Joe Calzaghe the Undefeated

by Ralph Oates

had taken his first step in the punch for pay code on the 1st of October 1993 when he stopped Paul Hanlon in the first round of four and had worked his way through the rankings to a deserved shot at the world crown.

Photo courtesy of Les Clark. On the night of the 11th of October 1997 Joe Calzaghe stepped into the ring at the Sheffield Arena to contest the vacant WBO world super-middleweight title against Chris Eubank (the title had been vacated by Ireland’s Steve Collins following his retirement). This was a match where a Calzaghe victory was expected. The Welshman was undefeated in twenty-two bouts and had won the British super-middleweight title along the way leading up to this point in time. Eubank, a former WBO world middleweight and super-middleweight champion, may have seen better days but he was still a tricky operator with the experience of forty-nine fights behind him; winning forty-five, losing two with two drawn. This would not be an easy task for Calzaghe, he would need to concentrate all the time during the fight against the man opposing him. Calzaghe, who boxed in the southpaw stance, was born on the 23rd of March 1972 and was duly trained by his father Enzo Calzaghe. When in the amateurs, the Welshman served notice that he was special when winning the ABA title on three occasions in different weight divisions; welterweight (1991), light-middleweight (1992), and middleweight (1993). Make no mistake that takes some doing. Calzaghe When the bell sounded to get the Eubank Calzaghe contest underway, the Welsh boxer had a dream start flooring his opponent for a count in the first round. However, if anyone thought this was going to be an easy night for Calzaghe they had to think again. Eubank was an experienced boxer and was not going to fold that easy, that was not his way. Eubank hence fought back, and while Calzaghe won on points after a thrilling encounter after twelve rounds, he knew he had been in a fight with a real warrior. In the past many boxers have been over hyped and had not lived up to their earlier expectations. Calzaghe had shown that in this meeting with Eubank he was the real deal and that his win over Eubank was just the beginning, and there was more to come from this classy boxer.

The Welshman hence became a major force in boxing and defended his world title seventeen times from 1998 to 2005. In America there was a boxer who was also making big waves in the division, his name was Jeff Lacy who was the holder of IBF version of the super-middleweight championship. Many felt that he was the main man at the weight and there was excitement when Calzaghe and Lacy agreed to meet in a unification contest. The two fighters met at the M.E.N Arena in Manchester on the 4th of March 2006. Going into the fight Lacy came with a resume of twenty-two bouts which included one no contest result, he too was yet to taste defeat in the professional ranks. The American was tipped to beat Calzaghe and duly end his undefeated record, which then stood at a perfect forty victories. Those who backed Lacy to fly back to the States as a unified world champion were wrong. On the night the Welshman produced one of the best performances to be seen in a UK ring for a number of years and took the American apart. Giving him a boxing lesson in the process, it was only the courage of Lacy which saw him reach the twelfth and final round in what was a breath-taking contest.

Calzaghe was now the WBO and IBF world super-middleweight champion. That year Calzaghe returned to M.E.N Arena and defended the titles against the tough Cameroon born Sakio Bika, who was fighting out of Australia and came with a resume

of twenty-three fi ghts; twenty wins with two drawn. Calzaghe defeated Bika by way of a twelve round points decision, in a contest which took place on the 14th of October 2006. Then on the 7th of April 2007, Peter Manfredo from America stepped up to challenge Calzaghe in a contest which took place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. By this time Calzaghe had relinquished the IBF version of the crown but kept the WBO title which was at stake in this contest. Manfredo, with a record of twenty-nine bouts with three defeats, was no match for the Welshman and was stopped in the third round of a slatted twelve. A more dangerous challenge for Calzaghe took place on the 3rd of November 2007, when Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler entered the ring at the Millennium Stadium to fi ght the Welshman. The Dane was an outstanding boxer who held the WBC and WBA versions of the super-middleweight title and was undefeated in thirty-nine bouts. This would be a unifi cation contest with Calzaghe’s WBO title also on the line. The general view was a win for the Welshman, but it certainly wasn’t a confi dent pick. Kessler was a real threat to Calzaghe. While modest in demeanour, the Dane felt he had the skills to defeat the Welshman and would return to his country victorious. There would be no doubt that the winner of this meeting would be the very best in the division.

The fi ght promised a great deal and it really delivered in no uncertain manner. From the fi rst bell the two boxers freely exchanged punches and would not surrender an inch of ground in the ring. This was a battle between boxers who knew their craft. It was a diffi cult encounter for Calzaghe, but he was clearly taking control of the fi ght as the rounds rolled on. At the end of the twelve round contest Calzaghe was a worthy points victor. It was far from being easy, but the home hero did not expect it to be a walk in the park.

It was now time for the Welshman to show his wares in the USA where he was also recognised as one of the most outstanding fi ghters in action at that time. Calzaghe moved up to the light-heavyweight poundage for his fi rst assignment in America which took place on the 19th of April 2008. His opponent was not an easy touch, far from it; he was to meet Bernard Hopkins, a former undisputed world middleweight champion. Hopkins came into the contest at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada with a record of fi fty-four fi ghts; winning forty-eight, losing four with one drawn, this included a bout declared a no decision. This was a risky encounter for Calzaghe against the American who was confi dent of beating the visitor from the UK. The scheduled twelve round bout started badly for the Welshman when the American fl oored him for a count in the opening round. Confi rmation if any was needed that Hopkins was a dangerous opponent. Calzaghe got back on his feet and showed the heart of a champion; he had not travelled across the pond to lose his undefeated record. The two fi ghters engaged in a hard-fought battle. At the end of a taxing fi ght, Calzaghe was declared the winner on points. This was another fantastic win for the Welshman in his forty-fi fth bout.

A second contest in the USA took place on the 8th of November 2008, at Madison Square Garden in New York, against another formidable opponent in the shape of Roy Jones Jr; a boxer who had won a staggering number of world titles in different weight divisions these being the IBF middleweight, IBF super-middleweight, WBC, WBA & IBF light-heavyweight and the WBA heavyweight crown and in so doing had comprised a record of fi fty-six bouts; winning fi fty-two and losing four. Jones Jr was considered to be past his prime. However, the American was still a serious threat and in defeating Calzaghe he would add to his legacy and give his career a further lease of life. Once the fi ght got underway Jones Jr, like Hopkins in the Welshman’s previous contest, put the visiting boxer on the canvas for a count in the opening session. If any of the American fans thought that Jones Jr was going to put an end to Calzaghe’s undefeated record and hence slay the Welsh Dragon, they were selling him short. Calzaghe got off the canvas and showed that he was far from being defeated. In the rounds which followed, Calzaghe showed why he was an undefeated boxer. Jones Jr too showed his abilities during the bout and made a fi ght of it. The contest went the full distance of twelve rounds of which Calzaghe was a clear winner when the fi nal bell rang.

This was the last professional fi ght for Joe Calzaghe; soon after he announced his retirement from the sport. It was good to see Calzaghe go out on a winning note with an undefeated record of forty-six victories, hence adding his name to the greats in boxing. In 2014 Calzaghe had the honour of being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, a fi tting tribute to his achievements in the ring.

Ralph Oates is a former amateur boxer who has Ralph Oates is a former amateur boxer who has maintained his interest in the sport by writing a maintained his interest in the sport by writing a number of boxing books over the years. number of boxing books over the years. He is an historian on the sport and a former boxing He is an historian on the sport and a former boxing consultant for Guinness World Records. Ralph was consultant for Guinness World Records. Ralph was a regular contributor to the British Boxing Board of a regular contributor to the British Boxing Board of Control Yearbook for 18 years. Control Yearbook for 18 years. His latest book can be purchased here: A Question His latest book can be purchased here: A Question of Boxing www.jmdmedia.co.uk of Boxing www.jmdmedia.co.uk