Mikkel Kessler´s mandatory title defence against Gusmyl Perdomo will be staged at the MCH Messecenter Herning in Herning, Denmark on September 12. It will be the WBA Super-Middleweight Champion´s final fight before participating in SHOWTIME´s hotly-anticipated Super Six World Boxing Classic. “I am thrilled to be fighting in Denmark again,” Kessler stated. “It is always something special to fight in front of my home fans. I am extremely grateful for their support and I want to pay back with an exciting performance.”
Kessler will take on Andre Ward in the first round of the Super Six Tournament on November 21, but the 30-year-old champion stressed he will take one step at a time. “Right now, I am not thinking about the Super Six Tournament. All that matters now is a victory over Perdomo. He is a tough challenger but I am sure I will leave the ring as the winner. Of course I want to take my World Boxing Association belt into the Super Six tournament.”
The Viking Warrior (41-1, 31 KOs) has not fought in his home country since June 2008 when he stopped Dimitri Sartison in Copenhagen. “Mikkel is a national hero in Denmark and we really wanted to give his fans a chance to see him in action again,” Kalle Sauerland said. “It will be the first of many entertaining fights he will make for Team Sauerland and we look forward to a great night of boxing in Herning.”
Last week, Team Sauerland had won the purse bid for the mandatory defence. Tickets for the clash will go on sale shortly. “I am pleased that Team Sauerland has chosen MCH to stage Mikkel Kessler’s defence of his World Championship title,” said Georg Sørensen, CEO of MCH Messecenter Herning Kongrescenter. ”It is one of this year’s biggest Danish sporting events and Mikkel Kessler must win the fight to make it to the Super Six tournament. It is our ambition to present big Danish and international sporting events as well as concerts at our facilities which as of next year also feature the first multi arena in Denmark. Therefore we are ready to provide a unique total experience for both actors and spectators at MCH.”