Which Prospect or Contender Made his Mark Most Emphatically in 2009?
In the career of any great fighter, there are many individual moments and milestones that mark the changing of one phase to another. Prospect turned to contender. Contender turned to champion. Champion turned to all-timer… or perhaps, champion turned to gate keeper. In 2009, which fighter made the leap from a contender into a champion in the most impressive fashion? Which fighter forced us to reevaluate how we view him and his standing in the sport?
Andre Ward vs. Mikkel Kessler: The Boxing Breakout Performance of 2009
When young Americans Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell were announced as members of the Super Six Tournament, some fans wondered aloud about their worthiness in the field. Sure, both men had all of the promise in the world, but neither man had been truly tested as a pro. How would these young, undefeated Americans fare against seasoned champions like Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham?
Andre Ward alleviated any concerns about his career and about his belonging in the field when he routed tournament favorite Mikkel Kessler in his Stage 1 contest. Kessler was the favorite entering the tournament for good reason. He lost only once in his career, in a competitive outing against Joe Calzaghe, and he had dominated the likes of Librado Andrade, Markus Beyer and Anthony Mundine.
Meanwhile, since winning the Gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, Andre Ward’s career had been noteworthy only from the shocking absence of anything of note. Chin concerns came up early against middling opposition, and injuries slowed down his ascent. Finally a fight against Miranda showed he could box a full 12 rounds against a hard hitting fighter, albeit one who had by that point been on the bad end of a few brutal knockouts.
Then came the Super Six and Mikkel Kessler. It was the ultimate put up or shut up moment. The ultimate test of promise and potential against reality. You cannot past a test any more supremely than Andre Ward did that evening.
He hurt Kessler and busted him up. He used his speed and reflexes to move in and out of range, dishing out damage without receiving any return fire. He adjusted his game plan, stayed focused and ultimately forced the champion into the unenviable role of the overmatched opponent, struggling to stay competitive.
Andre Ward’s win over Mikkel Kessler in Stage 1 of the Super Six tournament was as big of a breakout performance as one could imagine. Now in co-favorite status with Arthur Abraham, Ward faces Jermain Taylor in Stage 2 of the Super Six to begin his 2010 schedule. Then later in the year Ward will meet his former Olympic buddy Andre Dirrell, a fighter who raised more questions about himself than he answered in his test, in the final group stage match of the tournament.
Make sure you check out the rest of the 2009 Boxing Awards from ProBoxing-Fans.com. It’s the best way to recap the entire up and down, crazy year in boxing. And if you agree or disagree with any of the recipients, let us know in the comments!
Image: Tom Casino/ Showtime
