Calzaghe: Roy Jones Jr. Should Have Retired Long Ago

By Edward Chaykovsky

Former super middleweight and light heavyweight champion Joe Calzaghe retired back in 2009, with his undefeated 46-0 record intact, and the boxing great never took a look back.

Many fighters retire every year and eventually return at some point. Even Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired on at least two occasions in the past, only to return to the ring. His third and latest retirement in September is not being taken seriously. 

Calzaghe, who was self-managed, is now going to enter the scene of managing fighters.

"Losing the weight and getting punched in the head - nope, don't fancy it. I've done my bit," said Calzaghe to BBC Sport. "Promoting is a no-no - that's hard work. Training is a full-time job, but I don't have time to do that full-time."

"But managing is something I'll be good at. I was self-managed for a lot of my career as well so I know both sides. That will be perfect for me."

In his final fight, in 2008, Calzaghe won a dominating twelve round decision over Roy Jones Jr. at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Jones is still fighting, which shocks Calzaghe. Next month in Russia, Jones will face Calzaghe's good friend Enzo Maccarinelli in a cruiserweight bout.

"Before the Roy Jones fight I knew I was going to retire because I couldn't train, my hands had gone and the hunger had gone," Calzaghe said. "If you know you're just fighting for the money and you're not fighting for the championship you're going to lose, so I thought 'it's time for me to quit'."

"Roy Jones Jr should have retired a while back. He was one of the best fighters pound-for pound and that's what I say about it's not nice to see fighters still fighting when they shouldn't be."