Team Sauerland and SES Boxing are delighted to announce that WBO Super Middleweight Champion Robert Stieglitz (40-2, 23 KOs) will make his mandatory defense against Mikkel Kessler (44-2, 33 KOs) at Copenhagen’s PARKEN Stadium on November 5. The two champions faced the media today during a media tour with press conferences in Berlin, Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark.
“We are thrilled to bring this exciting world title fight to the home of the Viking Warrior,” promoter Kalle Sauerland said at PARKEN Stadium. “The negotiations with SES Boxing and Robert Stieglitz have been tough but now everything is in place. With the support of his ferocious Danish fans, I am sure that Mikkel will accomplish his goal and become world champion for a fourth time.”
The Viking Warrior clinched the WBC Super Middleweight Title with an epic victory over Carl Froch in the second round of the Super Six World Boxing Classic in April 2010 before an eye injury forced him to withdraw from the tournament. On June 4, Kessler returned in style, stopping tough Frenchman Mehdi Bouadla in six rounds in front of a passionate crowd at PARKEN Stadium. Stieglitz has been the WBO Super Middleweight Champion since August 2009 when he stopped Karoly Balzsay in Hungary. He has made four successful title defences thus far. “I have a lot of respect for Robert Stieglitz,” Mikkel Kessler said. “He has a very good record and he is a deserving world champion. But his reign will be over once we meet in the ring. Throughout my career, I have proven myself against the best fighters out there. I can´t wait to be world champion again. Winning the title for a fourth time will be special.”
Kessler is once again counting on the ferocious support of his home fans. “It´s fantastic that the fight will take place at PARKEN,” he added. “I have never lost a fight in Denmark. It will be no different this time. It can promise my fans a hell of an evening with me leaving the ring as the winner.”
Stieglitz is confident he can make another successful title defense. “As world champion I accept every challenge and am ready to get into the ring with every opponent. Mikkel Kessler is an opponent that needs to be taken very seriously. He will not take my crown away from me. It may be that he is a national hero in Denmark, such as Karoly Balzsay was in Hungary. The home advantage did not help him at all and it will not help Mikkel Kessler either.”
Added his promoter Ulf Steinforth: “The fight between Robert Stieglitz and Mikkel Kessler is a true sporting highlight, a fight at the highest level between two top boxers. Boxing needs fights like this. I am looking forward to it and I am sure that Robert will win.”
Tickets are available at www.billetlugen.dk. Danish TV2 and Germany´s ARD will be broadcasting the fight live.
