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By Ant Evans: With less than five weeks and five days to go before he will headline a huge outdoor card at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Joe Calzaghe may have finally got himself someone to fight. As the weeks and days passed by and prospective opponents fell by the wayside, one began to worry whether the reigning IBF/WBO super-middleweight champion would be shadow-boxing for 12 rounds on July 8.
But now it appears almost certain that light heavyweight Glen Johnson, who has been courted by Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren and US paymasters HBO for over a week, will accept the late call to face the Welsh pound-for-pounder.
Even now, nothing has been signed but the deal is said to be done. The announcement that a major name like Johnson will be in the opposite corner will not only save face for Warren, but also ensure that Calzaghe will not be playing rhythm guitar at his own rock concert. The heavyweight rematch between Danny Williams v Matt Skelton would compete for attention with all but a double A side fight, which Calzaghe v Johnson most certainly is.
As reported here on SecondsOut, talks stalled several times over issues of weight (Johnson said he cannot make the 12stone/168lbs super-middleweight limit while Calzaghe would understandably be reluctant to move up in poundage on such short notice) and over Johnson's demands to be paid a percentage of his purse up front, after twice training for Calzaghe only for the Welshman to withdraw.
It will be interesting to see how those issues were resolved, once the fight is offical.
But Johnson, speaking to SecondsOut over the weekend, said that taking the fight at less than six weeks notice wouldn't be a problem.
He said: "I am in training now, I don't care about the late notice. If the deal is done with Calzaghe then I'll be ready."
Teak tough and aggressive, Johnson believes he will be physically stronger than Calzaghe.
"I've already fought twice in (Britain) against Clinton Woods. I've already had 24 hard rounds with Clinton and I expect the same from Calzaghe, only he won't be as strong (physically) being a super-middleweight. And Calzaghe hasn't beaten a Roy Jones or Antonio Tarver in his entire career, mon. He hasn't even fought at that level. "
As you can see, the Road Warrior's his long-held low opinion of the Welsh speedster has not changed despite Calzaghe's awesome win over previously unbeaten Lacy in March.
Johnson said: "Beating Jeff Lacy didn't impress me. Jeff Lacy didn't throw any punches and Joe Calzaghe was handed a very easy night. He will not have an easy night with me, that's why twice he's ran scared of me (a referee to a brace of pull-outs in 2004). I will punch him and I will hurt him, mon."
If Calzaghe v Johnson does happen, it will be something of grudge match for Johnson.
He said: "If Calzaghe is so (dangerous) then why does his promoter (Frank Warren) play these games? Why does Joe Calzaghe and his promoters only want to arrange fights on five, six weeks notice? Because they don't want the opponent to be 100% prepared, mon. Calzaghe is already fighting in his hometown but he needs even more advantages. He wants to be the only man in the ring to be properly prepared. He needs those advantages but I have been in the gym for months. I never stop training and I will be in shape."
Johnson's physical preparedness is not in question, but is five weeks and change really long enough to be stylistically prepared for a one-off southpaw talent like Calzaghe?
"Southpaw doesn't mean anything to me, mon," said the laidback Road Warrior. "He's got two fists that I need to get out the way of like everyone else. He's got a head and a body that I need to hit like everyone else. I'm not concerned with getting southpaw sparring or things like that. I prepare for a fight as hard as I can no matter who I am fighting."
good about time, and nobody can gripe about this, he is the hardest available opponent for JC.
But now it appears almost certain that light heavyweight Glen Johnson, who has been courted by Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren and US paymasters HBO for over a week, will accept the late call to face the Welsh pound-for-pounder.
Even now, nothing has been signed but the deal is said to be done. The announcement that a major name like Johnson will be in the opposite corner will not only save face for Warren, but also ensure that Calzaghe will not be playing rhythm guitar at his own rock concert. The heavyweight rematch between Danny Williams v Matt Skelton would compete for attention with all but a double A side fight, which Calzaghe v Johnson most certainly is.
As reported here on SecondsOut, talks stalled several times over issues of weight (Johnson said he cannot make the 12stone/168lbs super-middleweight limit while Calzaghe would understandably be reluctant to move up in poundage on such short notice) and over Johnson's demands to be paid a percentage of his purse up front, after twice training for Calzaghe only for the Welshman to withdraw.
It will be interesting to see how those issues were resolved, once the fight is offical.
But Johnson, speaking to SecondsOut over the weekend, said that taking the fight at less than six weeks notice wouldn't be a problem.
He said: "I am in training now, I don't care about the late notice. If the deal is done with Calzaghe then I'll be ready."
Teak tough and aggressive, Johnson believes he will be physically stronger than Calzaghe.
"I've already fought twice in (Britain) against Clinton Woods. I've already had 24 hard rounds with Clinton and I expect the same from Calzaghe, only he won't be as strong (physically) being a super-middleweight. And Calzaghe hasn't beaten a Roy Jones or Antonio Tarver in his entire career, mon. He hasn't even fought at that level. "
As you can see, the Road Warrior's his long-held low opinion of the Welsh speedster has not changed despite Calzaghe's awesome win over previously unbeaten Lacy in March.
Johnson said: "Beating Jeff Lacy didn't impress me. Jeff Lacy didn't throw any punches and Joe Calzaghe was handed a very easy night. He will not have an easy night with me, that's why twice he's ran scared of me (a referee to a brace of pull-outs in 2004). I will punch him and I will hurt him, mon."
If Calzaghe v Johnson does happen, it will be something of grudge match for Johnson.
He said: "If Calzaghe is so (dangerous) then why does his promoter (Frank Warren) play these games? Why does Joe Calzaghe and his promoters only want to arrange fights on five, six weeks notice? Because they don't want the opponent to be 100% prepared, mon. Calzaghe is already fighting in his hometown but he needs even more advantages. He wants to be the only man in the ring to be properly prepared. He needs those advantages but I have been in the gym for months. I never stop training and I will be in shape."
Johnson's physical preparedness is not in question, but is five weeks and change really long enough to be stylistically prepared for a one-off southpaw talent like Calzaghe?
"Southpaw doesn't mean anything to me, mon," said the laidback Road Warrior. "He's got two fists that I need to get out the way of like everyone else. He's got a head and a body that I need to hit like everyone else. I'm not concerned with getting southpaw sparring or things like that. I prepare for a fight as hard as I can no matter who I am fighting."
good about time, and nobody can gripe about this, he is the hardest available opponent for JC.
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