Mikkel Kessler vs Brian Magee set for December 8 in Denmark

Mikkel Kessler's toe-dipping half-experiment as a "light heavyweight" won't last, as the former super middleweight titleholder will look to win his fourth title at the weight on December 8, when he faces Brian Magee in Herning, Denmark, for the vacant WBA "regular" title.

Andre Ward, of course, holds the "super" title, having unified with the WBC belt last December when he defeated Carl Froch. Ward won the WBA super title from Kessler in 2009.

Kessler (45-2, 34 KO) has fought just three times since losing to Ward, but has gone 3-0 in those fights, his most impressive win a 2010 defeat of Froch in Denmark, which wound up by far the best fight of the two-year Super Six World Boxing Classic.

Following that win, Kessler pulled out of the Super Six with an eye injury. He returned in June 2011 with an easy win over Mehdi Bouadla, and then had a catchweight fight in May of this year against Allan Green, knocking out the American in the fourth round.

UK veteran Magee (36-4-1, 25 KO) is still a solid operator, and a quality opponent. Overall, when you scrape away the fact that there doesn't need to be a second WBA title, and the fact that wins over Rudy Markussen and Jaime Barboza don't really qualify Magee for a world title shot, it's not a bad fight.

Magee's wins over Markussen and Barboza followed a loss to Lucian Bute in March 2011, where Magee was game but eventually crumbled against the then-unbeaten Romanian-Canadian in Montreal.

Magee also scored a 2010 win over Mads Larsen, which like the Magnussen fight was held in Denmark. So there's a built-in angle here, as Kessler, the last line of defense for Danish super middleweights, looks to stand his ground and restore national pride against the conqueror from Belfast. It's kind of like the riders of Rohan charging into battle against the orcs at the battle for Gondor.

Kind of.