BRONDBY — Mikkel Kessler is coming back. The 47-year-old Danish great will return on November 28 in Brondby, Denmark, against Bernard Joseph, ending a 13-year absence since his violent rematch loss to Carl Froch in 2013.
Kessler, 46-3 (35 KOs), insisted the return is serious. "If you think this is a stunt or a gimmick, then you don’t know me," he told TV 2 Sport. The former five-time beltholder at 168lbs said he is not returning for money and is managing his age with a cautious build-up: "Boxing form is something different than physical form, so I've started slowly to avoid injuries," he said. "I've already had a lot of sparring, but not too hard, because I need to train myself slowly."
The "Viking Warrior" walked away after a 15-year career as one of the finest super middleweights in history, with constant injuries forcing him out. He announced a comeback at 38 in 2017, saying "I want to prove I’m the best again," and impressed in sparring with Erik Skoglund before contracting lyme disease from a tick bite. In 2023 he told Boxing News he was happy in retirement. Now he will again compete at 168lbs against Joseph, a 36-year-old from Dorset, Massachusetts, who is 12-4 (5 KOs) and will serve as the measuring stick for a hoped-for world title run.
Promoter Kalle Sauerland said the path will be deliberate. "All of the oldest world champions have never held their weight," Sauerland said. "This fight [with Joseph] has so many question marks over it, and we will have to wait and see. It is too early for me to say there is a world title next. But the name Kessler back on the world stage, and I can deliver very quickly. I could deliver the fight for the world title after, and it will be delightful if we get a result. We want to march on for the world title, but it will be step-by-step."