By Sammy Rozenberg

More than 50,000 boxing fans packed the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales to watch Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs) win a masterful unanimous decision over Mikkel Kessler (39-1, 29 KOs) to unify the WBO, WBA and WBC super middleweight titles.

The fight lived up to the hype with a battle of speed and experience against power and youth. The fight began with a tight battle, both fighters carefully picking their spots to gain an advantage. In the third round, Calzaghe's boxing skills began to take over as he stuck his jab, worked Kessler's body and he began to pressure the pressure fighter. Kessler knew he was in for a big fight when he landed a vicious uppercut in the fourth round and Calzaghe kept moving forward and punching.

Kessler was unable to get past Calzaghe's jab, and could not get off with his counters. In the eight-round, Kessler was hurt bad by a bodyshot. As Calzaghe began to  jump in for the finish, the referee, Michael Ortega broke them apart and warned Calzaghe for a punch to the back of the head, giving Kessler a chance to recover.

Between the ninth and tenth rounds, Kessler's corner told him to go for a knockout. Calzaghe stood his ground and fought Kessler at close range, toe-to-toe, and gave a lot more than he took. Kessler’s left eye began to baldy swell and his nose was consistently bleeding as he tried in vain to catch up to his quicker opponent.

In the final round, rather than coast, Calzaghe fought and gave Kessler a chance to land a lottery punch. Calzaghe's underrated chin took Kessler's punches and he still proceeded to come forward and fight until the final bell.

The final scores were 117-111, 116-112 and 116-112.

Calzaghe’s win over Jeff Lacy in March of 2006 was called a career defining fight. Most will now argue and now call Calzaghe’s win over Kessler as the best in his career and the true defining fight over a bigger, stronger, undefeated champion that never stopped trying to win for twelve rounds.

The question now is whether or not to stay at 168 or move up in weight to 175. The competition has more or less dried out at super middleweight, but business is booming just eight-pounds below. Some of that business is going to trickle upwards in the next year, upping the ante for a halt in possible moving up in weight.

The only fight waiting for Cazlaghe at 175-pounds is against Bernard Hopkins, who is close to 43-years of age and has a lot more to gain from a possible encounter. A bout with Hopkins still equates to a decent payday. The biggest roadblock is the unwillingness of either to travel across the ocean to make the fight happen. Hopkins will insist on making the fight in the United States and the management of Calzaghe is going to want the fight in Wales.

Calzaghe said that Hopkins' bout with Wright barely had 10,000 fans show up in Las Vegas, and Calzaghe had over 50,000 fans watch him fight Kessler and 36,000 fans watch him fight Peter Manfredo Jr. a few months ago. He does not see a reason to travel to America to fight Hopkins when the fight will draw more fans and more money in Wales.

Depending on how the January meeting plays out between Felix Trinidad and Roy Jones Jr, Jones may become another name in the mix for a fight at light heavyweight.

As far as the middleweights go, the February non-title rematch between WBC/WBO middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor, at a catch-weight of 166, is going to send one of them, if not both, to 168 by the end of the year. Promoter Bob Arum has already stated on the record with respect to matching Pavlik against Hopkins at a catch-weight in the mid to high 160's. Taylor, win or lose, is planning to head to 168. Edison Miranda has already moved up to 168-pounds and has to the ability to once again become a major player with a few more wins.

IBF super middleweight champ Lucian Bute, the popular fighter from Canada, is yet another possible option at 168. Bute has charisma, ability and power in either hand. He not only beats his opponents, he dominates them. The major American networks are already beginning to take notice and it won't be long before Bute debuts on a TV network near you. 

On the undercard;

WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli (28-1, 21KOs) wasted no time in dispatching of Mohamed Azzaoui (22-1-2, 8KOs) in four rounds to retain his title. Macca surprised Azzaoui with a wicked bodyshot to put him down for the count.