Mikkel Kessler has withdrawn from Showtime’s Super-Six super-middleweight tournament due to a long-suffering eye injury.
In April this year, the 31-year-old Dane won the WBC Super-Middleweight Title from Britain’s Carl Froch. He had been suffering from the injury in his previous two Super-Six contests.
Doctors have now told the WBC Champ that the time is right for complete rest to allow the injury to heal fully.
Mikkel Kessler gutted
Kessler was gutted when speaking to ESPN: “This is the most disappointing moment of my boxing career.
“After defeating Carl Froch, I was on the way to winning the tournament, so pulling out now really hurts.
“The eye problem has bothered me since the beginning of the Super Six in my preparation for the bout against Andre Ward.
“It also bothered me in the fights against Ward and Froch, and my training for the fight against Green has become unbearable.
“I have consulted leading experts in Denmark and Germany. They have advised me to take a break from boxing so that the problem can heal.”
He was due to fight American Allan Green, who replaced the retiring Jermain Taylor in the series next month but may now have to sit out the rest of 2010 and contemplate his next move.
WBC title
It remains to be seen whether the three-time World Super-Middleweight Champion will be allowed to keep his WBC strap.
The winner of the Super-Six could be crowned WBC Champion.
World Boxing News would like to wish warrior Mikkel Kessler a speedy recovery from the injury.
WBN Editor Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer. Follow WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews, Instagram, and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
