Boxing: Mikkel Kessler, Andre Ward Make Weight and Are Ready For Battle

According to a press release, both Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward make weight for their super middle weight WBA title fight taking place in Oakland, Calif. on Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Tournament.

Mikkel Kessler 42(32)-1, the WBA super middleweight champion weighed in at 167 lbs. Andre Ward 20(13)-0 weighed in at 166.5 lbs.

Kessler, also known as the Viking Warrior was the early predicted favorite by most media to win the tournament.

The WBA champion hails from Denmark and only has one loss on his record to former top pound-for-pound retired undefeated Joe Calazaghe.

Ward, also known as S.O.G.(Son Of God), is an undefeated American Olympic gold medalist who is from the Oakland area, where the fight is taking place Saturday night.

Many of the media and experts favor Ward as the sleeper underdog of the tournament.

In the first round of the tournament, both American fighters lost their first-round fights. Taylor loss by a brutal knock out by Arthur Abraham, and Andre Direll lost in a close decision to WBC champion Carl Froch.

Ward has some redemption to do for the American fighters and pride with his first ever title shot this Saturday night.

The other four tournament fighters made their predictions on this Saturday's fight.

“Mikkel Kessler will win because of his strength and ring experience,” said Carl Froch. “I’m pulling for the U.S. guys. I can’t say why from a boxing standpoint but we are all U.S. Olympians.

"It’s a matter of those (European) guys being cocky. Carl Froch has been very cocky, and he knows his boxing skills are nowhere close to mine.

"Kessler is a pretty relaxed guy. He’s not too cocky by any means. I like him a lot, but I am still going for our guys.” - Jermain Taylor

“Because I have not ever seen an Andre Ward fight live or on tape, I cannot say much. But Kessler is the favorite in this fight nevertheless.

I have seen Kessler fight many times, and he is very clever and very strong. I have to give the advantage to Kessler because of his strength, experience and cleverness.” - Arthur Abraham

“I'm going with Ward.” - Andre Dirrell.