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Joe Calzaghe (46-0, 32KO) is regarded as one of the greatest boxers to ever be produced in the UK and his legacy will stand the test of time with an unbeaten pro career spanning 46 fights taking on challengers from across the globe.
The Welshman is the longest reigning super-middleweight champion having held the belt for over a decade and defending his crown 21 times, becoming the inaugural Ring Magazine super-middleweight champion defeating Jeff Lacy (27-6, 18KO) in one of the standout performances of his career.
‘The Pride of Wales’ became a two weight world champion in the latter stages of his career fulfilling a lifelong ambition to fight in the USA, but despite already being a decorated champion Calzaghe still had to execute a cunning plan to ensure a fight stateside.
Joe Calzaghe booked last minute flight to USA to confront Bernard Hopkins
Having bested Danish rival Mikkel Kessler in Cardiff, in what was his final fight at super-middelweight, Calzaghe knew that time was running out on his pro career but still had ambitions to end his tenure at the top by travelling across the pond and facing Bernard Hopkins (55-8-2, 32KO).
“I made that decision after that fight that I’m never going to fight at super-middleweight, I’ve been there ten years at world champion I’ve got all the belts. I knew this was the end for me, legacy was everything to me so it was a natural thing for me to go over to the States and fight,” said Calzaghe on All The Smoke Fight.
“I’d never fought there, I boxed in Denmark, boxed in Germany where I had to fight a mandatory once and I always wanted to come to America. When you’re coming through your promoter dictates, other champions don’t want to fight and its just a frustration, but I was in the position now where I wanted to fight against Hopkins.”
“He was the Ring Magazine champion so that was a natural fight. The week after the Kessler fight Ricky Hatton was fighting against Mayweather, so basically we payed our own flight, we had cheap seats at the back and I remember the main reason was to go over and bump into Hopkins.”
Following the card in America ‘The Italian Dragon’ made his way to the post-fight press conference aiming to meet Hopkins, sparking one of the most famous confrontations in boxing history.
“We went to the press room and the fight was made there, if I didn’t go to the States that fight would not be made, I skipped everything else the bull*hit with the promotion I went man to man.”
The pair met in April 2008 at the Thomas & Mack Centre, Las Vegas and despite Hopkins landing a knockdown in the opening round Calzaghe earned a split decision victory to claim the Ring Magazine light-heavyweight title, before ending his career with a unanimous decision win against Roy Jones Jnr in New York.
