Issue With Ward-Kessler Officials Resolved

Posted by Ramon Aranda on 11.19.2009

The fight will go on for Kessler's WBA title.

Yesterday afternoon at the final press conference for the WBA super middleweight title bout between Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward, Sauerland (who promotes Kessler), made it quite clear that they were unhappy with the officials appointed by the California State Athletic Commission. All three judges were based out of California which obviously didn't sit well with Wilfried Sauerland given that his fighter was already making the trip from Denmark to fight in Ward's backyard of Oakland, Calif. Though the fight would go on regardless, Sauerland threatened to have Kessler refuse to defend the WBA strap.

Russ Heimerich, a spokesman of the California State Athletic Commission informed 411mania moments ago that the commission has now come to terms with both the WBA and Team Sauerland on a new set of officials.

The officials will now include Swedish judge Mikael Hook alongside Steve Morrow (Calif) and Stanley Christodoulou (South Africa) along with referee Jack Reiss (Calif).

The fight will continue as planned for the WBA title in what will be the final fight of the first round of Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic.