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03/26/2007 Archived Entry: "Euro-Beat Update: Kessler defends Title, Defeats Andrade!"
Euro-Beat Update: Kessler defends Title, Defeats Andrade!
By Per Ake Persson
Courtesy of Boxing Press
COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- WBA (superchamp) and WBC supermiddle king MikkelKessler won every round against steel chinned and teaktough challenger Librado Andrade at the Parken Arenatonight. All three judges had it 120-108 for Kessler.
There were no knockdowns but how Andrade could stayupright after taking volumes of hard, precise punchesis anybody´s guess. Kessler´s nose kept bleeding butnever seemed to bother him. He moved well, createdopenings and followed up on them putting on anoutstanding performance.
It was a one-sided fight but an exciting one madeexciting by Andrade´s steady attack and the volumes ofpunches he threw. Kessler threw less punches but mostof - if not all - quality punches came from him.
Andrade was stunned in the fourth and it seemed as ifwouldn´t be able to keep up the enourmous pace he hadset - but from somewhere he found the stength to keepgoing and while hit hard numerous times he was neverhurt. In the eleventh Kessler traded with Andrade forthe first time and got the better of the exchanges andin the final round both went for broke and Andrade wasin trouble but kept punching to the cheers of thecrowd.
Kessler is now 39-0 and already a superstar at home.Andrade lost for the first time and is now 24-1.
Lolenga Mock retained the EU supermiddle title with aninth round stoppage of Belgian Djamel Selini. Mockwore down Selini with a steady attack and floored himin the ninth and it was stopped.
Highly ranked jr middle Reda Zam Zam, 23-0 going in,was caught, hurt and floored twice by VenezuelanCarlos Donquiz, 13-6 going in, in the very firstround. Zam Zam have always relied on reflexes, kepthis hands down, got caught and Donquiz followed up.
Welter Thomas Damgaard returned and knocked outBelgian Jean Louis Bryla in the second with a bigsouthpaw left.
Big heavyweight Claus Bertino walked into a left hookfrom Portugese Umberto Evora and was knocked out inthe third.
Middleweight Thomas Povlsen was officially on thefloor once and hurt three times during his six-rounderagainst Rafael Chiruta and looked lucky to get thepoints win.
Female jr welter Vinni Skovgaard outscored EuniceMiranda over four.
