Jones/Calzaghe: The Aftermath - Where Do They Go Now?
By Vivek Wallace: Leading up to last Saturday nights showdown between Joe Calzaghe and Roy Jones Jr. few knew decisively which one of the two superstars would emerge victorious. After 12 somewhat lopsided rounds and a heavy dosage of vindication later, it was the "Pride of Wales" who proved once again where he stands amongst the all-time elite in the sport. A brave young man, trained by a former musician who probably couldn't fight his own way out of a wet paper bag, yet nearly two decades later they brilliantly cap off arguably the best story in the sport, and they did it the old fashioned way - by kicking ass and taking names, literally. No, he and his trainer aren't American, but neither can anyone deny that this is a script which is typically born in Hollywood. With the showdown finally settled, in the 'aftermath' we now take a deeper glimpse into what that future may hold for both men.
Joe Calzaghe - A Look Ahead:
For Joe Calzaghe, the future has never looked brighter. He basically removed all the pre-existing obstacles from his path and silenced his doubters. Not only did he remove those obstacles, but he did it in their homeland and he did it more decisively than anyone thought he could. With him pocketing the most legendary names in his respective weight classes already, one has to wonder what really is there left to prove? It's obvious that he doesn't care to flirt with a Hopkins rematch. After the one-sided affair last Saturday night, I seriously doubt that Jones will raise question of a rematch, which even if staged overseas would fail to draw. Then you have Antonio Tarver who's surrounded by question marks and relative to the big picture, in the eyes of many he's been relegated to the role of an afterthought. Recently, the name Chad Dawson has entered the equation and he's a very worthy candidate, maybe even too worthy in the sense that he could be more of a risk than Calzaghe's willing to take at this stage. Of all the names on the table, he's the only one with enough youth, stamina, and ability to make for an interesting case. The old adage states that styles make fights, and when applying that ideology, the only other 'wildcard' in the mix would be Glen Johnson, considering that he doesn't EVER fight backwards, and much like Calzaghe, rarely does he stop letting his hands go. That fight would be intriguing for stylistic reasons, and when you add the fact that Johnson is the only other fighter in the division who has handled the better names in the light heavyweight realm, he should definitely have more consideration than he gets. Aside from Johnson (who we know won't get the nod), and Dawson (who we can equate the same result for different reasons), there really are no other names in true contention. They say "nothing in life is perfect" huh? Well, for those ill-willed fans around the sport that wanted to see Calzaghe fall on the wrong side of a decision for once in his career, all indications appear that your time has run out. Clearly, there are more things Calzaghe can do to polish his legacy, but for all intents and purposes, there's simply nothing left to prove so why risk it?
Roy Jones Jr. - A Look Ahead:
When considering the Roy Jones Jr. future perspective, many thoughts come to mind, but of all those many considerations, a precious few lean towards a ring return. Jones, (similar to Calzaghe but for different reasons), at this point has little to gain and truthfully speaking, little to lose as well. No matter who he defeats or how good he looks doing it, he can't add to what he has already accomplished, so future victories would serve little purpose. If he went into the ring in another marquee match up and suffered another loss, the notion that he was already 'shot' would resonate even louder. The odd irony about Jones Jr. is the fact that had he been in the ring with more than half the other light heavyweight competition out there, he probably would not have loss last Saturday. Roy's defeat came mainly because he fought a man who's speed not only rivaled his own, but was better, and that same man's youth and stamina to dispatch that speed was easy, while Jones has clearly reached a point where his reserve bank has unfortunately dried up. Bottom line, the historical chapter in his legacy has run out of pages, with the proverbial 'ink' of good fortune currently shooting blanks. I have no idea what the true reason was for his failure to face Calzaghe in his prime, but what we do know is that it may have very well come back to haunt him. There's no telling for certain who would have won but at that point he was as sharp as a knife and for the record (no pun intended), consider this.....Roy Jones Jr. at super-middleweight and below has an all-time record of 33-0 w/29KO's. It wasn't until he moved up in weight that the problems started, giving him an all-time record of 19-5 w/9KO's above that weight limit. So in a very ironic fashion, the very same venture that put him on pace to make history in effect found a way to take history. And speaking of that venture that sent him north in weight above the super-middleweight ranks, what's even more ironic is the fact that the last place he received a victory in that particular weight class was the same place that he suffered his most recent and potentially career ending defeat above that division - New York City's Madison Square Garden.
In the end, with a legacy that's already sealed, there's no doubt that Jones' career is facing the proverbial 'westside', symbolizing a once burning sun that's finally preparing to set. All we can do now is thank Roy for the past, and wish him the best, praying that he finds equal or greater success in all future endeavors. As for Joe Calzghe, the best way for me to sum up my perspective of him is by indulging in a very 'Larry Merchant' type moment by telling a 4 sentence story that doesn't mean much to anyone but me, yet the end leaves a clear message for all to see...here goes....
As a former U.S. Marine who was rarely home, I would often wonder if my aging Mother had began to lose her God given skills in the kitchen. At one point I secretly returned home for a weekend visit, only to have her prepare something while in rush that left me somewhat in doubt. Many years later she summoned the family back to our old home where she had planned a Thanksgiving feast for everyone, yet after the last meal I had eaten, I found myself far less than eager to attend. Well, good thing I decided to go, because to this day that feast remains the best I've ever taken part in and it was all her solo creation.
The moral of my story: Like my Mother in the kitchen, JOE MAY NOT HAVE ALWAYS MET THE OUTSIDERS' EXPECTATIONS, BUT WHEN THE CHEEKS WERE IN THE SEATS AND THE STAGE WAS GRAND, HE ALWAYS FOUND A WAY TO PULL OFF WHAT MOST OF THEM SWORE HE WOULDN'T.
My parting question for all fight fans.....Whether you support him or not, what more could any of us ask for? Think about it.....
ESB WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT OUT TO THANK BOTH THE CALZAGHE CAMP AND THE JONES CAMP FOR A JOB - AND POSSIBLY A CAREER - WELL DONE!
Ringside Report: 'Super' Joe Calzaghe Batters Roy Jones, Jr.
 By Christopher Roche, Ringside - Brickcity boxing.com: It started in the undercard and continued throughout the main event. Welsh fans held their flags up high and chanted:
Suuuuper-
Super Joe-
Super Joe Calzaghe!
The devoted throng of fans who crossed the pond for last night’s scrap were not disappointed, as Joe Calzaghe, of Newbridge, Wales, dominated the once invincible Roy Jones, Jr., at Madison Square Garden.
Calzaghe’s confident supporters had an anxious moment in round one, when Jones landed a blistering jab that turned Calzaghe’s head. Jones followed that up with a wide right hand that caught Calzaghe’s face with a good bit of forearm.
Calzaghe, in almost a repeat of the Hopkins bout, dropped to one knee, and then he rolled toward his side. As the Garden erupted in frenzy, Calzaghe rose to his feet and steadied himself. For Jones, that proved to be his one and only chance at victory, but Calzaghe shook off the knockdown and honed in on his prey.
By the time the second round got going, Calzaghe’s impression of a windmill made its first appearance. Jones backed into the ropes with his gloves over his face, a la Winky Wright. Calzaghe blistered Jones’ body and peppered his head. In between the barrage, Calzaghe dropped his hands to his side and poked his head directly onto the gloves of Jones, just daring Roy to hit him. Jones could not pull the trigger.
Calzaghe’s shaking and showboating continued into the third round, and Jones still could not let his hands go. In the fourth, Jones landed a decent right hand, but he was reduced to being a one-punch warrior, while Calzaghe looked like he was working over a heavy bag. Jones landed a couple of straight right hands in the fifth, but Calzaghe blistered him with a combination, perhaps one of the best of the fight.
The pace slowed a bit in the sixth, and Jones tried to steal the frame with a sneaky right hand at the ten second knock, but Calzaghe came back in the seventh and imposed his will. Calzaghe dazzled Jones with combinations from all angles, and he opened a nasty cut over Jones’ left eye. The blood freely gushed during the eighth, and it seemed as if Calzaghe was content to slap Jones around and punish him.
By the time the ninth round rolled around, there was no question who was winning the fight. The only doubt that remained was whether Jones would finish the fight. The cut was bad, and Calzaghe’s combinations were taking a toll, especially the windmills to Jones’ body.
Jones’ rallies were easily stymied, and at the close of round eleven, a confident Calzaghe showboated around the ring, as a bloodied Jones flopped down on his stool. Calzaghe’s faithful were going crazy, and many of Jones’ fans headed to the exits early. The twelfth round was elementary, and once the final bell sounded, it was clear that Calzaghe won the fight going away.
I scored the bout 10 rounds to 2 for Calzaghe, with the first round being a two pointer for Jones. All three judges agreed, and the scores came back 118-109 for Calzaghe. With the victory, the 36 year-old Calzaghe pushed his mark 46-0, 32 KO’s. Jones, 39, of Pensacola, FL, dropped to 52-5, 38 KO’s.
Other Results
Zab Judah did little to inspire fight fans with his unanimous decision victory over Ernest Johnson. Judah, of Brooklyn, suffered more bad cuts, and he looked far from being a world-class welterweight. Johnson, for his part, was game, but the 29 year-old did not have the talent, or the experience to overcome the 30 year-old Judah.
Judah moved to 37-6, 25 KO’s, 2 NC, and Johnson, of San Diego, dropped to 18-3, 7 KO’s. The scores were 99-91 and 98-92 (twice).
In perhaps the most bizarre event of the night, Dimitry Salita shut out Derrick Campos on one judge’s scorecard, while just barely edging Campos out on another. Salita looked shaken several times in the fight, but judge Robin Taylor still scored the bout 120-108 for Salita. Meanwhile, the other two judges scored the bout 117-111 and 115-113.
Despite the strange scoring, Salita remained undefeated, as the Brooklynite moved to 29-0-1, 16 KO’s, and Campos fell to 17-6, 10 KO’s.
In other action, Dominick Guinn, Danny Jacobs, Daniel Edouard and Joseph Judah all came out on the winning side.
Overall, it was another excellent night of Garden boxing. Perhaps most encouraging was the surprisingly large crowd. On my way home, I heard an American fan talking on his cell phone, and he mentioned this was his first fight he had ever seen live. He said, “The seed has been planted. This was good.”
Let’s hope more nights like this happen for boxing, because it was one of the best atmospheres I have witnessed at a sporting event. Too bad Hatton vs. Malignaggi is not taking place at MSG.
Calzaghe Wins Big Over Jones
 By Paul Strauss: Madison Square Garden fans were treated to a very exciting display of the many talents of Joe Calzaghe. He proved he can do just about anything he wants to in the ring and get away with it. He has great reflexes, toughness, speed, volume punching, and ability to read or sense what his opponent is going to do and then react accordingly.
Joe came into the ring looking very relaxed and resplendent in his sequined outfit. Roy looked equally at ease, acknowledging friendly faces in the audience. But, when the action started, it seemed like a replay of the first round in Calzaghe's fight with Hopkins. This time Joe seemed hurt, though. The knockdown occurred when Roy Jones, Jr. landed a stiff left jab, which concealed the big right to follow. Calzaghe didn't see the right, and as a result it sent him to the canvas and made for a 10-8 round for Jones. A slow motion replay of the knockdown showed the right was actually Jones' forearm that landed, and not the glove. Regardless, it caused the desired effect.
By the end of the first round, Calzaghe had recovered and was moving closer to Jones, and starting to flurry a bit. It was evident that he was no in danger, and was eager to set his pace.
In the second round, Calzaghe started to step things up another notch, flurrying at an even faster pace, and mixing in uppercuts as part of his attack. He did receive a mild caution for hitting behind the head. Calzaghe was already so confident Jones couldn't hit him, that he literally stuck his unguarded face right in front of Jones' face, taunting him and making faces, daring Jones to try and hit him. Jones couldn't land anything solid, and when he would make any contact at all, Calzaghe was right back at him with another flurry.
Between rounds, Alton Merkelson, Jones' trainer, cautioned Roy to "stay on Calzaghe's right shoulder" in hopes of neutralizing or nullifying Joe's left. However, Joe was as quick as Roy, or maybe quicker, and was dictating the angles at which the fight was going to be fought.
In the third round, Calzaghe continued to "showboat". He again would stick his face in between Jones' gloves in a peek a boo fashion. He was in and out, and bobbing up and down, doing his best imitation of a mongoose fighting a cobra. The difference was this cbra wasn't striking back. However, Roy did put on his own show with a demonstration of head slipping. When Roy got back to his corner Merkelson said, "You've got to land behind the @#*!"
In the fourth round, Roy continued to employ the peek a-boo or shell game, and was paying heavily for it with repeated unanswered flurries from Calzaghe. Joe's speed and ring generalship were obviously frustrating Roy. In the fifth, Enzo Calzaghe correctly described to Joe, "You're boxing his ears," which he was literally doing by throwing looping punches around Roy raised gloves. Roy was unable to get off with any kind of sustained retaliatory attack.
Roy displayed a momentary change in tactics by using much more head movement in round six, but Joe displayed excellent use of his footwork to dart in and out, which caused Roy to either be long or short with his counter left hooks to Joe's right jab. When Roy would throw the lead right, Joe was able to slip it. Roy did manage to land a very good right upper cut, but Joe immediately came back with a flurry of punches. Joe was definitely proving his toughness.
In the seventh round, Roy was jabbing better, but he also seemed to be showing the first signs of fatigue, as he was moving straight back, which enabled Joe to start throwing the long straight left. Joe landed two good ones, plus a right hook, and Roy came out of the exchange with a bad cut over his left eye. Calzaghe once again was taunting Roy.
In the eighth round, Roy came out fighting hard. According to Jim Lampley, Emanuel Steward and Max Kellerman, this was the first time they had ever seen Roy cut, and the wound seemed to ignite him a bit into renewed effort to change the way things were going. Calzaghe didn't seem concerned and continued to control the action with his flurries, feints, and taunting. He managed to land another big left (this time a thumb), followed by the head (unintentional), before the round ended.
Between rounds Roy could be overheard to say, "Can't get him!" In the ninth, Calzaghe continued to control the action, and Roy was unable to keep Joe from pushing him and punching him into the ropes, where he could further unload with more flurries. Roy's cut man Dr. Richard Lucey couldn't get the cut to stop bleeding, and it was obviously bothering Roy. By this time, Harold Lederman's unofficial scorecard read 87-83 for Calzaghe.
In the tenth round, both fighters were taunting each other, hands down, trying to solicit a lead to counter. Neither fighter was buying the other's offer. Still, it was an incredible display of the tremendous physical skills of these two greats. The majority of most fighters who would try such tactics would find themselves on the seat of their pants dusting off the canvas.
In the eleventh and twelve, Roy's cut continued to bleed profusely, but he fought on. Calzaghe was a bit more cautious as the fight approached its end, but it was obvious he still was showing no respect for Roy's ability to mount an attack. His hands were once again down and he was mugging to the fans.
When the final bell rang, the punch totals, number of punches, number of punches landed, power punches thrown and landed, and so forth were all heavily in favor of Joe. The judges agreed with the computer, and awarded Joe a unanimous decision. The three judges: Julie Lederman, Terry O'Connor, and Jerry Roth scored the fight identically......118-109.
Joe Calzaghe was a gracious winner in the post-fight interview with Max Kellerman. He thanked Roy Jones, Jr. for agreeing to the fight, and called him a great fighter. Max asked him why he would risk getting hurt by continually dropping his hands, and Joe smiled and explained that that was his style. It helps him to relax and he said he doesn't feel in danger, because he can read his opponents so well and has great reflexes. He definitely proved that Saturday night at MSG. Max said, "Were you beating Jones with Jones style?" Joe said that he wasn't, adding that he had a lot of styles. Kellerman then tried to bait Joe into agreeing to fight Chad Dawson, but Joe said he needed to take sufficient time to relax before making a decision about continuing to fight or opting for retirement. Lampley, Steward and Kellerman were in agreement that Calzaghe would stay in boxing in some capacity, possibly as a promoter or trainer. Let's hope so, as he is a great asset to boxing.
In an earlier fight, Zab Judah managed to gain a unanimous decision over Ernest Johnson, Jr., but not before he sustained cuts to both eyes. Zab weighed in at 144 ½ and Johnson weighed 144. The fight started out with both fighters overly cautious, which continued into the second round. By then Zab already had a trickle of blood over the right eye, due to an unintentional head butt.
In the third round, Zab got another cut. This cut was also due to an unintentional head butt; although, referee Steve Smoger warned Johnson about leaning in with his head. Johnson, a young fighter, seemed to remain calm with the stepped up attack of Zab, which included plenty of rough tactics. At the end of the round, Zab seemed upset with his corner, and refused to sit down, or to listen to any advice from his father.
By the fifth round, both fighters were still rushing in with heads down, risking further clashes of their noggins. At this time, Harold Lederman's unofficial score- card had the fight as a shut-out for Zab Judah. Even so, Johnson was making it interesting. Referee Steve Smoger added a bit to the entertainment side as well when he addressed the fighters as Zabby and Ernie. (Where's Bert?). Zabby was also employing a yelling tactic at Johnson, and the sixth round was probably his best round up to that point. He was proving to be the quicker and stronger man. He was landing lots of right jabs and right hooks, mixing in an occasional uppercut.
In the eighth round, Johnson made a quick, but futile attempt to fight from the southpaw stance, but he quickly got tagged, so he abandoned that idea. The ninth round was very physical, with lots of rough housing. Zab was winning in all areas, but Johnson surprisingly remained calm and was weathering the storm. In the tenth round, Johnson's corner man told him he didn't want to see him get hurt, but he also wanted him to be willing to go out on his shield. It was obviously his way of saying, "Give it everything you've got and knock this guy out." But, it wasn't to be. Zab continued to control things. In fact, he controlled it so much so that he felt compelled to start a premature victory party and greet someone in the crowd. The score cards were one-sided in Zab's favor: George Degabriel and Tony Paolillo both scored it 98-92; while Don Trella scored it 99-91.
Prior to Zab's big victory, the "Drunken Master" seemed to get stiffed again in an eight round Jr. Welterweight contest against southpaw Frankie Figueroa. The Master of course is none other than Emanuel Augustus. In the early part of the fight, Augustus seemed to be successfully setting the distance. He also quickly demonstrated his penchant for the unusual when he did an weird little dance step after missing a left. It's a tactic that is entertaining in an odd sort of way, but doesn't endear him to the judges.
In the second round, he continued to apply pressure on his young opponent. He remained calm, but seemed to be upsetting his opponent, as Frankie seemed off balance several times when trying to avoid Augustus' punches. In the third round, Augustus seemed to back off a bit, at least in the early part of the round. The fourth round was close, but nothing dramatic from either fighter. The fifth round appeared to be somewhat of a dance contest, and then Augustus was warned for low blows. Neither fighter was doing much in the way of affective punching. Through the sixth neither fighter seemed like he wanted to take enough of a risk to win the fight. The punch totals were about the same. At the end of the seventh of this eight round fight, Augustus's corner told him he needed a knock out. He came out for the eighth trying to oblige. There was a high volume of punches, but neither fighter hurt the other one. All three judges scored the fight 77-75, but two were for Figueroa, so he came away with the win, and once again it appear Augustus might have been the victim of a bad decision?
The first fight was also a Jr. Welterweight twelve round fight between Dimitriy Salita and Derrick Campos. Salita enjoyed a four inch height advantage, of which he made good use on most occasions by trying to stay at long range, using his good jab. Salita is a light puncher though, which allowed Campos to take risks. Salita landed the best punch of the first round, which was a right hand. In the second round, Campos was rushing him and pressuring him a bit more, and even had Salita sitting on the second strand of rope while trying to weather Campos' attack. There wasn't any warning from referee Arthur Mercante, Jr. Salita was obviously bending in too much when the action got close, but he still won the round with his jab. He also landed a good left uppercut.
In the third round, Campos landed two hard straight lefts, followed by a right, and appeared to win the round. The referee told Salita to stop talking (complaining about low blows) and to fight. At one point in the round, Salita made an almost genuflection type move, which just barely kept his knee off the canvas. Harold Lederman was unofficially scoring the fight a shut out for Salita up to this point.
In the fourth round, both fighters were warned for low blows. By this time, Campos appeared frustrated, and was leading in with his head, and received a warning because of it. Campos also appeared tired. This was another Salita round. Campos continued to try to nullify the height and reach disadvantage Salita enjoyed, but he was rushing in too far, and smothering his own ability to punch. In the six, Campos attempted to turn the fight into a brawl, but Salita remained an elusive target. Salita also was employing a good body attack, which was something Campos should have been doing.
Campos' corner said, "You're in shape, but acting tired. Get your head straight!" In the seventh, Campos unleashed a vicious flurry of punches, and once again had Salita sitting on the 2nd strand of rope. However, Campos was continually squaring himself up in front of Salita, which provided an inviting target. It also adversely affected his balance. Salita sat on the ropes once more in round ten, when Campos fired off another flurry. Darned if he didn't do it again in the eleventh round, and finally Max Kellerman mentioned it. Generally a referee will allow a fighter to back into and even lean on the ropes……i.e. rope a dope. However, a referee will caution a fighter if he puts a glove on the rope to either rest or use it as a spring board to launch a punch. But, Mercante didn’t appear to issue a warning for "rope sitting" to Salita. The twelfth included an exciting exchange of punches. Campos landed a wild left, and Salita a big right. Both fighters finished throwing a lot of leather. The scores were as follows: Robin Taylor 120-108; Matt Ruggero 117-111; and Dan Ackerman 115-113, all for Salita.
Sharkie’s Machine: Joe Calzaghe Defeats Roy Jones Jr
By Frank Gonzalez Jr. - November 9th, 2008 - Saturday night in NYC’s Madison Square Garden, former Light Heavyweight King Roy Jones Jr. (52-5, 38 KO’s) faced LHW/Super Middleweight King, Joe Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KO’s) in a 12 round contest that saw Calzaghe go down in the first round from a lightning fast Jones’ right that he didn’t even see. Calzaghe looked hurt but got up and upped his output until the bell ended the round. It was high drama as the faded former super star looked like a possible legend killer spiller.
In the next round, Calzaghe continuously pressured Jones and landed more often but got caught by a few clean shots compliments of Roy. Calzaghe out-hustled Roy and even out scored him but because Roy landed the cleaner shots that had more oomph on them, decent arguments can be made that Jones won the second round too.
But from the third round on, it was all Joe Calzaghe, dominating the action with pressure and constant barrages of punches that didn’t have a big bite but nibbled away at Jones confidence and stamina as the fight wore on..
Calzaghe dictated the terms of the fight, as Jones constantly found him self against the ropes, covering up more than throwing anything back. Round after round, Calzaghe took everything away from Jones and rendered him a defensive fighter, always too busy trying to block to get any consistent offense going. Calzaghe also got into Jones head by mimicking Jones’ little stutter steps and dropping his hands in showboating fashion. Calzaghe taunted Jones continuously by coming in with hands down and his head sticking out, inviting Jones to take a swipe.
By the seventh round, Jones left eye was cut and starting to swell. His corner had trouble controlling the cut but Jones fought on, losing every round since the second. Calzaghe’s taunting took Jones out of his game, as his output got smaller and smaller; always finding himself up against the ropes, with Calzaghe punching from various angles, with little regard for anything Jones might throw back. Calzaghe toying with Jones made me wonder how this fight would have been if it took place ten years ago, when both were unbeaten and in their primes.
Though Jones started out well, Calzaghe stole the show and in the late rounds, made beating up on Roy Jones look easy—as this fight turned out pretty much the way I imagined it would.
Jones deserves a lot of credit for being so brave so late in his career. I hope his bravery continues and that he fights the very overdue rematch against Bernard Hopkins next.
Jones may not want to continue taking on top comp at this point in his career, considering he’s lost four of his last seven fights and of the three guys he did beat, they were either too green (Anthony Hanshaw), too past it (Trinidad) or a nobody (Prince Badi Ajamu). If Roy wants to continue making the big bucks, he needs to give something back to the fans after all the years that he fought second rate fighters and incredibly lame mandatory match ups. Win or lose, a rematch with Bernard Hopkins would do well to cap his career. But Jones is a safety first fighter and a fight with the Executioner is not a safe proposition. Unless Jones is certain he can beat Bernard, it’s unlikely he fights him again. Now that Hopkins has higher status than Jones, maybe Roy will accept a 50-50 purse split and fight Bernard.
I can’t imagine that Jones of 2008 can beat even a 43 year old Bernard Hopkins—who seems to have aged better, especially considering the beating he administered to top Middleweight Kelly Pavlik a couple of weeks ago but it’s a fight Jones owes the fans—big time!
Congratulations to Joe Calzaghe. He’s a class act. A modern day Gentleman Jim, like Errol Flynn played in the movies a long time ago. Calzaghe has walked the walk and not just talked the talk. Still undefeated, he could retire tomorrow in the knowledge that he’s proven himself to be the best in his league. It’s more likely that he keeps fighting though, since he’s still in great shape. I’d like to see him fight either Glen Johnson or IBF LHW titlist Chad Dawson next. Dawson is young, strong and has fast hands to compliment his ever refining skills. Maybe Calzaghe wants to fight at 168, where he could take on WBO titlist Denis Inkin, or IBF titlist Lucian Bute. Bute has a good style that is fast paced and slick but his stamina failed him in his last fight that would have seen him lose by TKO, if not for the incredible protective referee, who took too long to start his count when Bute was downed in the final moments of the last round by a man that Calzaghe beat with ease in Librado Andrade.
There are some good fights out there if Joe decides to keep fighting. He still has enough in him to seal the notion that he’s the best fighter from 168-175 pounds in all of boxing.
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