Calzaghe relishes Kessler clash

13 April 2012

Mikkel Kessler has been warned he will meet a "special breed of fighter" in his super-middleweight unification showdown against Joe Calzaghe.

A deal was struck to stage the biggest fight in British boxing history at the Millennium Stadium on November 3 with Kessler Calzaghe's toughest opponent yet.

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But Enzo Calzaghe, Joe's trainer and father, has told the Dane there will only be one outcome when the rivals clash in front of 60,000 fans in Cardiff.

"Joe Calzaghe is a special breed. He isn't a normal boxer - he's a special breed of fighter," he said.

"He deserves to be mentioned alongside all the great sportsmen. This is the level of talent we are talking about - someone who is a step up from very good.

"Joe is uniquely gifted and Kessler knows he is boxing someone special. There's no question Joe will win."

Kessler is unbeaten in 39 fights with 29 arriving inside the distance and at 28 he is in the prime of his career.

The WBA and WBC super-middleweight champion's last outing was a one-sided points decision over granite-chinned Mexican Librado Andrade.

Previous to Andrade, Kessler - who has power in both hands and a ramrod jab - snatched Markus Beyer's WBC title with a decisive right hand in the third round.

Enzo Calzaghe respects Kessler's credentials but has urged the Dane to examine his son's stunning victory over Jeff Lacy last year as evidence of how reputations can be ruined.

"Joe's been looking to fight Kessler for a long time. There were times when it was going to happen and times when it wasn't," he said.

"We've prayed for this confirmation and Joe knows he will boxing against someone at his own level.

"Kessler will be one of his biggest opponents. He's top of the tree and this is top drawer stuff. But Lacy was supposed to be the big thing and looked what happened there - Joe turned the pre-fight hype upside down.

"Kessler knows it will be a tough fight. This is not Andrade or Beyer, it's Joe Calzaghe. I have nothing bad to say about Kessler. He's earned what he has. He's a two-time world champion. He deserves respect.

"There are maybe only five other world champions out there today who could top this bill. That's the standard of the fight we are talking about."

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