Kessler misses a right upstairs. Neither guy has landed anything significant thus far. Kessler does seem nervy -- stumbling a little a couple times, nervous legs.

Joe dekes and throws a big left up top, but it doesn't land cleanly. Neither guy wants to make the first mistake, which is making this seem sort of tentative.

Calzaghe 10-9

Kessler comes back with a jab, then a solid combo that gets mostly blocked. Calzaghe with a left to the midsection, Kessler fires right back. Calzaghe warned by Ortega for holding the head.

Kessler with two nice jabs, as he seems to be finding a comfortable distance. Left-right from Calzaghe, Kessler misses a whirlwind right. Kessler drives Calzaghe into the ropes, and Joe comes back with a right. Tense moment, as Kessler is starting to look very confident.

Kessler is landing the much better shots and controlling this round -- it's clearly his. Joe's style hasn't broken Kessler up just yet.

Calzaghe with a nice body shot and snaps Kessler's head back a little bit, but this was Mikkel's round.

Kessler 10-9
19-19

Kessler goes down on a slip, I think on the graphic at mid-ring. He'd just landed a nice shot.

Kessler with a straight right, Calzaghe comes with the left, and HERE GOES JOE.

It's the Calzaghe special now -- he's showing his hand speed. Kessler with another straight right, and another. Kessler refuses to be rattled by Calzaghe. The crowd is really getting up now.

Jab up top, left to the body is working for Calzaghe. Wild left from Calzaghe lands, then two more land. Kessler's in trouble after landing a right.

Calzaghe's getting in his groove now. Kessler comes back with a 1-2 to the head, then shoots a straight right just before the bell. Clearly Joe's round -- wait for Hurrld to give it to Kessler.

Calzaghe 10-9
Calzaghe 29-28

Kessler with a right upstairs. Another straight right lands. Big uppercut from Kessler. The jab is starting to land now, which is a big weapon for Mikkel.

Calzaghe starts landing a little at the end of the round, but we're back to even on my card. Terrific round for Mikkel Kessler.

Kessler 10-9
38-38

Hard right to the body from Kessler, but Calzaghe has mostly avoided Kessler's shots this round. Kessler's nose is starting to bleed a little. BIG right from Kessler closes the round out. Tough one to score, much like the first.

Kessler 10-9
Kessler 48-47

Calzaghe is starting to pepper away, much like he always does. Kessler with a nice 1-2 finishing up in the breadbasket. Joe avoids some big shots, and Kessler is missing more the last two rounds.

Calzaghe just jabbing, jabbing, jabbing. He's taking Kessler out of his game and not letting him counter anything wild.

This was Joe's round, very much his style and pace.

Calzaghe 10-9
57-57

Kessler's starting to look a little tired, and I think that could be his downfall within the next three rounds. Calzaghe with two straight left hands, then some pepper work to the body. Nice right cross from Kessler, misses an uppercut. Nice left hook to the body, and Kessler is turning it around a little, although I think it seems very urgent. More than it needs to be.

A better round for Kessler, but still a round for Calzaghe. This has been back-and-forth, as competitive as you could have expected.

Calzaghe 10-9
Calzaghe 67-66

Left to the body from Calzaghe, Kessler can't get past the jab. Kessler is coming forward now, though.

Kessler misses an uppercut, lands a left up top, but Calzaghe is countering pretty much everything. Kessler with a straight right. Kessler throwing bombs now, and he might have Joe in trouble.

Calzaghe comes back with some hard shots, but eats a left hook. Kessler really is starting to look very gassed out there.

Calzaghe with nice work to the head and body, and Kessler is hurt. Calzaghe is AGAIN warned for holding or hitting behind the head.

But Joe comes right back. Kessler does not look good right now. He had this round, and I think he lost it. Standing ovation from the crowd, and even Manny Steward gets up. This is a great fight.

Calzaghe 10-9
Calzaghe 77-75

Calzaghe with a straight left hand, which has been his best weapon tonight. Kessler with a hard left in return. This has been another tight, hard-fought round, and it's been pretty even.

Calzaghe is controlling the flow of the fight again, and the hand speed is playing a big role now. He just looks better at this point. He looks like the better fighter.

Calzaghe 10-9
Calzaghe 87-84

Calzaghe hits Kessler behind the head again, this time it gets no warning. Calzaghe with a trademark flurry that backs Kessler down. Another flurry from Calzaghe. Kessler trades with him now. This is a hell of a round.

Kessler throws a bunch, landing really nothing. Calzaghe comes back with an uppercut.

Lampley made a good point that I didn't notice thus far -- Kessler's corner is not treating the swelling over his left eye. It's been there all night. I have no idea why they're not doing anything about it.

Calzaghe continues to, in my view, dominate the fight. He has completely taken over. Kessler is flustered.

Calzaghe 10-9
Calzaghe 97-93

Calzaghe is on another level in this division. I've doubted him before -- I'm done. He is phenomenal. Utterly and absolutely phenomenal. He has owned Mikkel Kessler for the vast majority of this bout.

Kessler looks a little better this round, or maybe just more desperate. Calzaghe, though, is winning the round. Again.

There is nothing wrong with Mikkel Kessler. There was nothing wrong with Jeff Lacy. It's just everything being right about Joe Calzaghe. He's so exceptionally good.

Calzaghe 10-9
Calzaghe 107-102

Joe can lay back this round and just stay out of the way if he wants to. Who'd blame him? The fight is his, and Kessler could score a flash KO at any moment. He's got that type of power.

Kessler loads up on a big body shot, then catches Joe upstairs a little. Kessler is fighting with tremendous urgency. Kessler with a nice uppercut, Calzaghe got caught with that one, and hard.

Mikkel has a minute and a half left to try and knock Calzaghe out.

Kessler with a hard shot upstairs, and Calzaghe is just trying to keep his distance, throw when he has to to discourage Kessler, and stay back.

Kessler with a nice body shot. Big right. Calzaghe fires back a little bit. 30 seconds left.

Kessler might as well just go for broke, but he's not. He's looking for the perfect punch instead of one that's just good enough.

10 seconds.

Calzaghe stays away, stays away, and the bell sounds. A terrific fight. Mikkel Kessler fought his heart out, but Joe Calzaghe is the king of this division. Not even a sort of question about it anymore. He proved this and then some. Joe Calzaghe just might be as good as anyone in the sport -- anyone.

Kessler 10-9
Calzaghe 116-112

JOE CALZAGHE VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION

No surprise. Lederman had 117-111. Excellent fight, two excellent fighters. But one of them was clearly better.