As fans may have read, news broke earlier this week that Danish great Mikkel Kessler, one of the best super-middleweights of the past decade or so, is coming out of retirement after almost four years out. Now aged 38 and last seen losing a great rematch battle with British great Carl Froch, Kessler is coming back at 168 pounds.
This news caused quite a stir all by itself, but Froch could be about to make even bigger news: by agreeing to a third fight with the warrior he is currently 1-1 with. Writing in his column for Sky Sports, “The Cobra” said Kessler’s comeback has “really got me thinking!”
“I’ve always said fighters should stay retired but I’ve got to be honest, this has really got me thinking,” Froch said of his rival’s upcoming ring return. “It is 1-1 of course and if anything is going to get me going again – it is a decider with Mikkel Kessler. Of course we need to see what shape Kessler is in. We don’t know what his motivation is – and I am sure you all have your own opinion on that – but this has really got me thinking. Kessler’s coming back at 168 though. Now if he were to do it at light-heavyweight, maybe I would accommodate him. Who knows? Even I don’t at the moment….”
As great as fights one and two were between Froch and Kessler – both going the full 12 rounds and being crammed full of back and forth action – a third clash would likely sell well. And the idea of both Kessler AND Froch coming back maybe isn’t all that far-fetched. Both are of a similar age and both have unfinished business to settle, as far as boxing their decider (as special as the first two rumbles were, there always should have been a rubber-match between these two mutually respectful rivals anyway).
What’s the old boxing adage……’they all come back.’ Kessler is yet another example of how accurate this saying is. Will Froch follow suit?