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Mikkel Kessler announces his retirement


WelshDevilRob
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The Great Dane announced that he will no longer box in a tweet on the social media site Twitter.

 

No reason given by the 36-year-old 'Viking Warrior' but a good move, as he has been inactive since May, 2013. Has had a fantastic career and compiled an impressive 46-3 record which includes wins over Anthony Mundine, Eric Lucas, Markus Beyer, Librado Andrade, Carl Froch and Allan Green during four reigns as World Super-middleweight champion.

 

Not too many fighters capture the hearts of opposition fans but Mikkel has always been treated with the highest regard and respect.

 

What are your thoughts on his retirement and his overall career?

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Re: Mikkel Kessler announces his retirement

 

Fair play to him - a fairly ordinary career until the Calzaghe fight, when he really seemed to come of age. After that, he was up there with the very best in the division, but it was obvious by the time of the Froch rematch that he wasn't the same fighter. In some ways I'm impressed he didn't go for the cash-grab of a Froch rubber match - he'd have lost handily but he'd earned the right to a rematch if he wanted it.

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Re: Mikkel Kessler announces his retirement

 

As I read on the BBC he'd mentioned something along the lines of keeping up with his training regime. This is a small red flag that he isn't completely giving it up though he does also allude to the fact he hasn't the hunger anymore.

 

Hopefully he does stay retired though. I think that defeat to Calzaghe made his career, and fair play, he had some good fights against big names and ended with a good record.

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Re: Mikkel Kessler announces his retirement

 

I wouldn't say that his post Calzaghe career was better than prior to it. Outside of Froch he didn't beat anyone of note. Good fighter though and might have done better against Ward if he hadn't been fouled all through the fight.

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Re: Mikkel Kessler announces his retirement

 

Kessler was just a good good fighter who was like a machine, he just destroyed everyone except the two very best he faced: Calzaghe and Ward. Froch is lucky he didn't fight Mikkel until after his prime, he would be stopped for sure! :boxing: Because Mikkel was patient, didn't throw unnecessary shots, he'd pace himself and wait to land the right punch, unlike Froch who was always a wild swinger really.

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Re: Mikkel Kessler announces his retirement

 

A wise decision. The fight he really wanted never materelized. He could not get Ward out of the backyard. In Denmark Ward would´nt have had a chance and on neutral ground, Las Vegas, Germany, Monaco or Dubai - Kessler would´ve gone out the winner.

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Re: Mikkel Kessler announces his retirement

 

Goodbye, Viking Warrior.

 

I would've liked to see Kessler go out on a winning note, but I can see his motive for retiring. Why fight pointless fights after so many years of fighting the best and producing excitement? Like anyone else, he's had a showcase now and then but he's brought himself to a point where I can easily see why he would rather hang up the gloves than do the title eliminators, box for alphabet titles, ect. He would have been more than entitled to his trilogy with Carl Froch, but Froch himself is ambivalent about his boxing career. Ward is inactive. I doubt Chavez Jr would take the risk. Anthony Dirrell has other bouts on his mind. So, I can see where Mikkel's frustrations stem from. It's great to see him leave with his health and body preserved for future endeavors.

 

Even if he would be more than capable of tackling another run. Needless to say, it's refreshing to see a man go out of this sport on his own terms. That always seems to be just as much of a privilege as taking part in competition.

 

Thanks for the memories.

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