by James Slater – It doesn’t take a genius to work out the fact that there is almost no chance at all of it happening, but promoter Dennis Hobson has already laid down a challenge to the recently retired Joe Calzaghe to make a comeback. Hobson wants the future Hall of Famer, who quit the sport on top only a few days ago, to come back for one more fight – against former IBF 175-pound champion Clinton Woods..
Back in 2006 there was a real chance of the two Brits meeting up in a clash that would have really been a fight worth seeing. But now, with Calzaghe already having told anyone who would listen that his fighting days are over, and that he will not box again for “any money,” there is almost no chance of this particular battle of Britain taking place. Still, that hasn’t stopped Hobson from calling for the fight anyway.
Speaking to The Star, Woods’ promoter, on the back of Clinton’s good points win over Elvir Muriqi on Saturday night, threw down the challenge to Calzaghe.
“Calzaghe is still out there, he says he’s the best light-heavy; well let him prove it,” Hobson said. “Three times in the past I have agreed a deal with Calzaghe’s people. Now he represents himself we can come to a deal. A full Millennium Stadium in Cardiff would bring him four or five million pounds. So why doesn’t he do a Floyd Mayweather and come back from retirement?”
First of all, Floyd Mayweather Junior has yet to come back from retirement himself, as all fans surely know. And secondly, Calzaghe has already proven he is the best light-heavyweight out there. You can’t blame Hobson for trying to do the right thing by his fighter and attempt to get him a huge, career-best payday the likes of which a Calzaghe fight would net Woods, but Dennis has to know himself there is no way Joe will feel even a little tempted to come back.
If possible mega-fights with men like Bernard Hopkins (in a rematch) and Chad Dawson were not enough to have kept Calzaghe in the game, a fight against Clinton Woods – no disrespect to him – will not make “The Pride of Wales” want to come back. Calzaghe did admit the idea of a “Farewell” fight in Cardiff in front of a packed house did tempt him, but he finally made up his mind and retired.
As good a return to form as the 36-year-old Woods had against Muriqi on Saturday, he will not have won himself the fight his promoter has called out for him.
The down to earth Woods, by the way, has called no-one out, and he says he is not too concerned who he faces next.
“I’ll have a few weeks off and then get back in the gym,” Woods said. “I was rusty, but the next fight will be an even better Clinton Woods. I hurt Muriqi with some big shots, he was clinging on like a monkey to a tree.”
You can all but bet your life that Joe Calzaghe will be clinging (deservedly) to his retirement plan.