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The following is an awesome interview from Frank Warren. Full interview can be found here:
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0700s...name_page.html
Calzaghe and America:
After winning the WBO title I wanted Joe to capitalise on the big-money American market. I could have got him a few decent fights over there, but he wouldn't go. He was too much of a home boy.
Calzaghe and RJJ and Hopkins:
When he changed his mind a few years ago, I made Roy Jones jnr a written $5m offer to fight Joe. When he ran scared I offered another legend Bernard Hopkins $3.5m.
Hopkins verbally agreed but before I could make any arrangements he demanded double the money. That didn't make business sense and we couldn't do it. Joe was too risky for them because he is too good a good boxer. I also offered Markus Beyer and Mikkel Kessler £1.5m each to fight Joe and they ran a mile, too. What more could I do?
Calzaghe and fight withdrawals:
Unbeaten Calzaghe's reputation for pulling out of fights isn't just another irritation for Warren; it's a businessman's nightmare.
"That has cost me big money," he revealed. "I've wasted a few hundred thousand pounds on boxers, venues and hotels only for Joe to pull out for one reason or another.
"I had to pay Glen Johnson £100,000 for doing nothing two years ago as Joe pulled out the week before a date at Manchester's MEN Arena.
"I don't blame Johnson either, I wouldn't want to be out of pocket. But for me that show was a commercial disaster as it costs £250,000 to put a show on at the MEN - excluding purses - and we got nothing back.
"Joe was going to pull out of the Lacy fight two weeks beforehand with a hand injury. Enzo (his father and trainer) and I had to talk him into it.
"I've never talked a guy into fighting before but this was an opportunity he had to take. Joe's problem is that if he gets a twinge, it becomes a mental thing.
"After battering Lacy, Joe was supposed to fight at the Millennium Stadium in July and I sorted a big-money deal with American TV station HBO. We were all ready to announce Glen Johnson as his next big name opponent - then Joe pulled out.
"That's a killer as the momentum from the Lacy win has been lost. Joe loses credibility with the public with all the withdrawals because they think, 'Is Joe going to fight or isn't he going to fight?'
"Joe's lack of activity is another big reason why he hasn't the profile he deserves. Joe and I have had this conversation many times but injuries have plagued him. He hasn't always helped himself. He pulled out of a few fights with elbow trouble, which was aggravated playing golf between fights. So Joe's now banned from playing golf.
Calzaghe and Exposure:
Joe has done exceptionally well in his career but he could have done much better. Joe's performances in the ring deserve the highest acclaim but he hasn't a big profile in Britain because it's difficult to get Joe to do the extra-curricular stuff.
Joe's the richest boxer to come out of Wales but could have earned double with endorsements and more fights.
Ricky Hatton has a huge profile but it's not just because he's a good fighter. Ricky does the rounds on TV, in the Press and with sponsors. Joe doesn't do that - and when Joe does agree to things, he can be unreliable and lets people down.
A few years ago we got Joe on a Saturday morning kids show - which was great exposure. But Joe pulled out at the last minute.
It got to the stage where I didn't feel comfortable booking Joe for personal appearances as I couldn't give guarantees that he would turn up - and people need definites not maybes. It drove me mad so I started not bothering.
Three years ago Marks and Spencer wanted Joe to front their re-branding campaign and offered him a contract to model their underwear.
But he told me, 'I don't want pictures of me wearing just pants plastered all over the place'. I laughed and said, 'Joe, you box in shorts - the only time the public see you you're half-naked!'
I told him this could be a big commercial break for him but he wasn't interested. Marks and Spencer asked the Arsenal footballer Freddie Ljungberg instead. Calvin Klein soon offered Ljungberg a lucrative deal to model for them - that could have been Joe.
I love Joe dearly but he isn't made for self-promotion and unfortunately that's a big part of boxing. It's in the ring he comes alive. Compare Joe to Chris Eubank. He'll go to the opening of a fridge!
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0700s...name_page.html
Calzaghe and America:
After winning the WBO title I wanted Joe to capitalise on the big-money American market. I could have got him a few decent fights over there, but he wouldn't go. He was too much of a home boy.
Calzaghe and RJJ and Hopkins:
When he changed his mind a few years ago, I made Roy Jones jnr a written $5m offer to fight Joe. When he ran scared I offered another legend Bernard Hopkins $3.5m.
Hopkins verbally agreed but before I could make any arrangements he demanded double the money. That didn't make business sense and we couldn't do it. Joe was too risky for them because he is too good a good boxer. I also offered Markus Beyer and Mikkel Kessler £1.5m each to fight Joe and they ran a mile, too. What more could I do?
Calzaghe and fight withdrawals:
Unbeaten Calzaghe's reputation for pulling out of fights isn't just another irritation for Warren; it's a businessman's nightmare.
"That has cost me big money," he revealed. "I've wasted a few hundred thousand pounds on boxers, venues and hotels only for Joe to pull out for one reason or another.
"I had to pay Glen Johnson £100,000 for doing nothing two years ago as Joe pulled out the week before a date at Manchester's MEN Arena.
"I don't blame Johnson either, I wouldn't want to be out of pocket. But for me that show was a commercial disaster as it costs £250,000 to put a show on at the MEN - excluding purses - and we got nothing back.
"Joe was going to pull out of the Lacy fight two weeks beforehand with a hand injury. Enzo (his father and trainer) and I had to talk him into it.
"I've never talked a guy into fighting before but this was an opportunity he had to take. Joe's problem is that if he gets a twinge, it becomes a mental thing.
"After battering Lacy, Joe was supposed to fight at the Millennium Stadium in July and I sorted a big-money deal with American TV station HBO. We were all ready to announce Glen Johnson as his next big name opponent - then Joe pulled out.
"That's a killer as the momentum from the Lacy win has been lost. Joe loses credibility with the public with all the withdrawals because they think, 'Is Joe going to fight or isn't he going to fight?'
"Joe's lack of activity is another big reason why he hasn't the profile he deserves. Joe and I have had this conversation many times but injuries have plagued him. He hasn't always helped himself. He pulled out of a few fights with elbow trouble, which was aggravated playing golf between fights. So Joe's now banned from playing golf.
Calzaghe and Exposure:
Joe has done exceptionally well in his career but he could have done much better. Joe's performances in the ring deserve the highest acclaim but he hasn't a big profile in Britain because it's difficult to get Joe to do the extra-curricular stuff.
Joe's the richest boxer to come out of Wales but could have earned double with endorsements and more fights.
Ricky Hatton has a huge profile but it's not just because he's a good fighter. Ricky does the rounds on TV, in the Press and with sponsors. Joe doesn't do that - and when Joe does agree to things, he can be unreliable and lets people down.
A few years ago we got Joe on a Saturday morning kids show - which was great exposure. But Joe pulled out at the last minute.
It got to the stage where I didn't feel comfortable booking Joe for personal appearances as I couldn't give guarantees that he would turn up - and people need definites not maybes. It drove me mad so I started not bothering.
Three years ago Marks and Spencer wanted Joe to front their re-branding campaign and offered him a contract to model their underwear.
But he told me, 'I don't want pictures of me wearing just pants plastered all over the place'. I laughed and said, 'Joe, you box in shorts - the only time the public see you you're half-naked!'
I told him this could be a big commercial break for him but he wasn't interested. Marks and Spencer asked the Arsenal footballer Freddie Ljungberg instead. Calvin Klein soon offered Ljungberg a lucrative deal to model for them - that could have been Joe.
I love Joe dearly but he isn't made for self-promotion and unfortunately that's a big part of boxing. It's in the ring he comes alive. Compare Joe to Chris Eubank. He'll go to the opening of a fridge!