15.01.07 – WBO World Super-Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe came face to face with the real Italian Stallion Sylvester Stallone last friday night at an exclusive dinner held at the Fifty Club in London.
Stallone, in the capital for tonight’s star studded premier of the latest Rocky movie in Leicester Square, drew up a list of fighters he wanted to meet on his visit to Britain and the hard-hitting Welsh-Italian star was at the top of it after Sly watched his demolishing job on Jeff Lacy last year.
Also in attendance to meet Stallone were top boxers from the past and present including Steve Collins, John Conteh, Barry McGuigan and Enzo Maccarinelli (also of Welsh-Italian heritage), Matt Skelton, Kevin Mitchell and Ross Minter.
Calzaghe, training for his record 20th title defence against Peter Manfredo on Saturday 7th April at the Millennium Stadium, said, “Really, I would like to thank Sylvester Stallone for getting me into boxing because if it wasn’t for the Rocky films I don’t know what I’d be doing as a career now!” ..
“As a kid, the Rocky films and the pumping soundtrack really fired me up and made me want to become a World champion. It’s funny because even though the fights that Rocky had in those films were fictional sometimes they feel like they were actually part of boxing history and I’m sure many other boxers got into the sport because of the films,”
“It was fantastic meeting Sly and I was surprised at how down to earth he was considering he’s a Hollywood legend and I was even more stunned when he said he saw my fight against Jeff Lacy.”
Maccarinelli cheekily asked if could have a part in the next Rambo, “It was fantastic meeting Stallone because there were only a few of us at the dinner so he got to speak to all of us individually. We were having a joke and a laugh and I slipped in that if there were any parts going in his new Rambo film I’d be interested in auditioning. He didn’t say no but I think he meant it would be best if I stick to boxing!”
Calzaghe headlines Wales’ greatest night of boxing on April 7th at the Millennium Stadium when he defends his WBO crown for a landmark 20th time against American superstar Peter Manfredo.
Maccarinelli features as chief support on the card with the second defence of his WBO World Cruiserweight title against a challenger to be confirmed.
A further four big title fights are the card including: The WBU World Middleweight title Gary Lockett v Darren McDermott, The WBU World Welterweight title Takaloo v Michael Jennings, Bradley Pryce defends his Commonwealth Light-Middleweight title and The Celtic Welterweight title Tony Doherty v Taz Jones.
An action packed undercard includes Olympic Silver Medallist Amir Khan, Gavin Rees, Nathan Cleverley, Barrie Jones, Kerry Hope and Don Broadhurst.
Tickets, from £30, are available from See Tickets on 0870 060 3794.
Calzaghe v Manfredo will be broadcast live on ITV1 in the UK and on HBO World Championship Boxing at 5pm ET/2pm PT.