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By Bob Canobbio - WBO champ Joe Calzaghe, 42-0, 31 KOs, is making the 20th defense of his version of the super middleweight title, an 8-1 favorite over Peter Manfredo, 26-3, 12 KOs, who makes his first appearance in a championship fight.
Lennox Lewis’ seventh round knockout of Frank Bruno on October 1, 1993, drew an estimated crowd of 40,000. A crowd of 30,000-plus is expected at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales to see Calzaghe battle Manfredo.
Calzaghe, who won that vacant belt on October 11, 1997 with a decision win over British folk hero Chris ‘Simply The Best’ Eubank, is currently boxing’s longest reigning champion (9 ½ years). Sven Ottke holds the record for successful super middleweight title defenses with 21. The all-time record for successful defenses is 25, held by heavyweight great Joe Louis, who also holds the record for the longest reign of any champion (11 years, 9 months). Calzaghe’s 9 ½ yr. reign is number four on the all-time list.
Super Joe made his U.S. television debut on March 4, 2006 in a unification fight vs. the then undefeated IBF champ Jeff Lacy. It was all Calzaghe, as he outlanded Lacy 351-116 in total punches. Calzaghe landed 37% of his 79 total punches thrown per round and 41% of his power shots. Calzaghe’s applied constant pressure, averaged 22 jabs thrown per round and only allowed Lacy to get off just 37 total punches per round. The badly-beaten Lacy went down in the 12th and landed just 26% of his total punches. The judges saw a landslide for Calzaghe, with scores of 119-105, 119-107 and 119-107. [details]
Lennox Lewis’ seventh round knockout of Frank Bruno on October 1, 1993, drew an estimated crowd of 40,000. A crowd of 30,000-plus is expected at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales to see Calzaghe battle Manfredo.
Calzaghe, who won that vacant belt on October 11, 1997 with a decision win over British folk hero Chris ‘Simply The Best’ Eubank, is currently boxing’s longest reigning champion (9 ½ years). Sven Ottke holds the record for successful super middleweight title defenses with 21. The all-time record for successful defenses is 25, held by heavyweight great Joe Louis, who also holds the record for the longest reign of any champion (11 years, 9 months). Calzaghe’s 9 ½ yr. reign is number four on the all-time list.
Super Joe made his U.S. television debut on March 4, 2006 in a unification fight vs. the then undefeated IBF champ Jeff Lacy. It was all Calzaghe, as he outlanded Lacy 351-116 in total punches. Calzaghe landed 37% of his 79 total punches thrown per round and 41% of his power shots. Calzaghe’s applied constant pressure, averaged 22 jabs thrown per round and only allowed Lacy to get off just 37 total punches per round. The badly-beaten Lacy went down in the 12th and landed just 26% of his total punches. The judges saw a landslide for Calzaghe, with scores of 119-105, 119-107 and 119-107. [details]
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