by James Slater — In very interesting super-middleweight news, long-reigning WBO 168 pound champion Joe Calzaghe will keep his title and not relinquish it as first reported. According to FightNews.com, a fight between WBO #1 rated Karoly Balzsay and #2 ranked Jean Pascal will be for the interim title – not the full title at super-middleweight. The championship for real will still belong to Calzaghe..
Also, in further news, 36-year-old Calzaghe has written a letter to the president of the WBO, informing him he plans to drop back down to 168 pounds after his next fight, and engage in another bout as a super-middleweight. It was first thought Joe’s next fight – against Roy Jones Junior at light-heavyweight on September the 20th in New York – would be the very last of his long and great career. But no, Joe now says he wants another fight down at his old weight.
The July 16th letter to WBO president Paco Valcarcel reads as follows:
Dear Paco,
Further to our phone conversation of today’s date I wish to remain as the WBO’s super-middleweight champion. Following my proposed contest against Roy Jones Jnr. it is my intention to defend the WBO super-middleweight championship. I am proud to be a WBO champion and thank you, as always, for the opportunities given to me in the past.
Kind regards,
Joe Calzaghe CBE.
This development has got fight fans buzzing with anticipation about who Calzaghe will choose to fight when he moves back down. Joe did receive a fair amount of criticism for taking on Jones instead of Kelly Pavlik, the unbeaten middleweight champion who is keen to move up to 168 for a super-fight with the Welshman. Now, there is a chance the fight may happen after all. No, Calzaghe has not come out and said he will fight Kelly, but at least he has confirmed he will box again at 168, and who would make a more ideal and appealing opponent at the weight than Pavlik?
This is jumping the gun, however. For as much as we all want to see Calzaghe-Pavlik, Joe hasn’t even got past Roy Jones yet. But should he do so – and most experts feel he will – the chance remains that the fight that is simply too good not to happen – will happen!
At this point we can only wait until Joe Calzaghe announces just who he would like to face in what will be the 22nd defence of his WBO title.