Tweet
Any idea ?
-
-
Taylor's excessive wage demands -
Taylor wanted $10MComment
-
Jermain Taylor: "Calzaghe, I Want $10 Million" Click Here To Email Printable version Search BoxingScene Database
By Mark Vester
Last week, promoter Frank Warren made an offer of $4 million dollars to middleweight champion Jermain Taylor for a July clash with super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in London. Warren has been trying hard to land Taylor for Calzaghe's 21st defense of his 168-pound title.
In a recent interview with UK media giant BBC Sport , Taylor said that he wants more than double to face Calzaghe in London.
"If Joe and Frank want me that much, make me an offer for US$10million and I will show up and bring him a gift to his front door," Taylor told BBC Sport.
For $10 million dollars, Taylor, who fights 154-pound champ Cory Spinks on May 19 in Memphis, would have no problem with traveling over to London to make the fight.
"No atmosphere is intimidating because, once you start fighting, your focus is on the man in front of you," Taylor added.
If Warren is unable to secure Taylor, then WBO mandatory Dennis Inkin (30-0, 23 KOs)would be first in line to challenge Calzaghe.Comment
-
Calzaghe would have schooled Taylor.Comment
-
Calzaghe No Longer Sure About Taylor Bout Click Here To Email Printable version Search BoxingScene Database
By Mark Vester
It appears that WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe is no longer sure about facing middleweight king Jermain Taylor in 2007. The South Wales Echo reports that after Calzaghe witnessed Taylor's title defense against former junior middleweight champion Kassim Ouma, he felt Taylor is just not ready for a fighter of his caliber.
Calzaghe had planned to make his American debut in the middle of next year, against Taylor, but is now looking for other options like Bernard Hopkins. He thinks Taylor should be ready to face him by 2008.
"I don't think it's fair to push him up to my level yet - maybe in another year," Calzaghe said. It's frustrating for me because it would be a big-money fight, but it's obvious he's just not ready."
But, Team Taylor does not disagree with Calzaghe. Taylor's promoter, Lou DiBella, agrees with Calzaghe. DiBella does not want to push Taylor too fast, and also feels that a few more fights before meeting Calzaghe will only do good for the young middleweight champion.
"I think he's right," DiBella said. I think Jermain needs a couple more fights. I think he hasn't looked as good in his last two fights as he did in the second Hopkins fight. I'm not going to push this kid beyond where he should be."
Calzaghe meets Contender star Peter Mandfredo, Jr in April, and a win would tie Hopkins' record of 20 title defenses. Hopkins, the best middleweight of our era, has been calling out Calzaghe in recent weeks by stating that he will not allow the Welsh fighter to break his mark of 20 title defenses.
Currently Hopkins is still trying to move up to heavyweight in order to face WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev, but that fight is unlikely to happen in the near future as Maskaev must defend against the winner of the January 6 bout between James Toney and Samuel Peter.
Joe Calzaghe: "I Want Kessler or Taylor Next" Click Here To Email Printable version Search BoxingScene Database
Record-breaking WBO World Super-Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe says he wants his 21st title defence to be against top targets Mikkel Kessler or Jermain Taylor.
35-year-old Calzaghe made a landmark 20th title defence against Peter Manfredo last month and has dominated the 168lb division since ripping the title from British great Chris Eubank in 1997.
The unbeaten Welshman reckons he can continue into his 40's like rival Bernard Hopkins the former undisputed middleweight king.
"I have proudly held the WBO title for nearly 10 years since my great win over Chris Eubank way back in 1997. I've made 20 defences and I would love my 21st to be either against Kessler or Taylor," Said Calzaghe.
"Tiger Woods and Roger Federer have dominated their sports for the last few years but boxing is the hardest sport out there and to remain at the top for the last 10 years as a WBO World Champion is an achievement I am very proud of,"
"I'm in fantastic shape and I'm beating the younger lads in our gym when we are in training. I'm 35 but I feel like I'm 21 and I've still got a few good years ahead of me and I don't see why I can't carry on into my 40's like Hopkins has done."Comment
-
Oh man 10 million! haha Taylor would have lost but look how far his choices got him, he was a dud as a middleweight champ. The Calzaghe fight he would have lost but it would have been action packed.Comment
-
10 Mill to go to Calzaghe's backyard and fight him there. Calzaghe wasn't willing come to the US yet. 10 Mill was the least he can ask for.Comment
-
Joe Calzaghe To Scout Taylor in Memphis Click Here To Email Printable version Search BoxingScene Database
By Mark Vester
According to a report by the BBC , WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe plans to make the trip to the Fed-Ex Forum in Memphis on May 19, in order to sit ringside and watch WBC/WBO middleweight champion Jermain Taylor defend his crown against the current IBF junior middleweight champion, Cory Spinks.
Calzaghe is banking on a Taylor win to secure a potential September clash.
"My promoter Frank Warren was in the US recently to talk with Taylor's promoter Lou DiBella and they are hopeful something can be done," said Calzaghe. "I want to make it happen and I will be going to Memphis for Taylor's fight. I think this fight would be absolutely huge, rivalling anything in boxing in years, two undefeated champions very rarely get the opportunity to meet one another. If 35,000 people came to see me take on Peter Manfredo Jr, just imagine how many would want to see one of the fights of the decade."
If All Goes Well, Calzaghe vs. Taylor in 2008 Click Here To Email Printable version Search BoxingScene Database
By Mark Vester
According to a recent report in IC Wales , WBC/WBO middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, should he win against unbeaten Kelly Pavlik on Sept. 29, would like to face WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in 2008.
To show Calzaghe that he really wants the fight, Taylor is actually considering a trip to Cardiff on Nov. 3 to sit ringside at The Millennium Stadium in a show of support when Calzaghe takes on WBC/WBA champ Mikkel Kessler in a unification showdown.
Taylor has made it clear for some time that Pavlik is the final bout of his career at 160-pounds. A move to 168 will immediately follow. If the money is right, Taylor is willing to travel across the ocean to face Calzaghe in the UK.
“If the money was right, I’d pack up the wife and kids and get on the first plane to the UK,” said Taylor. “Joe Calzaghe is one of the world’s top, top fighters and those are the guys I want to seek and destroy. He is a stylish southpaw with substance; he’s a great boxer but I will never shy away from fighting anyone. Taylor against Calzaghe would be a big money fight as it is not just two of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters, but USA versus the UK and that’s always a special occasion.”
It was expected that Calzaghe and Taylor would come together in November, but a breakdown in negotiations over money shelved the fight.
Coming to terms on money is the least of their problems, at least for the moment. Neither fighter has an easy task in front of him. The boxing public, and experts, are evenly divided as to which fighters will win the Taylor-Pavlik, Calzaghe-Kessler mega-bouts.
In the eyes of many, both Taylor and Calzaghe are the underdogs against their younger, stronger and possibly hungrier opponents. Should the two veteran champions win, a possible 2008 encounter will become a much richer experience for both.Comment
Comment