By Mark Vester
Undisputed super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe has gone on the record to turn down the challenge of WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, and says that a fight with former four-division champ Roy Jones Jr. is the right move for November 15.
The two sides, Top Rank and Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren, have been discussing the Calzaghe-Pavlik for several weeks. Talks heated up when Pavlik demolished Calzaghe's stablemate Gary Lockett last week in Atlantic City.
"A lot of people would love to see it. However, at this point, I think it's unlikely. I'm not sure if Pavlik really wants to face me at the moment," Calzaghe told BBC Sport. "He would have little to gain because I believe I would definitely beat him and, with respect to Gary Lockett, I would be a step-up too far for Pavlik."
"Talks are ongoing about me facing Roy Jones, a genuine legend of boxing and a previous four-weight world champion. That is a fight that I think can be made. Pavlik's got the world at his feet at middleweight or super-middleweight and will want to build his unbeaten record, rather than stepping up at least one weight category to face me. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that we will face each other, but I think Jones is the right fight for me at the moment."
Pavlik is pushing for the fight, Warren says the decision is not up t o Pavlik.
"It would be a great fight for Joe," admitted Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren. "But it's up to Joe, not Kelly Pavlik, whether the fight will happen."
The loss of a bout with Calzaghe, eyed for October, will send Pavlik back to Plan A - a September return against Marco Antonio Rubio or Ricardo Mayorga.
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