Photo by Sauerland Event — Mikkel Kessler retained his WBA super-middleweight title with a third-round KO victory over Danilo Haussler. The “Viking Warrior”, who had controlled the first two rounds with his strong jab, landed a crushing left to the head to send the German challenger down and out. “I wanted to be more active in the third round but he punished me immediately for a small mistake,” Haussler stated. “He is a great champion and a very good boxer.”
Kessler was pleased with his performance. “I have watched Danilo on tape and he really is a tough fighter who does not enter the ring to lose. But everything we have trained for worked tonight. I am very happy about the victory.” Wilfried Sauerland believes the 29-year-old Dane is the best super-middleweight in the world. “I still cannot believe he lost to Calzaghe, Mikkel is such a strong fighter,” the manager said. “Both Danilo and Markus Beyer have told me that they have never been up against someone with a harder punch – even through the gloves..”
In the co-featured main event, Marco “Captain” Huck made a successful first defence of his European cruiserweight title by stopping Fabio Tuiach early. The Italian challenger found himself on the canvas after a series of punches in the second round. Huck then followed it up with another barrage, and when Tuiach was caught in the ropes, the referee stepped in. “I wanted to win and I believe the result speaks for itself,” Huck said, while coach Ulli Wegner lauded the finishing skills of his fighter. “When he sniffs the KO there is nothing that can stop him,” he said. “He is one of the most explosive fighters I have ever coached. There is still a lot to learn, though. It is a learning process.”
On the undercard, Alexander Abraham, the younger brother of IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham, clinched his first title by stopping Roman Dzuman in the sixth round. The newly-crowned EE-EU light middleweight champion knocked his opponent down in the fifth with a hard right and then pelted him with a series of power shots in the sixth for the referee to step in. Also on Saturday, the First Lady Cecilia Braekhus won her 10th fight by clearly beating Borislava Goranova, who was on the canvas in the second and seventh round.
Kessler; Huck retain titles; Klitschko-Povetkin postponed
By Per Ake Persson: WBA supermiddle champ Mikkel Kessler retained the title in style with a third round knockout over brave but outclassed German challenger Danilo Haussler. Kessler landed with a combination finishing it with a hard right and a devastating left. Haussler went down and referee Stanley Christodoulou waved it over when Danilo´s chief cornerman and longtime trainer Manfred Wolke entered the ring. Time of the stoppage was 1.08. Kessler had won the two completed rounds scoring with hard jabs and Haussler´s already battleworn face began to swell already after the first few punches. After the second he looked as he had been through a long, hard fight and one could tell the end was near.
The Viking Warrior is now 41-1 and it will take one hell of a fighter to beat him. For Haussler it was the end of the line. He was far from great but his strength, determination and conditioning took him a long way.
EBU cruiser champ Marco Huck stopped Italian challenger Fabio Tuiach in the second scoring two knockdowns. Huck had his opponent in trouble already in the first and opened up in the second.
Alexander Abraham was too strong for late sub Roman Dzhuman from Ukraine who was stopped in the sixth. Dzhuman was down in the fifth and under pressure when it was stopped. The vacant EE-EU jr middle title was at stake.
Cuban cruiser Yoan Pablo Hernandez was down in the seventh but won a majority decision after eight over American Michael Simms. It was close and hardfought all the way in this all southpaw clash.
First Lady, Cecilia Braekhus floored Bulgarian Borislava Goranova twice but had to settle for a points win after six.
News: Russian heavy Alexander Povetkin is sidelined with a foot injury and his fight against Wladimir Klitschko set for December 13 will be postponed.