Undisputed World Super-Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe has been voted by the public into the the top 100 Sporting Icons of all Time in the magazine Sport (Issue #59: January 18 2008). Sport readers were invited to vote for their favourite sportsmen and women who have gone above and beyond in the pursuit of sporting greatness..
The Welsh star, who is gunning for a super-fight against American Bernard Hopkins, came in at No. 60 – ahead of legendary sporting figures like Joe DiMaggio (94) Bobby Charlton (100) and boxers Henry Cooper (99), Evander Holyfield (79), Lennox Lewis (88) and Sugar Ray Leonard (75).
Legends like Peter Sampras (27), Babe Ruth (21), Jesse Owens (15), Michael Jordan (4), Pele (2) are ahead of Joe and at No. 1 is the man regarded as the greatest sportsman of all time: Muhammad Ali.
Sport said of Calzaghe: “The amiable Welshman enhanced his reputation further in 2007, with the 21st successive defence of his world super-middleweight title. Now undefeated in 44 fights, Calzaghe can consider himself one of British boxing’s all-time greats.”
The 35-year-old had an amazing 2007 when he celebrated a record 10 years as WBO World Champion; 21 world title defences; extended his unbeaten run to 44 fights and unified the super-middleweight division by defeating WBC/WBA World Champion Mikkel Kessler. He culminated the year by winning the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Calzaghe said, “After ending a fantastic 2007, I’m starting 2008 in great style with being recognised as one of the top 100 sporting icons of all time by Sport. To be ranked alongside boxing legends and some of the greatest sportsmen and women in history is a real honour. I do not think that I should be above Sugar Ray Leonard, who is one of the greatest fighters ever, but I’m stunned that the public think that I am. Of course, Muhammad Ali is rightly at number one as in my eyes he is the greatest sportsmen ever, no question.