How ‘Bad Blood’ could rejuvenate Danish boxing

Expectations high ahead of Rudy Markussen taking on Patrick Nielsen on December 12

Boxing in Denmark has seen better days. First ‘The Viking Warrior’ Mikkel Kessler retired, and then the next big hope, the undefeated middleweight Patrick Nielsen, lost his first big bout to the hard-hitting Russian slugger Dmitry Chudinov in Moscow last year.

Now Nielsen (26 wins, 1 loss), the reigning WBA International super-middleweight title holder, is attempting to get his once-so-promising career back on track by taking on Rudy Markussen (37 wins, 3 losses), a former European champ who promptly retired in 2012 after being surprised by Irish southpaw Brian Magee.

Markussen, now 38, has returned to the ring, and the match that could very well revitalise Danish boxing will take place at Brøndby Hallen on December 12.

READ MORE: Nielsen loses perfect record in Moscow mauling

Now known as ‘Bad Blood’
The fight was in danger of being scrapped because of weight issues, but both boxers are chomping at the bit at the prospect of meeting in the ring and there has been no shortage of banter at the press conferences. The fight has even earned itself a name: ‘Bad Blood’.

“Rudy can talk all he wants, but now he’ll have to back up those words,” Nielsen, 24, said according to Ekstra Bladet tabloid. “He called me out and interrupted my press conference and he will regret doing so.”

“I’m too fast, too strong and too good. Rudy is just an old caveman, and on December 12, I’ll send him back to the Stone Age.”

Tickets for the fight went on sale today at Billetlugen.dk.

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