Calzaghe - Kessler

Just starting. Couldn't find anywhere to watch it.

Will have to listen to 5live.

Round 1 to Kessler according to the bbc.

Round 2 to Kessler according to the bbc...

Nah, Calzaghe just shaded round 1. Kessler had a good ten second spell in the 2nd but I scored it even. Round 3 deffo JCs, although I don't like the way he's trying to take the pish.

Bolo punch!!! Wish I'd seen that!

Doesn't sound good for Joe so far:


Round Four: Kessler comes swarming back, hurting Calzaghe with a big right cross before shaking the Welshman with two booming right uppercuts. Anxious times for Calzaghe - that was all about survival. Classy from Kessler and the Danish fans have found their voice. BBC score: Calzaghe 9-10 Kessler

Kessler tagged him with three beauties in that round and Joe looked rattled.

Round 5 to JC, just!

FFS. Wish I could watch this. Have to watch it on the toob tomorrow.

Round Six: It's not the brawl some expected but again it's Calzaghe nicking it on work-rate. Calzaghe has heeded the advice of his corner and decided not to go boring in with his head low, instead fighting from range and controlling things with his right-hand lead. BBC score: Calzaghe 57-57 Kessler


Good stuff. Calzaghe can never seem to resist a brawl if his opponent is up for it too. Looks like he'll have to here.

Another to JC. Me no understand, Kessler really hurt Calzaghe and looked like he could take control. Why he's gone back into his shell is anybodies guess.

Round 7 to Kessler. Maybe Kesslers taking it easy knowing he can take him out later on. Good fight.

Nooo. Come on Joe.

What a round. Kessler early then it's toe to toe for 30 seconds at the end of the round. I'm biased but JC shades it for me.

Round 9 even but a late flourish at the end might have Calzaghe shading it.

As far as I can tell it seems to be quantity vs quality. Joe throwing and landing lots of punches. Kessler throwing a few power punches and usually landing.

Depends if the judges want to favour Joe's flurries or Kessler's big macs.

Round 10 even for me.

Interestingly, before the start of the 10th the HBO boys covering the fight for America had Calzaghe 5 rounds ahead!

Kessler looks like he's shot his bolt. A boxing masterclass by JC. Only a KO can win it for Kessler now... surely???

The legend has almost sealed the deal. Kessler needs a knockout.

Kessler wins the last round after going for broke. But it aint enough.

Wow. Calzaghe landed 1010 punches. I think Mayweather landed about 300 against OScar De La Hoya, if memory serves.

Phenomenal workrate. Nay bad for a 35 year old.

One judge had Calzaghe winning by 6 rounds, the other two judges by 4. Myself I thought it was a bit closer than that. Or did I just over-react to every good punch Kessler threw?

One of the more entertaining fights I've seen for a while...
Kessler rocked Calzaghe with a couple of brutal right handers early on and in the middle but there wasn't much else. It was fairly even for the first half, but Calzaghe reverted to staying on the back foot and letting Kessler fall short and hitting him on the counter. Calzaghe showed just how much class and nous he has.

Next up Bernard Hopkins? Love. It.

Quality fight. Was hard to know how good Kessler was as he'd only fought two World Class opponents. But he's damn good. Got Calzaghe with loads of good right hand counter-punches but Joe stopped being silly and gave him a master class in boxing. The bloke is amazing and he showed what a good chin he's got - I've seen some of those punches, mainly the uppercuts, from Kessler shake some of his opponents properly and him needing just one more punch to finish it off. It was pretty much all class from Calzaghe, good switch-hitting, good counter-punching, good range fighting.

Seems like it will be Bernard Hopkins and light-heavy. Will be interesting to see how Calzaghe is there, he reckons he'll be even better. I'm actually inclined to agree, his chin is rock solid, he always loses some strength getting down to 12 stone and it's quite amazing he can do it at the age of 35 - his punches will be harder and he probably wont lose any speed or stamina. It pretty much means that someone will have to knock him out to beat him.

Enzo Maccerone and Cheese also looked a bit special on the undercard.