Team Bouadla is convinced that the 14-month layoff has made WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Emeritus Mikkel Kessler rusty. On Saturday night, the Viking Warrior (43-2, 32 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time since his epic points victory over then-WBC Champion Carl Froch, taking on WBO #5 Mehdi Bouadla (22-3, 10 KOs). “In life, it´s all about timing, and now is the time to beat Kessler,” Boudla´s promoter Bernard Roos said at today´s final press conference at PARKEN Stadium. “Kessler is a great champion and in six months he would beat everybody, including Ward and Froch, but now after his long break Mehdi “The Bull” Bouadla will rise to the occasion and defeat him.”

Bouadla was quick to agree. “I respect Mikkel but I am here to win. I think the long break has made him rusty. This is my ticket to the big fights. There will be a lot of disappointed Danish fans on Saturday night.”

Kessler was unimpressed by Team Boudla´s statements. “I have trained hard and I am in excellent shape,” he stated. “It´s great to be back. I am full of power and I am ready to take care of business on Saturday night. It will be exciting to fight in front of my home fans at PARKEN. I will put on a great show. It is still my ambition to prove myself as the best super-middleweight out there and Bouadla will not get into my way.”

Added coach Jimmy Montoya: “Bouadla is a tough guy. We respect him a lot. But Mikkel has trained very, very hard. He did well against Froch but he can still get better. We have a long road ahead of us and we will start with a victory on Saturday night.”

Said promoter Kalle Sauerland: “We are thrilled that Mikkel is finally back in the ring.  To have the Danish national hero fight in the biggest football stadium in his home city of Copenhagen will be very exciting. Bouadla is a strong and determined guy, he is not the WBO #5 for nothing, but there is no way he can keep up with the power of the Viking Warrior. The international interest in this fight is huge, SHOWTIME will broadcast the clash in the US and Sky Sports will show it in England. Sports fans all around the globe will be watching as the Viking Warrior returns in style.”