By Vivek Wallace – Last week, the world of boxing sat in utter silence as perhaps the biggest story in the sport unfolded right before its eyes. An arduous process that took months and months to materialize finally came to fruition, and only moments after, one of the most recognized voices in boxing (Larry Merchant) sat in a still visibly stunned media room and asked the rhetorical question, “where do we go from here”? At the time, the marvel of Manny Pacquiao would appear to be a rather impossible act to follow, but now that the dust has settled, the collective attention of those around the sport shifts back to what clearly stands as perhaps the most inventive and ground-breaking project born of the sport in decades, if not all-time. In the first wave of this project, we saw the likes of Arthur Abraham, Jermain Taylor, Carl Froch, and Andre Dirrell. As we conclude that first leg of the tour, we get the opportunity to see arguably the two most talented figures in the competition compete. The two men who have traveled vastly different paths, yet somehow ended up on the same road to relevance. Those two men, none other than American Olympic Gold Medalist Andre Ward (20-0, 13KO’s), and Denmark native Mikkel Kessler (42-1, 32KO’s).
When you place these two combatants under the microscope, clearly, there’s more to be seen than normally meets the eye. In the case of Andre Ward, some recollect his amazing Olympic performance, but beyond that point, the Oakland, California native has been somewhat under the radar. On a global scale, few speak his name, but a lengthy conversation with those aware reveals precisely how talented this “S.O.G.” really is.. The biggest name on his resume to date is Colombian Edison Miranda. Some would argue that Miranda’s best days were well behind him when the two met, but the old adage has it that “power is the last thing to go”, and on that night, aside from an initial display of hunger, the power was certainly one thing that came in great abundance. The aggression of Miranda required Ward to put a hightened level of skills on display, as he would prove to the world precisely how adept he is at fighting not only forward and backwards, but with angles and leverage as well. His performance was a pure masterpiece, and in many ways solidified his position at the brink of greatness to all who watched. Despite his amazing performance, it should be duly noted that Miranda is no Kessler, yet let Ward tell it, it’s Kessler who needs to be reminded that his past opponents were no Ward either.
Kessler has been in the ring with the likes of Joe Calzaghe and Librado Andrade, but one would be hard-pressed to identify a marquee name amongst the other 40 fighters he stepped in against, (with the exception of Beyer and Mundine), leaving the one area considered to be an edge for him (experience) as a potential question, as well. One other thing that may serve as an issue in the final analysis is the fact that after October of 2008, Kessler has only entered the ring in competition once, which was against a less-than-seasoned opponent. That fight withstanding, Kessler has demonstrated the ability to handle competition on a much tougher level between the two, as his epic battle with Joe Calzaghe clearly proved that not only does he have great speed and power, but a heart that has no quit in it as well. That element should bode well for him, because although no one expects Ward to turn this into a knock-down-drag-out affair, there’s no question that a home crowd fueling him on will give Ward more than enough juice to give it his very best. For both men, the end goal is to rise to the top and establish global dominance in a division and tournament that leaves no room for the weak. Their past tells us that they’re ready for the challenge, yet the present guarantees no certain terms. One man will relocate that past success, while the other will find himself in not-so-familiar territory. The script is written, the plot has thickened…..and come late Saturday night, the verdict will be in! See it live Saturday night on Showtime. Stay tuned….
(Vivek Wallace can be reached at vivexemail@yahoo.com, 954-292-7346, YOUTUBE (VIVEK1251), TWITTER (VIVEK747), Facebook, and Myspace).