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Joe Calzaghe insists he has no intention of giving up his WBO super-middleweight title and has given the clearest indication yet that his September fight with Roy Jones might not be his last.
It had been widely assumed Calzaghe's 12-stone days were over following his light-heavyweight win over Bernard Hopkins in April, a belief given extra credence by his decision to relinquish the WBC portion of his title.
But the Welshman told The Times: "There is no way I am going to give up my WBO title. I do not have a mandatory [challenger] at the moment so I do not have to defend my title. If I beat Jones, I might move back down to super-middleweight to face Kelly Pavlik."
The 36-year-old Calzaghe is the longest reigning champion in his sport, having defended the WBO belt 21 times, four short of the all-time record for consecutive defences held by heavyweight great Joe Louis.
Calzaghe has returned to training for his September 20 bout with Jones, which has been announced for Madison Square Garden in New York, but which the Welshman hopes could still take place in Cardiff.
Calzaghe had previously hinted the fight against Jones would be his last, and that he had no desire to fight Pavlik, who hammered his stablemate Gary Lockett to third round defeat in New York last month.
Meanwhile there could be more frustration ahead for Nottingham's Carl Froch, who has been mandated to fight for the WBC crown vacated by Calzaghe, against former world middleweight king Jermain Taylor.
Although the WBC have extended the deadline for purse bids for the contest, Taylor's team have made no secret of the fact that they prefer the more lucrative and probably softer option of a clash with former Calzaghe victim Jeff Lacy.
Joe Calzaghe insists he has no intention of giving up his WBO super-middleweight title and has given the clearest indication yet that his September fight with Roy Jones might not be his last.
It had been widely assumed Calzaghe's 12-stone days were over following his light-heavyweight win over Bernard Hopkins in April, a belief given extra credence by his decision to relinquish the WBC portion of his title.
But the Welshman told The Times: "There is no way I am going to give up my WBO title. I do not have a mandatory [challenger] at the moment so I do not have to defend my title. If I beat Jones, I might move back down to super-middleweight to face Kelly Pavlik."
The 36-year-old Calzaghe is the longest reigning champion in his sport, having defended the WBO belt 21 times, four short of the all-time record for consecutive defences held by heavyweight great Joe Louis.
Calzaghe has returned to training for his September 20 bout with Jones, which has been announced for Madison Square Garden in New York, but which the Welshman hopes could still take place in Cardiff.
Calzaghe had previously hinted the fight against Jones would be his last, and that he had no desire to fight Pavlik, who hammered his stablemate Gary Lockett to third round defeat in New York last month.
Meanwhile there could be more frustration ahead for Nottingham's Carl Froch, who has been mandated to fight for the WBC crown vacated by Calzaghe, against former world middleweight king Jermain Taylor.
Although the WBC have extended the deadline for purse bids for the contest, Taylor's team have made no secret of the fact that they prefer the more lucrative and probably softer option of a clash with former Calzaghe victim Jeff Lacy.