Calzaghe quits boxing

[TheArsenal]

Undefeated world super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Joe Calzaghe has announced his retirement.

The 36-year-old Welshman, who reigned as a world champion for more than 11 years, quits the ring with a glittering record of 46 wins from 46 fights.

"It was a difficult decision but I have achieved everything I wanted to achieve in boxing," he told BBC Sport.

"I've been world champion for 11 years. I've got no other goals to go for. That's why I am calling it a day."

In an exclusive interview with BBC sports editor Mihir Bose, Calzaghe, who held the WBO, WBA, WBC and IBF super-middleweight belts during his 16-year professional career, said he had thought "long and hard" about retiring but insisted it was the right move.

"I had a long think with my family," he said. "My children wanted me to give up, plus my mum. That's why I called it a day and will go on to do something else."

Asked if he could ever be tempted back into the ring in the future, the Newbridge fighter replied: "My decision is to retire. I've been boxing for 25 years and, like I said, I've achieved everything I want to achieve.

"You can never say never in this game, but I can't see myself boxing again. There's loads of things I want to do. I'm proud to be one of only a few fighters in history to retire undefeated."

Calzaghe, who was born in London but moved to Wales when he was two, chalked up an impressive record as an amateur, winning 110 of his 120 contests after taking up the sport at the age of nine.

He began his professional career with a first-round stoppage of Paul Hanlon on 1 October, 1993, going on to win seven of his first nine bouts in round one.

Trained by his father, Enzo, he became British super-middleweight champion in 1995 before capturing his first world title in 1997, outpointing Chris Eubank to claim the WBO crown.

Despite suffering from several hand injuries, Calzaghe defended the title at total of 21 times, adding the IBF version to his trophy cabinet with a stunning victory over American Jeff Lacy in March 2006.

He then claimed the WBA and WBC belts with what he feels is his most satisfying fight, a unanimous points win over Denmark's Mikkel Kessler at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 4 November, 2007.

"Unifying the super-middleweight division in front of 50,000 fans was a dream come true for me," he told BBC Sport.

"I was fighting a younger fighter than me, I was the underdog. A lot of people thought I was going to lose that fight. It was a great night."

Just a few weeks later, he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, collecting a CBE soon afterwards, which went nicely along the MBE he received in 2003.

Calzaghe's final two fights cemented his reputation as one of Britain's greatest ever boxers.

Stepping up to light-heavyweight and fighting in America for the first time, he won a split decision against Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas to become 'The Ring' light-heavyweight champion.

He then finished his career with a comprehensive points victory over the legendary Roy Jones Jr at New York's Madison Square Garden on 8 November.

Calzaghe, will be 37 on 23 March, hinted before the fight with Jones that it would be his last, despite talk of a re-match with Hopkins.

Fellow Briton Carl Froch, who took possession of Calzaghe's old WBC super-middleweight belt by beating Canadian Jean Pascal in December, was also eager to take him on.

But Calzaghe resisted the lure of another big pay day and the chance to inch closer to Rocky Marciano's record of 49 wins from 49 fights.

Calzaghe, who has two sons, Connor and Joe, from his marriage to Mandy, says he now plans to concentrate on his charity work and becoming a boxing promoter.

Now divorced and living with model girlfriend Jo-Emma, he also reveals he had several TV projects lined up.

[Shutts]

Great news. Although i would probebly have paid to watch him fight again ... i'm pleased he has quit now. It would be horrible to see him lose badly then retire.

[Adam]

Good decision-great fighter, it's weird to think he won that WBO title from Eubank over 11 years ago.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Calzaghe was great. Good decision to retire with his amazing record in tact.

[Gene Kiniski]

So wait, he won and is currently still holding the same title for 11 years? If so that's really impressive.

[TheArsenal]

So wait, he won and is currently still holding the same title for 11 years? If so that's really impressive.

Yes, he won the world title 11 years ago. He has never, ever lost a match. Ergo, he is still world champion.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

The guy is a legend. Best British boxer ever and one of the best full stop. Apparantly his amatuar record was 110-10 and the last time he lost any fight was in 1990 before turning pro where he held every super middleweight title and was champion for more than 11 years, defending the WBO title 21 times.

The Kessler fight was awesome and although at the end he won a few carnival fights (Roy Jones Jr, Bernhard Hopkins and that guy from the boxing reality show), the victories against the likes of Kessler, Jeff Lacy and Chris Eubank make him worthy of his unbeaten record. I'm glad he's retired as I was a huge fan and felt that with his dodgy hand things could only end badly if he pushed to beat Rocky Marciano's 49-0.

[King Ellis]

http://www.ewbattleground.com/forum/index....showtopic=70152

Please pay more attention next time, you are setting a bad example as a mod.

[NM!]

Off Topic:It links to the same thing.

On Topic: While I have never seen this guy before, he seems pretty damned impressive to hold a title like that for 11 years! Great to retire undefeated when it's not scripted!

[-A-]

Off Topic:It links to the same thing.

On Topic: While I have never seen this guy before, he seems pretty damned impressive to hold a title like that for 11 years! Great to retire undefeated when it's not scripted!

The topics were merged.

Boxing's such a dodgy sport in terms of match-selection that even undefeated records have to be taken with a pinch of salt. Calzaghe won so many world titles and beat so many big names that that prejudice is pretty much wiped out. Even if he'd taken 2 or 3 matches to go for Rocky Marciano's record, he still didn't box as many big names in their prime, so he wouldn't have gone down as the greatest ever, so this is a good decision. Boxing long-term's so dangerous that you've got to respect someone who can walk away from it all.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Time will tell though cos some greats have returned when they're in their late 40s, happy to put their record and reputation on the line for one last big payday.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Maybe now we'll get a champion who won't duck anybody who might be a legitimate challenger?

[Wrath of Kane]

Maybe now we'll get a champion who won't duck anybody who might be a legitimate challenger?

In Boxing? not likely. lets face it, it's gone down hill. alot of people are just jokes. I mean few people are really able to considered "World" Champions. I mean theres like 10 titles per division it has watered it down and ruined it.

That said, Calzaghe was a great boxer. he may have gained a reputation as a ducker, but he's been ducked too, it happens in boxing alot. He was still the undisputed champion, and undefeated.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Generally if you're the champ you HAVE to defend the title against the challenger chosen FOR you. If some other mighty fighter "wants" to fight you, in order to fight them you'd have to give up your titles.

Calzaghe played it down the line. He made the defences that he had to and that were decided for him as Champ. You fight the number one contender.

[Wrath of Kane]

Generally if you're the champ you HAVE to defend the title against the challenger chosen FOR you. If some other mighty fighter "wants" to fight you, in order to fight them you'd have to give up your titles.

Calzaghe played it down the line. He made the defences that he had to and that were decided for him as Champ. You fight the number one contender.

Plus he didn't have to fight Roy Jones at MSG either. he could have tooken an easier fight. And the Bernard Hopkins fight wasn't exactly a gimmie either. i mean the guy fought some good fighters.

[Liam]

Maybe now we'll get a champion who won't duck anybody who might be a legitimate challenger?

As stated elsewhere, he was ducked as well. Towards the end, he took a couple of easy paydays, I mean, Hopkins and Jones Jr were good back in the day, but weren't exactly at their prime, and were much better paydays then potential fights against Froch and various others. But as Hammy said, no matter who you fight these days, you're going to essentially be ducking someone, so you can't really win.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

My viewpoint might be skewed based on being a big Syd Vanderpool fan and that fight never happening.

[hackerjack]

Calzage's record frankly speaks for itself.

Back in 2005 there were still many questions being asked about Calzaghe, had he ducked the big fights? would he win if he fought in the US? would he ever be classed as opne of the pound for pound greats? Even after big wins against Eubank, Mitchell, Brewster and Sheika.

But since then his record stands like this:

05/03/2006 - beat Jeff Lacey (WBO/IBF/IBO super middleweight title)

Lacey was unbeaten coming into this and had practically already been crowned the unified champion by the US-based media. Seen by them and by plenty on this side fo the Atlantic as the best in the division and a man who would become a legend, he was thoroughly outboxed both in terms of techique and pressure by JC. All three jodges gave him 119, meaning he only lost one round. This is when the Us media really caught onto Calzaghe as a boxer.

14/10/06 - defeated Sakio Bika (WBO/IBF super middleweight title)

- Bika may have been an unherolded Camerounian but he was a good tought fighter, certainly gave more fo a fight than Lacey did. The win showed Calzaghe to be able to respond when his opponent got more aggressive and the going got tough.

07/04/07 - defeatedPeter Manfredo jr (WBO super middleweight title)

This was always far more about building an image for the US TV execs than about a fight, however Joe still had to do a job and once he kickd out of first gear the fight was over within 60 seconds (albeit in the 3rd).

03/11/07 - defeated Mikkel Kessler (WBO/WBA/WBC super middleweight title)

Probably Joe's best fight technically. Kessler had a 39-0 record coming into this and was the much younger and many thought hungrier and better man. In the end after some hard early rounds Joe's ability pulled him away on the scorecards. It might have been a bit of a struggle in the last round as well but there wasd only one winner. This solidified him as Europe's top threat to any American fighter.

19/04/08 - beat Bernard Hopkins (light-heavyweight)

Knocked down in round 1 and solidly behind after four rounds, Calzaghe dug deep and set about picking apart the man most claimed to be pound for pound the best in the world at the time. Some questioned the decision but in all hoensty Calzage was the bettr man for 2/3 of the fight. In Vegas where you have to practically kill an American to get a win if you are a European, two of the three judges had Joe as the clear winner, the third gave it by 1 to Hopkins.

08/11/08 - beat Roy Jones Jr. (light-heavyweight)

Frankly Joe dismantled the once great man, despite again going down in round 1 he then proceeded to win the next 11 according to all three judges (and most who saw the fight). Jones may have been past his best but at 39 is only a few years older than Joe so that's not too bad a comparison.

The only fighter in the world with a record as impressive as that in the same time frame is Manny Pacquio (who has had to deal with the same criticisms as Joe has from the US). Some will say Hopkins and Jones were past it, but that is not only disproved by Hopkins beating the so-called best fo the new generation easily in Kenny Pavlik since then, but in the first place why should Joe be fighting men 10 years his junior? He has beaten the best fo his generation and plenty of the next as well. The only fight left out there for him could be with Dawson, but I feel Dawson needs to beat either Hopkins or Kessler forst for there to be enough interest, meaning the fight wouldn't happen until late 2009/early 2010 and that is too long to wait.

Joe has made the right choice and I hope he stops training now, most retired boxers don't and that's what makes them think that they can return. That said I don't see Joe coming back, he has a life outside of his own career now in potentially training kids alongside his father and is financially sound through making some sensible investments.

Thanks for everything Joe

Bernard

Hopkins

W12 Ring light-heavyweight belt 19/04/08

Roy

Jones Jr

W12 Ring light-heavyweight belt 08/11/08

[Bryan Blade]

Calzaghe what a legend pity we never go see him fight Steve Collins would have been a war i'm sure haha