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from the British:
Marc Baker, Wales on Sunday
WELSH boxing champ Joe Calzaghe is set to fight Rocky's final opponent.
As Sylvester Stallone this week signed up to make the sixth and final part of the hit Rocky films, it emerged that his on-screen boxing rival is being lined up to take on Calzaghe for real.
The new Rocky movie comes 30 years after Stallone, now 59, donned his famous boxing gloves in the Oscar-winning original.
And with Florida-based Antonio Tarver in talks to star opposite Sly, his promoter Joe DeGuardia has opened up the possibility of a February super-fight with Calzaghe.
The 33-year-old from Newbridge had hoped to arrange a super middleweight unification bout on February 4 with IBF champion Jeff Lacy.
But that was thrown into doubt after the Gwent fighter's broken hand caused the cancellation of their original November date, and now DeGuardia has suggested an alternative.
And if the Rocky and real-life fights go ahead, it will mean big box office bucks for both Calzaghe and Stallone, who wants to write the final chapter of Rocky Balboa.
Tarver is regarded as the leading light heavyweight in the world after his recent points win over Roy Jones Jr.
And like Sly, Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren has welcomed a head-to-head.
"That's just the kind of fight that I want to see Joe in and just the kind of fight audiences would love," said Warren.
"Joe has missed out on a few big fights down the years but now things are looking really good for him.
"I'm still confident we can persuade Lacy to take the fight on February 4, but if not it looks like we've now got another option in Tarver."
The new Rocky film will show the boxer as an ageing, lonely has-been in Philadelphia who is reluctant to come out of retirement.
Filming starts next year
Marc Baker, Wales on Sunday
WELSH boxing champ Joe Calzaghe is set to fight Rocky's final opponent.
As Sylvester Stallone this week signed up to make the sixth and final part of the hit Rocky films, it emerged that his on-screen boxing rival is being lined up to take on Calzaghe for real.
The new Rocky movie comes 30 years after Stallone, now 59, donned his famous boxing gloves in the Oscar-winning original.
And with Florida-based Antonio Tarver in talks to star opposite Sly, his promoter Joe DeGuardia has opened up the possibility of a February super-fight with Calzaghe.
The 33-year-old from Newbridge had hoped to arrange a super middleweight unification bout on February 4 with IBF champion Jeff Lacy.
But that was thrown into doubt after the Gwent fighter's broken hand caused the cancellation of their original November date, and now DeGuardia has suggested an alternative.
And if the Rocky and real-life fights go ahead, it will mean big box office bucks for both Calzaghe and Stallone, who wants to write the final chapter of Rocky Balboa.
Tarver is regarded as the leading light heavyweight in the world after his recent points win over Roy Jones Jr.
And like Sly, Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren has welcomed a head-to-head.
"That's just the kind of fight that I want to see Joe in and just the kind of fight audiences would love," said Warren.
"Joe has missed out on a few big fights down the years but now things are looking really good for him.
"I'm still confident we can persuade Lacy to take the fight on February 4, but if not it looks like we've now got another option in Tarver."
The new Rocky film will show the boxer as an ageing, lonely has-been in Philadelphia who is reluctant to come out of retirement.
Filming starts next year
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