously on points due to his boxing advantages; He won the WBC title of his opponent and also secured the first points for the tournament standings. But on August 25, 2010, he announced his exit from the tournament, the reason given was an eye injury.

He only returned to the ring in June 2011 and knocked out Frenchman Mehdi Bouadla (22-3) in the sixth round; he was then declared by the WBO to their European champion. On May 19, 2012 he defeated the American Allan Green (31-3) by knockout in the fourth round. On December 8, 2012, he won another WBA world title fight against Brian Magee (36-4) prematurely in the third round.

On May 25, 2013, he played a rematch against Carl Froch (30-2) in London, which he was defeated this time on points.

successes

Amateur balance

44 wins - 3 losses

• October 10, 1993: 1st place at the HSK Box Cup
• 0November 6, 1993: 1st place at the Skive Box Cup
• 0February 5, 1994: Seeland Youth Champion
• 0March 5, 1994: Danish youth champion
• October 16, 1994: 1st place at the HSK Box Cup
• 0February 5, 1995: Seeland youth champion
• March 11, 1995: Danish youth champion
• October 22, 1995: European Champion (U-17)
• January 10, 1996: 1st place in the Hvidovre Box Cup
• January 14, 1996: Zealand Junior Champion
• 0February 3, 1996: Danish Junior Champion
• March 24, 1996: Nordic Junior Champion
• October 12, 1996: 1st place at the HSK Box Cup
• 0February 1, 1997: Zealand Junior Champion
• 0March 8, 1997: Danish Junior Champion
• 0February 1, 1998: Zealand Champion

Profitability

46 wins - 3 losses

• November 29, 2002: IBA World Champion
• April 11, 2003: International Champion of the WBC (3 title defenses)
• November 12, 2004: WBA World Champion (3 title defenses)
• October 14, 2006: WBC World Champion (1 title defense)
• October 14, 2006: By winning the WBC title, his WBA World Championship title is upgraded to WBA “Super World Championship” (1 title defense)
• June 21, 2008: WBA World Champion (2 title defenses)
• April 24, 2010: World Champion of the WBC
• June 4, 2011: WBO European Champion
• May 19, 2012: WBC Silver Light Heavyweight Champion
• December 8, 2012: WBA World Champion

Others

The Danish metal band Volbeat sings about Mikkel Kessler in their song "A Warrior's Call" and portrays him as "The chosen one". Kessler appeared as a guest singer on the Volbeat DVDs Live from Beyond Hell / Above Heaven and Let's Boogie! Live from Telia Parking on.

Mikkel Kessler is the son of a Dane and an Englishwoman from Salisbury . His older sister, Linse Kessler, is a model and actress in Denmark.

Web links

• Mikkel Kessler in the BoxRec database

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.boxen.de/fight/kessler-schlaegt-froch-in-tollem-und-dramatischem-kampf-verdienter-sieg-nach-punkten-3414
2. ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from August 27, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 

predecessor	Office	successor
Manny Siaca	World Super Middleweight Boxing Champion ( WBA ) November 12, 2004 - November 3, 2007	Joe Calzaghe
Markus Beyer	World Super Middleweight Boxing Champion ( WBC ) October 14, 2006 - November 3, 2007	Joe Calzaghe
Anthony Mundine	World Super Middleweight Boxing Champion ( WBA ) June 21, 2008 - November 21, 2009	Andre Ward
Carl Froch	World Super Middleweight Boxing Champion ( WBC ) April 24, 2010 - September 6, 2010	Carl Froch
Brian Magee	Super Middleweight Boxing Champion ( WBA ) December 8, 2012 - May 25, 2013	Carl Froch