By Geoff Poundes
Tonight Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler regained his place at the top of the super-middleweight tree when he wrested the WBA world title from the hands of Irishman Brian Magee at the Boxen Arena in Henning, Denmark.
Kessler, 46-2, 34 KO’s, stopped Magee, 36-5-1, 25 KO’s, in the third round adopting the template previously put down by Lucian Bute, who 
had broken Magee up with body shots a couple of years ago.
Magee started brightly and won a less than eventful first round by landing a couple of long left hands from his southpaw stance, but it all fell apart for him a minute into the second round when a Kessler right sunk into his midriff and he collapsed for a count of eight. When the Irishman got to his feet Kessler pursued him with one object, to land some bombs downstairs and he duly doubled Magee up again with a left hook. Magee kept his feet this time, but not for long as another powerful right from the Dane cracked into his ribs, and down he went. The bell sounded as Magee rose, but there was little doubt as to the outcome, and within a few seconds of the third round starting yet another right hand thudded home to the Irishman’s guts and he dropped to his knees, this time the referee rescuing him from further punishment.
It was an impressive night’s work from Kessler and he now stands ready to renew hostilities with former conqueror Andre Ward, and former victim Carl Froch, for the big bucks. For 37 year old Magee it’s probably the end of the road, but he’s fought the best over a long career and can retire with his head held high.
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