Round by Round: Calzaghe v. Kessler

BoxingWatchers.com is proud to bring you our first round by round post, the super middleweight unification bout between Joe Calzaghe and Mikkel Kessler. Hit refresh often to see more recent rounds.

Uatu comments that Europe blows the States away when it comes to boxing crowds, and I have to admit that it's pretty impressive seeing 50,000-plus for a boxing match, especially when there's no way some of those folks can see the action in the ring from where they're seated.

Kessler comes to the ring to some techno song; it's rap for Calzaghe. Joe also has a "Male Voice Choir" to sing the national anthem of Wales.

Here we go, 12 rounds for all the belts worth anything at 168 pounds.

Rd. 1

Calzaghe a little quicker to the punch early. Kessler trying to land the jab. Very tentative middle part of the round. Jab and right to the body by Kessler. Left to the body by Calzaghe. Both men land, Calzaghe backs Kessler up a little. Joe doing a lot by feinting, Kessler a little body shot. Nothing major by either man.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe

Rd. 2

Left by Calzaghe. 1-2 by Kessler, Joe some lunging punches in response. Ref warns Joe about hitting behind the head. Kessler landing jabs a little more easily. Joe lands a few light 1-2's. Kessler backs Calzaghe up with some right hands. Jabs and a quick right. A flurry at the end of the round.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Kessler
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Kessler

Rd. 3

Calzaghe lands a left, Kessler goes down, but it's a slip. Roughhousing inside, Joe backs up the Viking Warrior with a wild flurry. Joe fighting wildly but it's working; Kessler looks like he's bleeding from the mouth. Left scores and another from Joe. More lefts by Joe; Mikkel lands a body shot in return. Both men land some left hands in the last 20 seconds.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe

Rd. 4

Joe tries wading in to some effect. Big exchange with Mikkel getting the better of it. Big uppercut by Kessler. Calzaghe holds and hits out of the break. Good left by Calzaghe. Another good uppercut by Kessler. Kessler landing his jab often and some second jabs to follow. Calzaghe finds the range on a few shots before the end of the round.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Kessler
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Kessler

Rd. 5

Both men land a few shots but Kessler's uppercut is most impressive. Calzaghe a little more cautious in this round. Left by Kessler, then a combo. Joe landing a few jabs. Double jab and a left by Calzaghe. More blood from Kessler, hard punches by both men inside to end the round.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Kessler
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Kessler

Rd. 6

Joe lands lefts, Kessler counter-punches. 1-2 by Joe. Good left knocks Kessler back a bit. Good jabs and follow-ups by Joe. More 1-2's by Joe. Kessler seems off-balance in this round. Joe to the body, Kessler misses an uppercut. Exchange of lefts. Great round for Calzaghe as Kessler seemed confused.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe

Rd. 7

Calzaghe jabs and follows up. Kessler trying to be more assertive but a combo comes from Joe. Kessler backing up and can't land the uppercut. Kessler starts to land but Calzaghe fires right back. Good body-head combo by Joe. Triple jab by Calzaghe. Blood from Joe's forehead. Right hands by Kessler and left to the body. Wild miss by Joe. Calzaghe lands some jabs but Kessler hit harder. Tough round to score.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe

Rd. 8

Kessler coming forward more with mixed success. Straight right by Kessler. Both men land; Kessler gets in an extra left hook. Big punches flying both ways. Kessler gets out of trouble along the ropes. Joe quicker to the punch. Ref warns Joe again. Calzaghe turns it into a brawl and Kessler is bleeding again.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe
Kessler scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe

Rd. 9

Joe letting his hands go right now. Kessler finds his range but Calzaghe ties him up. Joe jabbing more and generally more active. Joe backs Kessler up with a flurry. Good rights inside by Kessler. Good straight lefts both ways. Trading shots but Kessler not throwing enough. Crowd gets into it as Joe finds the target with both hands to end the round.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe

Rd. 10

Calzaghe content to tie it up early. Kessler gets back to his jab a bit. Big exchange but Joe gets the better of it. Body and head shots by Joe. Good punches and Joe ties up again. Big flurry by Kessler looking for the home run. Joe showing some heart, and Kessler can't quite figure his foe out. Max Kellerman thinks Kessler may be broken down mentally.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe

Rd. 11

Body right and left to the head by Joe. Kessler swinging hard but Joe too slick. Uppercut from Joe. Kessler can't get off combos before Joe ties him up. Calzaghe showboating a bit. Joe comes with a wild flurry. Two big lefts by Joe as Mikkel tries to respond. Kessler lands a left but Joe ties him up again. Joe lands some jabs and Kessler probably needs a KO to win now.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Calzaghe

Rd. 12

Kessler lands a few lefts, Joe ties him up. Joe comes forward behind the jab. Kessler big right to the body, he's showing heart. Big right by Mikkel. Uppercut knocks Joe back. Joe dancing for his life. 1-2 from Joe. Kessler straight right. Left to the body by Mikkel. Right-left to the head by Kessler. The Viking keeps throwing all the way to the end, but too little too late I suspect.

Uatu scores it: 10-9 Kessler
Franchise scores it: 10-9 Kessler

Uatu and Franchise both score the fight 116-112 for Calzaghe. Judges score it 117-111, 116-112, 116-112, all for the winner and undisputed Super Middleweight Champion, Joe Calzaghe.