5 Fights That Helped Define the Career of Boxer Mikkel Kessler

It seems the Viking Warrior has fought his last battle after Mikkel Kessler announced his retirement from boxing.

The four-time super middleweight world champion used his Facebook and Twitter accounts to confirm on Feb. 1 that he was hanging up his gloves after 49 bouts as a professional.

In statements published on both social media sites, Kessler made clear that his decision came down to motivation, not money (h/t ESPN):

I said at the time when I would fight on that I would need the right fights to motivate me. This is not a question of money. In fact these offers have been for great purses, but it is about motivation. After all if you aren't going all the way, why go at all?

The Dane finished up with a 46-3 record, with 35 of his victories coming via knockout.

He has been involved in some classic fights, so here are five of the most notable during a career that spanned more than 17 years.

His knockout win over Markus Beyer and the lopsided points success against Librado Andrade did not make the list, while there is also no place for his clash with Andre Ward either.

Do you agree with the selections? If not, have your say using the comments section.

Or, alternatively, post your favourite memories of Kessler after he called time on his career in the ring.

Opportunity knocked for a young Kessler back in 2004, as an injury to fellow Dane Mads Larsen opened up the chance for him to challenge for a world title.

Despite taking the bout against WBO super middleweight champion Manny Siaca at short notice, Kessler still managed to beat the Puerto Rican.

Siaca had claimed the belt thanks to a split-decision success over Australian Anthony Mundine, who had crucially been knocked down in the second round, in Sydney.

However, his first defence also happened to be his last.

Kessler proved to be far too good when the pair went toe-to-toe in Brondby, Denmark. After the seventh round, Siaca retired on his stool.

It marked the beginning of Kessler's three-year reign as champion.

After returning from injury with a win over Mehdi Bouadla in 2011, Kessler moved up to light heavyweight the following year.

He took on Allan Green, an American who had previously stepped into the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament as an injury replacement for Jermain Taylor.

Green lost both his bouts in the event, first to Andre Ward and then to Glen Johnson.

However, he was viewed as a dangerous opponent for Kessler—and so it proved in the opening round of their fight in Copenhagen.

In the final minute Green landed a right hand that forced his rival to tumble forward and down to the canvas.

Kessler, though, recovered his composure after the surprise knockdown and went on to win the fight in stunning circumstances.

In the fourth, he landed a left hook with such ferocity that it laid Green flat out on the canvas. Such was the force of the blow that the referee immediately waved the bout off.

The triumph handed Kessler the WBC Silver light heavyweight title, though he soon opted to move back down to super middleweight.

Kessler was involved in two classic fights with Carl Froch.

In ranking them in terms of importance to the Dane's career, it is clear that the victory in 2010—when the duo were competing in the Super Six World Boxing Classic—comes out on top.

After their first battle went the way of Kessler, the two eventually signed up for a rematch in the summer of 2013.

Putting their friendship to one side, they engaged in a fierce battle at the O2 Arena in London.

Kessler had come into the bout off the back of stopping Brian Magee in a WBA title fight and did everything he possibly could to get the better of Froch again.

However, The Cobra refused to be beaten. He pushed hard for a late stoppage but had to settle for a points success after 12 brutal rounds.

Scores of 118-10, 116-12 and 115-113 allowed Froch to gain sweet revenge.

He did admit afterward, however, that he felt a tinge of sadness in victory, telling Sky Sports: "The only thing that feels bad is that I have had to beat such a real gentleman, a real warrior and real nice man."

Kessler had added the WBA belt to go alongside the WBC version he already held by the time he met Joe Calzaghe in November 2007.

It was a battle between the top two fighters in the super middleweight division. 

The pair also put their unbeaten records on the line in front of a crowd of more than 50,000 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Those in attendance, and those also watching on television at home, were not to be disappointed.

There was little to choose between the two fighters early on, but Calzaghe—holder of the WBO strap for nine years—outworked his rival to record a unanimous points win.

The judges at ringside scored it 117-111, 116-112 and 116-112 in favour of the Welshman; CompuBox stats showed that he threw more than 1,000 punches in total (h/t Bob Canobbio of BoxingScene.com).

Kessler, though, would bounce back impressively after tasting defeat for the first time.

With Calzaghe moving up to light heavyweight, the Scandinavian claimed the WBA belt back in his next fight by defeating Dimitri Sartison on home soil.

It is only right that the top-ranked fight for Kessler in this list is one in which he was victorious.

The first meeting with Froch occurred during the Super Six tournament, back in April 2010.

The event pitted together the cream of the super middleweights in the world in a round-robin tournament, with the top four moving on to compete in the semi-finals.

The idea was to eventually have a final showdown to find out just who was the best fighter in the division.

Kessler lost his opening contest to Andre Ward. Cuts caused by accidental head clashes led to the American winning on a technical decision.

Froch was next up for the Viking Warrior; the Englishman arrived in Herning, Denmark, boasting an unbeaten 26-fight record and also holding the WBC Super belt.

However, a partisan crowd roared on Kessler, who suffered a nasty cut over his left eye, to a points win by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113.

Sadly, though, he had to vacate the title soon after and withdraw from the Super Six tournament due to an injury he had previously suffered against Ward.