Tweet
The magazine Boxing Monthly (www.boxing-monthly.co.uk) this month put the names of the ten opponents they'd most like to see Ricky Hatton and Joe Blow (under his stagename of "Calzaghe") fight.
Here's the ten for Joe, with some of his comments:
Jermain Taylor (extract) - "I definitely want Taylor. He's a big name, one of the top fighters n the American market. He's athletic and has good all-round boxing ability and I thought he edged his last fight with Winky Wright. [...] Jermain's a middleweight, I'm a super middleweight with equal, if not greater, speed and ability. Listen, when I'm on my best fight, I post more problems than I receive against any of them."
Ronald Wright (extract) - "He's a good light-middle, middleweight - I'm a big super middleweight. I think my hand speed and all-round workrate would be too much. I'd be too strong. I'd destroy him."
Carl Froch (extract) - "The only fighters I'll consider fighting where I've nothing to gain are my mandatories because, right now, I need motivation. Lacy motivated me; Carl Froch doesn't. I'm not interested."
Mikkel Kessler (extract) - "He's Danish, I'm Welsh but it's still a superfight and America should grasp that. I understand Mikkel's been to the U.S. recently to promote himself. Hopefully, the Beyer fight will be screened over there. Then me and Kessler could become massive. Kessler's certainly one of the top three or four on my list."
Markus Beyer (extract) - "I certainly hope Kessler beats him. Beyer's so negative it might be difficult to look good against him. Kessler will come with far more ambition."
Bernard Hopkins - "If you were to ask boxing purists which fight they'd most like to see Joe Calzaghe in, they'd say Bernard Hopkins. We're both proven. He's a tremendous counterpuncher; I'm a very offensive southpaw. All the ingredients of a great fight. Of course it appeals - the guy's a legend. Truly excellent fighters last for a long time and he's been up there for over a decade. The win over Tarver cemented his legacy. A fight at super middle would be realistic but, of course, I'd go up to light-heavy if I needed to. He'd be the most difficult of all them you've mentioned on your list. He can be a bit dirty, he's a really good technician and a real wily old fox. Very good defensively, lots of dimensions. That would be a good one for my U.S. debut but I doubt it will happen. Last I heard, Hopkins was retired.
Antonio Tarver - I was absolutely devastated when Tarver blew out against Hopkins. He was being groomed to be my big-money fight. But I've known for some time that Tarver was a fake. Against Hopkins, I thought he was absolutely pathetic. Anyone can get beat, but the one thing I hate to see in a fighter is no heart. Basically, Tarver bottled it, fought scared, like a chicken, against a blown-up middleweight. Right now, a fight with Tarver doesn't interest me in the slightest. There'd be no glory to gain."
Roy Jones Jr. - I'm not really interested in a Roy Jones fight any more because the guy's shot. He was a great fighter but not any more. He's already been knocked out twice recently. The guy he fought last time was dreadful, couldn't punch at all, yet still Jones got stung a couple of times. Roy's resistance has gone now. After I beat Lacy, Showtime pleaded with me not to touch Roy Jones. If the money was there, sure, I'd go and knock out a legend but I've nothing to gain from doing it and I'd not take any great pleasure from doing it. I had a lot of respect for the guy. Now he's just fighting on instinct. He's still clever, still has those fast hands. He could be a bit tricky for a few rounds but, as soon as I hit him hard, I'd hurt him."
Glen Monson - If Glen can beat Clinton Woods, 150% he's one of the guys I'd like to face. Money doesn't matter for that one. I just want the fight. He talks a good fight with his mouth. Now, because he knocked out a washed-up Roy Jones and beat Tarver - who's a complete phoney - he thinks everyone's scared of him. Apparently I've pulled out three times - I don't know where he gets that from. Johnson's a good fighter but couldn't do **** at super middle. He lost to people I destroyed. Why's he suddenly such a great fighter now? Because he's fighting in a poor division. I expect the Woods fight to be a lot closer this time. Clinton's improved, his confidence is high, he's at home and Glengoffe's not getting any younger. It's pretty even. But, provided he beats Clinton, I really hope Glen makes his first defence against me, ideally around February. I'll go to America, Jamaica, where he's from, whatever he likes, and we can have a massive side bet. I know 150% I'll knock him out. I'll absolutely do a Lacy - destroy him. It'll be his last fight."
Clinton Woods (extract) - "If Clinton loses to Johnson, he's no good to me. There'll be no fight. I want his belt - pure and simple. I want to be the first Welshman to win two world titles, a beautiful platform for me to end my career."
Here's the ten for Joe, with some of his comments:
Jermain Taylor (extract) - "I definitely want Taylor. He's a big name, one of the top fighters n the American market. He's athletic and has good all-round boxing ability and I thought he edged his last fight with Winky Wright. [...] Jermain's a middleweight, I'm a super middleweight with equal, if not greater, speed and ability. Listen, when I'm on my best fight, I post more problems than I receive against any of them."
Ronald Wright (extract) - "He's a good light-middle, middleweight - I'm a big super middleweight. I think my hand speed and all-round workrate would be too much. I'd be too strong. I'd destroy him."
Carl Froch (extract) - "The only fighters I'll consider fighting where I've nothing to gain are my mandatories because, right now, I need motivation. Lacy motivated me; Carl Froch doesn't. I'm not interested."
Mikkel Kessler (extract) - "He's Danish, I'm Welsh but it's still a superfight and America should grasp that. I understand Mikkel's been to the U.S. recently to promote himself. Hopefully, the Beyer fight will be screened over there. Then me and Kessler could become massive. Kessler's certainly one of the top three or four on my list."
Markus Beyer (extract) - "I certainly hope Kessler beats him. Beyer's so negative it might be difficult to look good against him. Kessler will come with far more ambition."
Bernard Hopkins - "If you were to ask boxing purists which fight they'd most like to see Joe Calzaghe in, they'd say Bernard Hopkins. We're both proven. He's a tremendous counterpuncher; I'm a very offensive southpaw. All the ingredients of a great fight. Of course it appeals - the guy's a legend. Truly excellent fighters last for a long time and he's been up there for over a decade. The win over Tarver cemented his legacy. A fight at super middle would be realistic but, of course, I'd go up to light-heavy if I needed to. He'd be the most difficult of all them you've mentioned on your list. He can be a bit dirty, he's a really good technician and a real wily old fox. Very good defensively, lots of dimensions. That would be a good one for my U.S. debut but I doubt it will happen. Last I heard, Hopkins was retired.
Antonio Tarver - I was absolutely devastated when Tarver blew out against Hopkins. He was being groomed to be my big-money fight. But I've known for some time that Tarver was a fake. Against Hopkins, I thought he was absolutely pathetic. Anyone can get beat, but the one thing I hate to see in a fighter is no heart. Basically, Tarver bottled it, fought scared, like a chicken, against a blown-up middleweight. Right now, a fight with Tarver doesn't interest me in the slightest. There'd be no glory to gain."
Roy Jones Jr. - I'm not really interested in a Roy Jones fight any more because the guy's shot. He was a great fighter but not any more. He's already been knocked out twice recently. The guy he fought last time was dreadful, couldn't punch at all, yet still Jones got stung a couple of times. Roy's resistance has gone now. After I beat Lacy, Showtime pleaded with me not to touch Roy Jones. If the money was there, sure, I'd go and knock out a legend but I've nothing to gain from doing it and I'd not take any great pleasure from doing it. I had a lot of respect for the guy. Now he's just fighting on instinct. He's still clever, still has those fast hands. He could be a bit tricky for a few rounds but, as soon as I hit him hard, I'd hurt him."
Glen Monson - If Glen can beat Clinton Woods, 150% he's one of the guys I'd like to face. Money doesn't matter for that one. I just want the fight. He talks a good fight with his mouth. Now, because he knocked out a washed-up Roy Jones and beat Tarver - who's a complete phoney - he thinks everyone's scared of him. Apparently I've pulled out three times - I don't know where he gets that from. Johnson's a good fighter but couldn't do **** at super middle. He lost to people I destroyed. Why's he suddenly such a great fighter now? Because he's fighting in a poor division. I expect the Woods fight to be a lot closer this time. Clinton's improved, his confidence is high, he's at home and Glengoffe's not getting any younger. It's pretty even. But, provided he beats Clinton, I really hope Glen makes his first defence against me, ideally around February. I'll go to America, Jamaica, where he's from, whatever he likes, and we can have a massive side bet. I know 150% I'll knock him out. I'll absolutely do a Lacy - destroy him. It'll be his last fight."
Clinton Woods (extract) - "If Clinton loses to Johnson, he's no good to me. There'll be no fight. I want his belt - pure and simple. I want to be the first Welshman to win two world titles, a beautiful platform for me to end my career."
Comment