Calzaghe talks Haye, Khan, Froch and about retirement

By Scott Gilfoid: In an article with the Southwalesargus, former WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KO’s) says he has no regrets about getting out of the sport when he did rather than fight on. “I won’t box again.” Other than that, Calzaghe didn’t say much else, just droning on about his domestic life and all that kind of blather. I was pretty bored, I must say. Calzaghe did briefly discuss the success of David Haye, Amir Khan and Carl Froch. “Carl Froch is continuing to do well in the super middleweight Super Six tournament and of course David Haye has arrived as a massive player in the heavyweight division as well,” Calzaghe said. That was really nice of Joe to do that. It’s too bad that come next year, Calzaghe might not have much good news to say about those fighters if they step it up against better fighters.

Froch already has almost certain trouble brewing ahead for him in the form of Mikkel Kessler, whom he fights in April 2010. I expect Froch to get a boxing lesson in that fight and lose badly. As for Khan, well, he might continue to win as long as he’s kept away from big punchers. If they put him in with a fighter with big power like Marcos Maidana or even Breidis Prescott, then I don’t see Khan walking away with his title intact after the fight.

But I honestly don’t see Khan facing either of those guys in 2010, so Calzaghe should have some good things to say about Khan beating up some non punchers. I can also say pretty much the same about Haye. Although he’s been real good about using the Klitschko brothers to name drop in the media, I have a strong suspicion that Haye won’t be fighting either of the brothers in 2010. That’s my end of the year prediction for Haye.

I think he’ll fight John Ruiz early next year, then go after a smaller fighter like Bernard Hopkins to get a good payday. It’s a fight that poses little risk for Haye because of the small size and the advanced age of Hopkins. By then, Hopkins will be 45, and not nearly in the position to give much of a fight to Haye. However, if Haye does take on the Klitschko brothers in 2010, then I see Calzaghe having little to talk about on the Haye subject, other than ‘better luck next time.’ Of the three fighters mentioned, I only see Froch facing real tests in 2010, and unfortunately, I think Froch is going to fail those tests and end up being drummed out of the Super Six tournament.

It’s really too bad that Calzaghe retired when he did. Calzaghe’s last two fights of his career where against Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I wasn’t the least impressed with Calzaghe’s choice of opponents for these last two fights. Come on, if this is going to be the last two fights of your career, Joe, you could have at least gone out with a bang by fighting someone like Chad Dawson.

So what if Calzaghe probably would have lost a lopsided 12 round decision. At least he’d be going out like a warrior and finishing strong with his career. Minus that, then I would have much preferred that Calzaghe stuck around and fought in the Super Six tournament. Again, I think he’d have major problems and likely end up getting drummed out early, but at least he would have the chance of going out on his shield.

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