By Mark Vester
During a recent interview with the BBC, Peter Manfredo Jr voiced that even though WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe has appeared on HBO, and destroyed Jeff Lacy before a large televsion audience on the Showtime network, he is still a virtual unknown in the United States.
Manfredo made a name for himself with American boxing fans by particpating in the reality boxing series 'The Contender.'
Manfredo meets Calzaghe for the WBO title on April 7 in the Millennium Stadium, in Cardiff. Calzaghe looks to defend his WBO belt for a record 20th time.
"Back in America they ask me who I'm fighting and I say 'Joe Calzaghe for the title' and they say 'who, is he good?'," said Manfredo. Not many people know who Joe is outside boxing, I'm not surprised."
On the other hand, Manfredo admits that he is probably unknown to British boxing fans.
"Not many people know me as an American boxer because I was an up-and-comer, I wasn't a star like a Jeff Lacy," Manfredo added. But it's all about promotion, who's got the best promoter, who's on tv more. But The Contender has helped me out big-time."