Calzaghe Confirms Last Fight Will Be With Jones Not Pavlik

Calzaghe vs Roy Jones Jr fight will go down in November

 

 

Amidst speculation that Calzaghe’s fight against American legend Roy Jones Jr. at Madison Square Garden in November will not be his last, the Welsh boxing legend has made it clear that he has no intention of coming out of retirement to fight Pavlik.

Calzaghe explained: “We tried to get Pavlik to fight me after the Jeff Lacy fight and he declined it because he wanted to fight for the middleweight title. And I think we asked him again after he won the title, but he declined again. I think he is possibly just trying to get publicity off the back of me.

Obviously. everyone wants a pay day, but he will have to go and find it somewhere else. This guy has just started and you can’t talk about him as a great fighter because to be that you have to fight great names and reign for a long time, which he has not done. Roy Jones is a legend, and that is the difference.”

The Pride of Wales

The Welsh boxing legend has given the world spectacular fights that will not be forgotten. Calzaghe explains why he is ready to hang up his gloves for good after the superfight with Jones:

“I’ve achieved everything I wanted to achieve. The one thing that is missing is to fight at Madison Square Garden. I’m fighting one of the best fighters of the last 20 years at the mecca of boxing. There is no way I am going to get beaten in my last fight. To go down in history as an undefeated world champion means so much to me.”

Calzaghe’s father and trainer, Enzo has stated:

“This last fight is more important than his first fight. He will not be taking any chances because I won’t allow it. This fight is his dream and without it I don’t think he would have been fulfilled.”

 

Tickets for the Calzaghe vs Jones fight are breaking sales records with ring side seats at £4000 and climbing. Everyone and their mother wants to see Calzaghe’s last fight, and that includes celebrities with plenty of money to burn.

Calzaghe v Jones Fight On Ice Due to Injured Wrist

Joe Calzaghe’s father and trainer, Enzo, has announced that his son has sprained his wrist hitting pads and will need up to three weeks recovery time. “When he woke up with a swollen wrist I looked at it and it looked bloody awful,” he said.

Throughout Calzaghe’s 15 year career hand injuries have been the cause of numerous fight postponements. The Calzaghe vs. Jones super fight may take place in November if US cable network giant HBO is able to agree on a suitable television slot.

Calzaghe has announced repeatedly that the Jones fight will be his last. However, Calzaghe has not relinquished the WBO world super-middleweight title he won against Chris Eubank in 1997 which has lead many to speculate that Calzaghe may defend the title next year.

Before Calzaghe split with promoter Frank Warren talks had been held between Warren and Bob Arum, promoter of world middleweight champion, Kelly Pavlik, regarding an October 18th contest between Calzaghe and Pavlik. The October date is now set for a fight between Pavlik and the former champion Bernard Hopkins in Atlantic City.

Victory for Pavlik against Hopkins would build Pavlik’s reputation and open up the possibility of a challenge for Calzaghe’s 12st WBO super-middleweight title.

After the Calzaghe v Jones fight we may not have seen the last of the Pride of Wales.