By Olly Campbell: Joe Calzaghe has long divided public opinion among fight fans. Not brash, loud, obnoxious or self promoting, he has always had something to prove. Especially to the American audience who long doubted the boy from Newbridge, South Wales had what it took to become their idea of a pay-per-view star.
For those who have followed the epic career of Joe closely, they will know that such pre-occupations were never really a consideration of his. The longest reigning British world champion in history, his incredible tenure as top of the super middleweights, cemented his place in the record books for those who really mattered.
We all have our favourite fighters, boyhood heroes who came along at just the right time for us to follow them whilst we were both old enough, and ring savvy enough to realise we were witnessing something special. I came of age as a boxing fan watching Joe Calzaghe fight, and I often wonder if such tremendous in ring achievements will ever be accomplished by a British fighter again in my lifetime.
Trained almost exclusively from day one by his Sardinian father, Enzo, the young Calzaghe enjoyed an outstanding amatuer career that saw him capture ABA titles at welter, light middle and middle weight over three consecutive years, 1991-93, inclusive. Whilst the exact details of his amateur record remain murky, with conflicting tales, it is widely accepted his last defeat inside a boxing ring came two years before his final ABA title, in 1990.
The talented young Welshman signed pro terms with Mickey Duff in 1993, making his debut on the undercard of the epic Bruno/Lewis clash for the world heavyweight title in Cardiff, scoring an impressive win over an unremarkable, journey man fighter called Paul Hanlon.
Already, the young prospect had the boxing insiders buzzing with his incredible handspeed, sound footwork and seemingly heavy hands. Mickey Duff himself remarked to Frank Warren, who would sign Joe in 1996, that the young Calzaghe truly was something special. The year before, 1995, had seen Calzaghe win the British Super Middle-weight belt with an 8th round TKO of Steve Wilson in just his 14th fight, all bar one, stopped early. That very same year he was named the professional boxers association’s young boxer of the year. It was an impressive run of form that captured my attention for starters and that of the rest of the British fans.
To me, back then, Calzaghe was exciting. Fast, technical and a real boxers boxer. Those of us down at the local amateur gym, working bags and pads, not each other, we tried, and failed, to emulate him.
We knew something special when we saw it, and Joe Calzaghe was special. Just how far the slick southpaw could go was anybody’s guess, but I, along with my mates tuned in for every televised fight we could. My new favourite boxer had arrived.
1997 was something of a pivotal year for Joe. For those who had not been following the Welsh wizard, it was the start of the history making journey. For me and my friends, it was a breakthrough chapter. Since winning the British strap, Calzaghe had blown away another 12 opponents early before his date with destiny, and Brighton’s charismatic ex world titlist, Chris Eubank. In fact, all but one of Joes career wins to that point had come by knockout or stoppage.
It’s so easy for the know it alls to remark now that Joe slapped and couldn’t bang, but back then, folk were saying anything but. It was proven in the very first round of that October clash, when a clubbing left put Eubank down on the canvas. Joe Calzaghe had arrived. Even to this day, Eubank recalls the power and Joe recalls the tough 12 rounds the teak tough Eubank put him through. He said in 2006 that the veteran Englishman had been his toughest fight to date. His WBO Super middle-weight title had been well earned that night.
And I suppose this is where the critics come in and have their say. It’s easy now to say that Joe didn’t box anyone of note, but that’s simply not true. Joe Calzaghe boxed whoever was put in front of him. Yes. I suppose it is true to day that he didn’t like to travel, but then why the hell did he have to? He was the champion. Frank Warren was a master of getting Joe home advantage. If you want it, come and get it. And let’s be honest, some of those defences were absolutely fantastic affairs. It seems that, very unfairly, Joe’s critics want yo remember the Branko Sobots, the Tocker Pudwill and the Rick Thornberry. How about those great domestic fights with the likes of former world champs and rivals Robin Reid and Richie Woodhall? The Reid fight in particular was a great, and very close clash that many thought Robin deserved. Let’s not forget the destruction of the then unbeaten German Mario Veit (twice) and the great bouts against tough Americans Charles Brewer and Byron Mitchell, the latter a real toe to toe explosion that saw Joe hit the deck, get up on jelly legs and return fire with the kind of power many forgot he had to turn out Mitchell’s lights.
Those were epic defences, trivialized by jealous critics, especially American ones. It’s laughably those same Americans who back in March 2006 were hyping IBF super-middle-weight champion Jeff Lacy as the next big star of the division. They, along with many UK fans thought Lacy would have far too much power for Joe. Now, years later, after Joe destroyed their heir apparent in an absolute boxing masterclass, those same American critics say Lacy was no big deal, had no names on his record and was a weak champion. If only we had a time machine. Promoter Gary Shaw and Lacy trainer Dan Birmingham don’t have the luxury of pretending they saw through Lacy like some of these comment thread trolls, because their remarks were filmed and recorded for all eternity. Watching that fight and the stunned faces of Shaw and Shelley Finkel never gets boring for me. Lacy’s girlfriend screaming more and more desperately as her one dimensional boyfriend took a career destroying battering, is sweet revenge for all the American antagonism.going into that fight. Joe Calzaghe and the UK-1. Jeff Lacy and the US-0. Oh, it was brilliant.
Even after such an epic, career defining fight, still there were murmurs of discontent. I’ve learned that writing on this site you cant please everyone, no matter how good you’re told you are, so what it must be like for a world class, record breaking undefeated athlete like Joe Calzaghe, is anyone’s guess.
Yet again, no matter what, Calzaghe stood tall and faced the best Super middle-weight fighter the world could offer as challenger in the Viking warrior, Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler. Again, Joes detractors should remember when that fight took place in November of 2007, Kessler was also undefeated and at his peak, not the shot fighter who won one lost one against Froch or who was beaten by Andre Ward. Joe Calzaghe made Kessler into that shot fighter with yet another clinical display of footwork, handspeed and conditioning. Taking the WBC and WBA belts as his own, Calzaghe unified the division, surpassed twenty defences of his WBO title and cemented his place as the best super middle weight fighter in all of boxing.
What more could Joe do to silence the doubters? I will concede his move to America came a little late. Winning light heavyweight honours against Hopkins and Jones Jr. was still an impressive feat, even if some say they were slightly faded. Hopkins is still a champion today at nigh on 50 is he not? That man is a phenomenal athlete by anyone’s standards, and despite shaky moments in the fight, Joe still beat him.
For all the controversial talk over my use of the word great in these pieces, I think anyone would be hard pushed to deny my final subject that accolade. Retirement beckoned and welcomed Calzaghe with an unblemished 46-0 record, 32 early. The longest reigning British world champion in history, he leaves behind a legacy to be proud of that sadly, a minority of haters will try and discredit no matter what. I genuinely believe that had the current best in Andre Ward ever faced a prime Calzaghe, he too would be defeated by the modest and exceptionally talented Welshman. Joe Calzaghe was truly a great Brit, and as this trio of pieces comes to a close, I hope you will agree, I saved the best until last.
Thanks for reading. I’m currently unable to respond to email though can be contacted vis Facebook. Olly Campbell, Olly.Campbell.666
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