HASTINGS, England – Not only was Joe Calzaghe inducted into the British Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday (September 21), he was also named as the greatest fighter in British boxing history after Dave Harris, the founder of the Hall and Ringside Charitable Trust, conducted a poll of writers and historians. Calzaghe, who retired in 2008 with a record of 46-0 (32 KOs), beat off competition from the likes of Lennox Lewis, Ted Kid Lewis, and Ken Buchanan, to win the honour.
The British Boxing Hall of Fame has been growing in popularity since its 2015 inception and all tickets for this year’s event – held in Hastings inside the Ballatyne Hotel and Spa – sold within hours of going on sale.
Calzaghe, joined by his son (and lookalike) Joe Calzaghe Jnr, also accepted a posthumous award for his father, Enzo Calzaghe, and for someone so used to being honored, it was warming to see Calzaghe moved by the occasion.
He thanked his father and his family, there were words of appreciation for Chris Eubank for offering up the toughest fight of his career and Frank Warren for guiding it, and he remembered the fans who would turn out in their droves to support him.
Calzaghe won his first belt in 1997 when he beat Eubank over 12 gruelling rounds to lift the vacant WBO super middleweight title. It was a long road for true appreciation for Calzaghe. Victories over Richie Woodhall, Charles Brewer and Byron Mitchell, among others, proved his class before he was matched with the favored Jeff Lacy in 2006. “I’d never have gone through with that fight if it wasn’t for [my dad]”, Calzaghe recalled.
But Enzo was right; Calzaghe was dominant. “He broke Lacy physically, he broke Lacy psychologically,” remarked former referee Wynford Jones, who presented Calzaghe with his induction award.
After beating Mikkel Kessler in a huge event in 2007 to all but clear out the super middleweight class, Calzaghe journeyed to America to outpoint both Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jnr at 175 the following year.
Also there, as a fellow 2025 inductee, was Gavin Rees, the former beltholder at junior welterweight and another who benefitted under the guidance of Enzo during his days at the famous Newbridge Boxing Club.
Other Modern Era awards went to Colin McMillan, Scott Welch and John Doherty. The 100 Plus Club – for those plucky fellows who exist solely in away corners, week-in, week-out – went to Kevin McCauley, a former Midlands Area champion who finished his career with 251 contests to his name.
Shane McGuigan, there with his family including father Barry McGuigan, picked up the Trainers award and, in the Amateurs category, Repton coach Gary McCarthy and Dave Oldwell, a 1976 Olympian, were delighted to be called to the stage.
Harris’ philosophy has always been to pay tribute to those in boxing who have touched the lives of others, whether inside of the ring or out. Alongside his efforts to raise the profile of Ringside Charitable Trust, Harris is eager to ensure those who merit thanks get them, and those who shouldn’t be forgotten, are not.
Also awarded were Gary White, Ken Walsh, John McDonald, Bob Cheeseman, Gary Parkin and Pat Barrett but the biggest standing ovation came right at the end for Rosemary Ellis when she accepted the Courage Award. Ellis, the cousin of Terry Spinks, dedicated decades to looking after the 1956 Olympic champion when he tumbled into poor health.
Other notable figures in attendance included Duke and Clinton McKenzie, John Conteh, John H Stracey, Derek Williams, Eddie Avoth, Alan Richardson, referee Richie Davis, photographer Derek Rowe, promoter Harry Holland, and Carmel Cook, the widow of James Cook.
