06.03.06 – By Bill Calogero: Joe Calzaghe won a unanimous 12-Round decision over former unbeaten Jeff Lacy in Manchester, England, broadcast live on ShowTime last night, to become the new IBF & WBO Super Middleweight Champion. Calzaghe basically took Lacy behind the woodshed and beat the hell out of him for twelve rounds. There is no better way to describe it. From the opening bell, until the final bell, Joe Calzaghe threw punches from all angles, including the utilization of beautifully timed uppercuts that battered Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy and made him look totally out classed, which was a complete shock to me.
Lacy could not defend himself. Every round was like the one before it. It was like watching the Boxing version of “Groundhog Day”. Calzaghe used his speed, accuracy and footwork to make Lacy forget that he knew how to throw a left-hook. Calzaghe landed his punches at will.
By the beginning of round six, Lacy’s face looked as if his only defensive skill was the use of the face-block. He was cut over one eye, while the other was swollen to the point that his vision had to be distorted. Add to that the constant stream of blood that was flowing from his nose and mouth, I thought for sure he wouldn’t make it to the tenth round.
With about twenty seconds left in the seventh round, Lacy was in serous trouble in the corner. I credit him with staying on his feet. In the twelfth and final round, Lacy came out as strong as he could, but Calzaghe, as he had done for the previous eleven rounds, used his superior defensive skills to avoid Lacy’s onslaught and take over the round, sending Lacy to the canvas after approximately a minute had passed. Lacy got up, questioning the knockdown call and finished the fight on his feet.
Two judges scored the fight 119-107, while the third had it 119-105 all in favor of Joe Calzaghe. TheDailySports.com scored the fight 120-106 also in favor of Calzaghe.
Calzaghe improves to 41-0 (31 KOs), while Lacy drops to 21-1 (17 KOs)
Joe Calzaghe has proven to me, and hopefully the World, that HE is the best Super Middleweight out there. If he continues to fight at the level he fought Lacy, the Super Middleweight Division will be his for the next couple of years. But then again, Calzaghe believes it was already his and by the way he performed last night, he may have been right all along.