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Well, I’m still speechless. What a fantastic night. I made my debut as a commentator in just about the biggest fight that I’m likely to cover.
Madison Square Garden to cover Calzaghe vs Jones – not a bad fight to make my debut. It all goes downhill from here in terms of commentating!
Joe Calzaghe, the self-styled, humble Newbridge based Italian Stallion put on a breathtaking display to outpoint a rejuvenated eight-time former world champion.
Words can’t express my delight for him. I was particularly delighted as Joe has taken so much stick from these pesky knockers that I constantly talk about – the so called 'boxing fan'. A lot of these guys just love to put down fighters and jump on anything remotely negative.
My particular delight was due to the fact that Joe didn’t beat up on a washed up old man like a lot of people thought he might have. For the most part, Roy Jones Jr, 39, looked amazing. For the first four rounds RJJ looked very much the superstar he has come to be.
After inflicting the fourth knockdown of Calzaghe’s career in the very first round Jones showed the moves, speed, footwork and classy combinations that made him a household name for so many years. Joe seems to be making a habit of getting dropped early and my heart was in my mouth when a sneak right uppercut felled him in the opening stanza.
I had Jones winning the second round and showing a particular speed of punch that was bothering Calzaghe and racing into a three point lead over the first two rounds. As in the Kessler fight, Calzaghe was able to adjust his tactics slightly for the better. He stopped falling into punches, being far too eager and abandoned the all-out pressure that was seeing him get repeatedly caught.
Picking his attacks a little better and not falling into Jones traps, I had Joe winning every single round from the third onwards in a performance that was very near his best. Jones was probably the speediest fighter that Joe has fought but yet again, he found a way to win after facing an uphill battle following the first round knock down.
A horrible gash on Jones left eyelid, made the fight a bit of a blood bath with Jones, Calzaghe and the referee covered in claret from Roy’s eye. At one point I couldn’t see Jones seeing out the fight as he was covered in blood from round-to-round and it only looked a matter of time before the ref called it a day.
For a long time before this bout RJJ's heart and hunger for fighting was questioned. But I didn’t see any problem with his bottle in New York. He was stunned, cut and faced a long road to the end of the fight, but dug in and made it to the end.
RJJ showed an eagerness in this fight that tells me that he is into a new lease of life and I expect him to return to the ring to win a ninth world title. On this performance, it is well within his abilities. What then for Calzaghe?
Retirement plans on hold? I don’t think so at the moment judging by Calzaghe’s emotional post-fight press conference. As Joe was answering questions from the media, he seemed a content man and talked in a manner that I haven’t seen from him before. He rubbished a lucrative return match with Bernard 'The Executioner' Hopkins and gave praise to the abilities of up-and-coming star and fellow light heavyweight titlist Chad Dawson.
46-0 obviously goes down as a great record, the man has had a wonderful career and maybe the chance of beating Rocky boy’s 49-0 is a temptation that won’t go away. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
Madison Square Garden to cover Calzaghe vs Jones – not a bad fight to make my debut. It all goes downhill from here in terms of commentating!
Joe Calzaghe, the self-styled, humble Newbridge based Italian Stallion put on a breathtaking display to outpoint a rejuvenated eight-time former world champion.
Words can’t express my delight for him. I was particularly delighted as Joe has taken so much stick from these pesky knockers that I constantly talk about – the so called 'boxing fan'. A lot of these guys just love to put down fighters and jump on anything remotely negative.
My particular delight was due to the fact that Joe didn’t beat up on a washed up old man like a lot of people thought he might have. For the most part, Roy Jones Jr, 39, looked amazing. For the first four rounds RJJ looked very much the superstar he has come to be.
After inflicting the fourth knockdown of Calzaghe’s career in the very first round Jones showed the moves, speed, footwork and classy combinations that made him a household name for so many years. Joe seems to be making a habit of getting dropped early and my heart was in my mouth when a sneak right uppercut felled him in the opening stanza.
I had Jones winning the second round and showing a particular speed of punch that was bothering Calzaghe and racing into a three point lead over the first two rounds. As in the Kessler fight, Calzaghe was able to adjust his tactics slightly for the better. He stopped falling into punches, being far too eager and abandoned the all-out pressure that was seeing him get repeatedly caught.
Picking his attacks a little better and not falling into Jones traps, I had Joe winning every single round from the third onwards in a performance that was very near his best. Jones was probably the speediest fighter that Joe has fought but yet again, he found a way to win after facing an uphill battle following the first round knock down.
A horrible gash on Jones left eyelid, made the fight a bit of a blood bath with Jones, Calzaghe and the referee covered in claret from Roy’s eye. At one point I couldn’t see Jones seeing out the fight as he was covered in blood from round-to-round and it only looked a matter of time before the ref called it a day.
For a long time before this bout RJJ's heart and hunger for fighting was questioned. But I didn’t see any problem with his bottle in New York. He was stunned, cut and faced a long road to the end of the fight, but dug in and made it to the end.
RJJ showed an eagerness in this fight that tells me that he is into a new lease of life and I expect him to return to the ring to win a ninth world title. On this performance, it is well within his abilities. What then for Calzaghe?
Retirement plans on hold? I don’t think so at the moment judging by Calzaghe’s emotional post-fight press conference. As Joe was answering questions from the media, he seemed a content man and talked in a manner that I haven’t seen from him before. He rubbished a lucrative return match with Bernard 'The Executioner' Hopkins and gave praise to the abilities of up-and-coming star and fellow light heavyweight titlist Chad Dawson.
46-0 obviously goes down as a great record, the man has had a wonderful career and maybe the chance of beating Rocky boy’s 49-0 is a temptation that won’t go away. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
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