Joe Calzaghe
LEARNED OF JOE CALZAGHE AT NEWMAN’S GYM
San Francisco, CA– It was 1996, “Irish Pat” Lawlor and I were in a downtown gym when the subject of his recent fight with Joe Calzaghe came up. “Joe hit me the hardest I’ve ever been hit in my life.” Outside of the weekly British Boxing News, the media had not yet realized the potential of the man who would become the longest reining WBO and 168 lb. champion in history, but Pat Lawlor did.
RAN ROUGHSHOD OVR AMATEUR COMPETITION
After a stellar amateur run of British titles and a 110-10 record, the left handed fighter who would become the athletic pride of his native Wales turned professional with little fanfare in October 1993 with Paul Hanlon becoming the first name affixed to a professional boxing resume that would go unblemished for 15+ years.
CALZAGHE BUILT “BRICK BY BRICK”
It wasn’t a meteoric rise to stardom for the man who would not only become WBO king at 168 lbs., but the uncrowned King of Wales, as Team Calzaghe took the “old school” approach and slowly built a boxing dynasty that is unequaled in recent times.
FACED FOE WHO BEAT 3 NOTED CHAMPS
Although Joe would best undefeated (21-0, 16 KOs) Mike Delaney prior to fighting the aforementioned Pat Lawlor, the San Franciscan was a “real test” for Calzaghe seeing he had already beaten three-ex world champions in the great Roberto Duran, Wilfredo Benitez and Rene Arredondo.
LAWLOR DIDN’T DO ANYTHING GREAT PER SE
Not a powerful sort by any means, Lawlor had a style that for some was difficult to exploit. Meeting Calzaghe in Cardiff, Wales, Pat Lawlor, previously a WBO jr. middleweight title challenger vs. champion John David Jackson, “Irish Pat” was back on his stool (TKO 2) just 1:25 into round two. Recording his 19th professional victory, Calzaghe was 18 months away from a vacant WBO title shot with England’s Chris Eubank in November 1997.
EUBANK SR. COULD FIGHT
Successfully turning back the incredibly talented Eubank, himself a former WBO 168 lb. titlehollder who dropped the belt to Steve Collins in 1995, the buildup to Calzaghe-Eubank was at times a circus designed by Eubank, a colorful chap who today wears a monocle accompanied by a walking cane. After a robust 12 rounds, there was no doubt that Calazghe, a UD 12 winner, was clearly the best super middleweight in the United Kingdom.
JOE SET OUT TO CONQUER WORLD
There is a bit of a difference in being the best super middleweight in Britain and being the best super middleweight in the world, something both Calzaghe and the world at large would soon learn. After the Eubank fight, beating fellow Brit Robin Reid silenced Joe’s British critics as many thought the 26-1 Reid would defeat Joe who instead triumphed with a SD 12.
THESE NUMBERS TELL A STORY
With opponents like unbeaten (39-0) Mikkell Kessler, I looked at the numbers and the worst record Joe ever faced in a WBO title bout was the then 38-7 Charles Brewer. In all, the opposition for Joe Calzaghe ended up having a combined record of 655-54, an incredible number considering this included 22 WBO fights at 168 and two bouts at 175.
LACY COMES INTO FIGHT FAVORED
Having been WBO champion for some nine years, Joe was matched with unbeaten U.S. Olympian Jeff Lacy in March 2006, a fight the pundits and oddsmakers had him losing before the opening bell. In what was one of his finest moments as a professional, Calzaghe easily outclassed the betting favorite by winning 11 of 12 cards on each of the official scorecards.
JOE KNEW OW TO CLOSE “HIS” SHOW
In closing out an incredible professional career, Joe Calzaghe faced three straight fighters who will have a place in boxing’s Hall of Fame once they retire. Mikkell Kessler (who is still fighting) was dominated by Calzaghe in November 2007, Joe’s last bout at 168 lbs.
DECKED BY AGELESS HOPKINS
Moving up to 175 (light heavyweight) lbs. Joe faced Bernard Hopkins and got dropped in the opening round before going on to prevail via a SD 12. In his final fight, Calzaghe stepped in with Roy Jones Jr., and as was the case with Hopkins, was knocked down in round one. Dusting himself off, Joe would win every following round as the scorecards read 118-109 across the board.
KING OF WALES WALKS AWAY
Now the Ring magazine champ at 175 lbs., Calzaghe then did something few boxers in history have done in that he retired unbeaten at 46-0 with 32 KOs. Offered mega-bucks to comeback, Calzaghe, again like few of his peers, refused any monies that might risk his unbeaten record.
HALL OF FAME 2014 MEMBER
Active in community causes at home. Joe Calzaghe started his own boxing promotional company “Calzaghe Promotions” with father Enzo. He is also active in The Beat Bullying campaign. A victim himself, Joe said he got bullied because he was small. Joe Calzaghe, the uncrowned King of Wales officially retired after the Jones fight with a record of 48-0, 32 KOs.
Pedro Fernandez