Joe Calzaghe will move even nearer to one of boxing’s all time best records if he wins over Sakio Bika tonight. The WBO super middleweight champion is making his 19th defence of his title in Manchester tonight, which he won from Chris Eubank nine years ago. After this he will be six bouts away from heavyweight legend Joe Louis’ all-time record of 25 defences. Even through Calzaghe said “He is such a legend I would not want to beat his record - I would share it.” But nevertheless the great Welshman is not overlooking Bika’s skills by saying: “I have too much to lose by not focusing.” Although it is his 19th WBO title defence it will only be his first defence of his IBF crown that he won from Jeff Lacy back in March.
That marvellous presentation of boxing enhanced his boxing status all around the globe. Calzaghe, who clearly has both feet firmly on the ground said: “I have so many goals left to achieve in this sport but I know in boxing you are only as good as your last fight. Everything can change if I do not take this fight as seriously as all the rest. I just hope I go in there and hit the guy clean and come out without getting injured because I want to keep busy next year and I need to keep the momentum going.” Calzaghe seems to be in a confident mood and even wore an Italian football hat when he was on the scales at yesterday’s weigh-in.
The Cameroonian Bika, who is currently based in Australia, has not lost for four years and was all over WBC champion Markus Beyer in his last bout back in May before a head-butt forced a technical draw. But Calzaghe’s promoter, Frank Warren, believes Joe will definitely win and can go on to certify his name as an all-time global champion: “Now is a crucial time in Joe’s career, because he wants to go on to cement his status as a legend of world boxing and bow out as a winner,” He continued by saying: “I would rate Joe as the finest British fighter I have seen during my time in boxing, and it is a pity he could not have proved that against the likes of Nigel Benn. Joe has compiled a phenomenal record - and to do what he has done against a backdrop of constant hand injuries shows what a special kind of fighter he is.”
Calzaghe is a true great and will go down in history as one of the best boxers to come out of Britain, if not the world. Please leave your thoughts on the up-and-coming bout at the bottom of the page.
C’MON JOE!!!
THE BEST OF WHAT? HOW DOES HIS RECORD SHOW THAT HE IS THE BEST???????? WHAT HAS HE DONE????? WHO HAS HE FOUGHT BESIDES THE OVER HYPED JEFF LACY? THE MAN COMPARES HIMSELF TO ALLLLLLL THESE LEGENDS, SAYING HIS RECORD IS ALMOST AS GOOD AS THERES. HE IS GARBAGE. THE MAN HAS NEVER LEFT HIS BACK YARD, HAS NEVER FOUGHT ANY REAL TALENT. HE HAS NEVER EVEN BEEN IN ANY REAL DANGER DUE TO THE LACK OF OPPONENTS HE HAS FOUGHT. HE HITS LIKE A LITTLE BITCH THAT HE IS AND TALKS AS IF HE IS A LEGEND. A LEGEND? GET REAL! IF HE EVER CAME TO THE US AND FOUGHT A REAL FIGHTER (WINKY WRIGHT, BERNARD HOPKINS, SHIT EVEN ROY over the hill JONES JR.) AND ACTUALLY WON THEN I WOULD HAVE RESPECT. BUT THE MAN HAS A LOT TO PROVE AND HE SHOULD BE THE ONE TO COME TO THERE BACK YARD AND TAKE WHAT EVER LITTLE BIT OF MONEY THEY PUT IN HIS LITTLE HAND. BECAUSE THEY ARE THE REAL CHAMPIONS THEY HAVE NOTHING TO PROVE. CALZAGHE HAS A LOT TO PROVE. HE HAS DONE NOTHING SPECTACULAR. NOTHING DANGEROUS, NOTHING, PERIOD DOT! HIS CAREER IS NOTHING, OTHER THAN A JEFF LACY VICTORY! O YEAH A PETER MANFREDO CIRCUS SHOW IN HIS BACK YARD ONCE AGAIN, WITH A FAT, SHIT FOR BRAINS REF THAT NEEDS TO BE FIRED AND BANNED FROM BOXING. CALZAGHE A LEGEND? GET OF THE HERION, CRACK OR WHAT EVER IT IS SON. THE MANS A JOKE AND THE BIGGIEST PU$$Y IN BOXING IF I EVER SALL ONE, ALONG WITH HIS MANAGER FRANK WARREN.
Comment by WES — April 25, 2007 @ 7:57 pm