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Boxing: Motivated Joe is 100% Nov 27 2005
Peter Shuttleworth, Wales on Sunday
JEFF LACY'S lip is all the motivation Joe Calzaghe needs for the fight of his life.
The record-breaking WBO super-middleweight king has taken in all of Lacy's condemnation of him and the world No 1 Welshman has vowed to return it - with interest - in the ring.
The motor-mouth American claimed Calzaghe is a 'slapper' who doesn't punch properly and amazingly implied the 33-year-old southpaw tried to 'duck' the super-middle super fight by getting injured in a warm-up scrap.
Calzaghe said: "I've heard what Lacy's said about me and it has made me chuckle.
"I'll remember it all right, don't worry about that. I'm going to cut out the pieces where Lacy has slagged me off and pin them on the wall of my gym so I can't possibly forget those rants.
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"This will probably be the biggest fight of my career so I'm 100 percent determined and focussed on the job, but those reminders of what he has said will give me an added edge.
"Make no mistake about it, I'll have to be at my best; I can't afford a bad performance. Then again, he has never fought anybody in my league who has my variety of skills.
"I know he's a big puncher, but so am I. I've heard him talk and that's working in my favour, he thinks I haven't got punching power and I hope he does underestimate me and believes his own hype."
Calzaghe broke a bone in his left hand during a fight with Evans Ashira in September and that injury forced the Newbridge boxer to pull out of a much-anticipated Bonfire Night bout with Lacy.
But Calzaghe said at the time: "Let's get one thing straight. There is no way I would use this injury as an excuse to avoid fighting Lacy, who I know I can knock clean out. "
The unbeaten Welshman - who insists his hand will stand up to explosive Lacy - is the longest-reigning world champion since defeating Chris Eubank on points for the vacant WBO belt in 1997.
Calzaghe, boasting 31 KOs in 40 wins, has defended his crown 17 times - but this unification clash will be his 'Judgement Day.'
"This could be the most difficult fight of my life and I know it," said Calzaghe. "It's likely to be harder than the Eubank fight.
"But then again I'm a better fighter now, I'm a lot more experienced and physically more mature.
"I'm at the tail-end of my career and I'm not ****** enough to think that I'm going to go on for ever. But, like a fine wine, I get better with age.
"I'm not getting a massive amount of money for this fight, this is purely for pride and to prove I'm the best.
"Some fighters take the easy option and allow their careers to ebb away slowly with some low-key bouts and relatively large paydays; but that isn't me.
"I'm not interested in bumping up my retirement fund that way; I want the big fights and this one against Lacy will prove it.
"I want to step up to the next level and after beating Lacy I want to step up to light-heavyweight and be a two-weight world champion.
"For one reason or another I've been unable to fight the best but now I have my chance as there's been no-one bigger than Lacy in this division since I became world champion.
"Finally getting the thumbs up for this kind of fight is a slight relief as there was a fear that a career-defining fight would always elude me. It's better late than never, I suppose." While the March showdown with Lacy in Manchester is Calzaghe's biggest fight, it isn't his biggest career payday - that was the £736,000 cheque he banked for travelling to Germany to fight, and KO, Mario Veit in May.
But Calzaghe's eyes aren't seeing dollar bills, just plain fear.
"When I fight someone in Lacy's class, I always have that element of fear in me that gives me the extra motivation and determination," said Calzaghe.
"I've a fear of losing and that pressure inspires me to perform.
"In the past my training perhaps hasn't been as perfect as I'd like it but that's because I wasn't fighting opponents in this top bracket.
"I need to be in my best shape possible so I will go the extra yard in training. I've already started to arrange sparring partners and I want to spar against Lacy clones, fighters who are the same height, build, have similar reach and similar styles.
"I'm going to fly some fighters over from America to practise with me so I'm in the best shape possible - and I've never done that before.
"This is such a massive fight, there's no cutting corners this time and money is no object for me."
Boxing: Motivated Joe is 100% Nov 27 2005
Peter Shuttleworth, Wales on Sunday
JEFF LACY'S lip is all the motivation Joe Calzaghe needs for the fight of his life.
The record-breaking WBO super-middleweight king has taken in all of Lacy's condemnation of him and the world No 1 Welshman has vowed to return it - with interest - in the ring.
The motor-mouth American claimed Calzaghe is a 'slapper' who doesn't punch properly and amazingly implied the 33-year-old southpaw tried to 'duck' the super-middle super fight by getting injured in a warm-up scrap.
Calzaghe said: "I've heard what Lacy's said about me and it has made me chuckle.
"I'll remember it all right, don't worry about that. I'm going to cut out the pieces where Lacy has slagged me off and pin them on the wall of my gym so I can't possibly forget those rants.
Story continues
ADVERTISEMENT
"This will probably be the biggest fight of my career so I'm 100 percent determined and focussed on the job, but those reminders of what he has said will give me an added edge.
"Make no mistake about it, I'll have to be at my best; I can't afford a bad performance. Then again, he has never fought anybody in my league who has my variety of skills.
"I know he's a big puncher, but so am I. I've heard him talk and that's working in my favour, he thinks I haven't got punching power and I hope he does underestimate me and believes his own hype."
Calzaghe broke a bone in his left hand during a fight with Evans Ashira in September and that injury forced the Newbridge boxer to pull out of a much-anticipated Bonfire Night bout with Lacy.
But Calzaghe said at the time: "Let's get one thing straight. There is no way I would use this injury as an excuse to avoid fighting Lacy, who I know I can knock clean out. "
The unbeaten Welshman - who insists his hand will stand up to explosive Lacy - is the longest-reigning world champion since defeating Chris Eubank on points for the vacant WBO belt in 1997.
Calzaghe, boasting 31 KOs in 40 wins, has defended his crown 17 times - but this unification clash will be his 'Judgement Day.'
"This could be the most difficult fight of my life and I know it," said Calzaghe. "It's likely to be harder than the Eubank fight.
"But then again I'm a better fighter now, I'm a lot more experienced and physically more mature.
"I'm at the tail-end of my career and I'm not ****** enough to think that I'm going to go on for ever. But, like a fine wine, I get better with age.
"I'm not getting a massive amount of money for this fight, this is purely for pride and to prove I'm the best.
"Some fighters take the easy option and allow their careers to ebb away slowly with some low-key bouts and relatively large paydays; but that isn't me.
"I'm not interested in bumping up my retirement fund that way; I want the big fights and this one against Lacy will prove it.
"I want to step up to the next level and after beating Lacy I want to step up to light-heavyweight and be a two-weight world champion.
"For one reason or another I've been unable to fight the best but now I have my chance as there's been no-one bigger than Lacy in this division since I became world champion.
"Finally getting the thumbs up for this kind of fight is a slight relief as there was a fear that a career-defining fight would always elude me. It's better late than never, I suppose." While the March showdown with Lacy in Manchester is Calzaghe's biggest fight, it isn't his biggest career payday - that was the £736,000 cheque he banked for travelling to Germany to fight, and KO, Mario Veit in May.
But Calzaghe's eyes aren't seeing dollar bills, just plain fear.
"When I fight someone in Lacy's class, I always have that element of fear in me that gives me the extra motivation and determination," said Calzaghe.
"I've a fear of losing and that pressure inspires me to perform.
"In the past my training perhaps hasn't been as perfect as I'd like it but that's because I wasn't fighting opponents in this top bracket.
"I need to be in my best shape possible so I will go the extra yard in training. I've already started to arrange sparring partners and I want to spar against Lacy clones, fighters who are the same height, build, have similar reach and similar styles.
"I'm going to fly some fighters over from America to practise with me so I'm in the best shape possible - and I've never done that before.
"This is such a massive fight, there's no cutting corners this time and money is no object for me."
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