Doghouse Decides; Mikkel Kessler vs Librado Andrade
 Compiled by Coyote Duran (March 24, 2007) Doghouse Boxing (Photo © HBO)
Alright, kids! Wake up! It’s time for Doghouse Decides! Our victims? WBA/WBC super middleweight titlist Mikkel Kessler, 38-0 (29), and equally undefeated Librado Andrade, 24-0 (18) who collide on HBO in a tape-delay broadcast from Copenhagen, Denmark tonight at 9:45 PM ET/ 8:45 Central. Coyote Duran here, in for The Undisputed Hardest-Working Man At Doghouse Boxing, Benny ‘Bog Dog’ Henderson Jr. I’m here to help gather up some thoughts from Doghouse’s staff regarding the very potentially exciting super middleweight title clash and the gang didn’t fail to deliver! Read on, Howlers, and decide for yourself who will prevail, solidifying his spot as the #1 contender in the 168-pound division right below The Ring Magazine World Champion Joe Calzaghe.
Danny Serratelli: Kessler by unanimous decision.
Julian Kasdin: Mikkel Kessler vs Librado Andrade promises to be a fun fight. Two young undefeated fighters; one a contender the other possibly a more real champion then The Ring's designee. Andrade, 24-0 (18), is Kessler's number one contender and one of the most exciting young fighters in the game. With his combination of aggression and power he has created a strong following in America's southwest.
Andrade is an accomplished fighter and currently holds two versions of the super middleweight title. With a perfect 38-0 (29) record, Kessler has beaten several tough and accomplished fighters including Marcus Beyer, Anthony Mundine, Eric Lucas and Manny Siaca. Looking at this fight, it is quite easy to say that the edge in experience, both number and quality of opponents goes to Kessler.
Both Kessler and Andrade will have to be at their best come Saturday, but I think Kessler's best is just a little bit better then Andrade's. I think Kessler will use his superior boxing ability plus his own heavy hands to keep the tough Mexican at bay and end up winning either by decision or a late stoppage.
Vikram Birring: Mikkel Kessler and Librado Andrade are the two best super middleweights you've never heard of. Kessler made his name after going to Australia and thoroughly
defeating Anthony Mundine over twelve heats years ago. Recently, he knocked out
longtime champion Markus Beyer with a simple 1-2 combination in the third round.
Librado Andrade is a contender who is finally getting his opportunity, after years of toiling in obscurity. This should be a fantastic match, but Kessler's hometown advantage may prove to be too strong in the end. Let's take Kessler by unanimous decision.
Ian Keogh: First off let me say I've seen only 4 Kessler fights and just two
Andrade fights. From what I've seen this fight can't disappoint. Both fighters come forward and both can bang. Andrade hasn't been in with the competition Kessler has but all young fighters need that break out fight. Is this that fight for Andrade? I don't think it is. I like Kessler to use his brilliant jab and keep Andrade off him en route to a late stoppage or unanimous decision.
Jason Petock: To be completely honest and straight forward regarding this Championship matchup, I can't offer up any kind of legitimate prediction on who will win, even though my opinion would be a guess anyway to begin with. The reason is quite simple really. I have never witnessed either man fight in the ring, be it televised or in person. Now I can sit here and speculate from afar, but that wouldn't be fair to the readers, Doghouse, or myself and what I stand for. But I will take a crack at the ending, and if I had to make a guess in my humble opinion I would hint at a knockout.
Coyote Duran: With every fight, save for two fights in Las Vegas and Australia, it’s way too easy to consider a fighter of the likes of Mikkel Kessler as the next Sven Ottke. You know what? That’s good AND bad. As far as ‘bad’ goes, it can be argued as to how many gifts Ottke gained in his backyard and accuse Kessler of doing the same but don’t be blinded by the lure of only fighting and defending in your own hometown. The difference between Kessler and Ottke is that Kessler’s actually been beating the crap out of most of his mid-level contenders, whereas as decent a boxer as Ottke was, he could barely knock out any opponent without the use of a chloroformed glove. I don’t think Librado Andrade will get knocked out but I do see this fight becoming a long, drawn-out re-release of Joe Calzaghe-Jeff Lacy. It’ll be a comeuppance for the hard-hitting Mexican contender but once he experiences his first unanimous decision loss like he will to ‘The Viking’, he might just learn a thing or two.
Did I mention that the fight’s in Copenhagen, Denmark?
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