Joe Calzaghe Aims For A Big 2005

23.12.04 – WBO World Super-Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe kick starts his 2005 campaign on Friday 11 February when he defends his title at the M.E.N Arena in Manchester. Calzaghe’s New Year wish is to become a two-weight world champion by entering the light-heavyweight ranks and first challenging Antonio Tarver conqueror Glen Johnson – who is recognised as the best in the division.

His dream nearly came true in June when the fight with Johnson was all set to take place only for Calzaghe to withdraw after sustaining a serious back injury but he is confident that the fight can be made this year.

He returned to action in October when he made a record-breaking fifteenth defence of his crown against the dirty Egyptian challenger Kabary Salem and ground out a points victory.

Calzaghe’s challenger will be confirmed shortly and the unbeaten Welshman is already hard in training at his Blackwood base in Gwent.

He said, “I’m delighted to be headlining in Manchester at the M.E.N Arena and getting back into the ring to start 2005 afresh and my ambition remains the same – I want to be a two-weight world champion this year,

“Watching Johnson put up a terrific performance in beating Tarver to claim the number one light-heavyweight spot has really fired me up to get a fight against him this year,

“Johnson’s certainly got more credibility now than earlier in the year when I was due to face him because he’s gone on to knock-out Roy Jones and beat Tarver so he’s the-man-who-beat-who-beat-the-man,

“He’s improved a lot since his fights with Clinton Woods but I will cause him plenty of problems with my speed and power to beat him,

“His team are still talking about me fighting him and I’m confident Frank can make the fight so I hope we can get it.”

The fight card will also feature three more title fights to be announced plus an action packed undercard featuring 2002 Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist Paul Smith, Bronze Medallist Andy Morris, Matthew Hall, Steven Bell, Tony Quigley and Derry Matthews.

Tickets, priced at £30, £40, £60, £100 and £150, are available from the Keith Prowse Ticketing on 0870 906 3839 or the M.E.N Box Office on 0870 190 8000