Why hasn't Calzaghe signed yet?

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 05 Apr 2004, 11:12

According to realboxing.com, Joe Calzaghe has yet to sign for his IBF title challenge to Glencoffe Johnson slated for June 5 (Johnson has signed they state).
This is confusing. Joe has talked for years of a legitimate challenge to prove his greatness, and now he has that challenge, seems to be dragging his feet. Realboxing.com even hinted that the mooted Hatton-Mitchell fight on the same night has been added in case Calzaghe-Johnson doesn't materialise.
What the hell is going on here? Joe is the challenger after all. He shouldn't be the one stalling. He should be grateful for the shot.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 05 Apr 2004, 11:24

Oh, he must have signed now. Fightnews.com have just announced the fight.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 05 Apr 2004, 11:45

Why the hell isn't Joe's big fight being held in Wales?

Hatton v ............TBA - that sounds a bit ominous.

REAL_DEAL · Post by **REAL_DEAL** » 05 Apr 2004, 11:57

i think the Calzaghe fight should be the main even unless Hatton fights Mitchell

Eric the Viking · Post by **Eric the Viking** » 05 Apr 2004, 12:39

MightyWarrior wrote:Why the hell isn't Joe's big fight being held in Wales?

Agreed - Joe being the undisputed champion and all that he is, it's ridiculous for him to have to travel halfway round the world to Manchester, which is basically Johnson's hometown.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 05 Apr 2004, 12:50

Eric the Viking wrote:
MightyWarrior wrote:Why the hell isn't Joe's big fight being held in Wales?
Agreed - Joe being the undisputed champion and all that he is, it's ridiculous for him to have to travel halfway round the world to Manchester, which is basically Johnson's hometown.

I was thinking more of his Welsh fans, whom I'm sure would like to have a big world title fight held there this summer, rather than England.

Joe is a big draw in Wales BTW - I know you don't have any big draws in America - unless they're Mexican that is.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 05 Apr 2004, 12:54

they should have it in cardiff millenium stadium

have one of those bumper cards

calzaghe v johnson

hatton v mitchell

takaloo v alexander

enzo v haye

i know its not going to happen but u can dream i suppose

REAL_DEAL · Post by **REAL_DEAL** » 06 Apr 2004, 08:53

good on sports network putting hatton and calzaghe on the same show, that saves me buying 2 train tickets, two fight tickets (you get the idea) with gomez and mitchell on the undercard, this should be a corker of a card if hatton fights mitchell and barnes and gomez get good tests

J · Post by J » 06 Apr 2004, 09:03

REAL_DEAL wrote:good on sports network putting hatton and calzaghe on the same show, that saves me buying 2 train tickets, two fight tickets (you get the idea) with gomez and mitchell on the undercard, this should be a corker of a card if hatton fights mitchell and barnes and gomez get good tests

might be nice though the signs are warren is pissing around witht he mitchell Hatotn fight grrr.

REAL_DEAL · Post by **REAL_DEAL** » 06 Apr 2004, 09:25

J wrote:
REAL_DEAL wrote:good on sports network putting hatton and calzaghe on the same show, that saves me buying 2 train tickets, two fight tickets (you get the idea) with gomez and mitchell on the undercard, this should be a corker of a card if hatton fights mitchell and barnes and gomez get good tests

might be nice though the signs are warren is pissing around witht he mitchell Hatotn fight grrr.

mitchell obviously is after the money, dont know how mitchell would get more money in america cause he barly sells 100 ticekts. sky will put hatton and calzaghe on ppv with the big american card (so i am told)

J · Post by J » 06 Apr 2004, 09:27

Fiar enough thanks mate, think that Sport network should pay the money though they did just save a fair amount of the pinto fight one would imagine.

REAL_DEAL · Post by **REAL_DEAL** » 06 Apr 2004, 09:29

J wrote:Fiar enough thanks mate, think that Sport network should pay the money though they did just save a fair amount of the pinto fight one would imagine.

yes i think they should pay a bit more than they want to, if hatton beats mitchell hes more or less a top 3 light welterweight and could mean zoo (if he fights again)

J · Post by J » 06 Apr 2004, 10:04

true it has to happen soon, Hatton wants it, the public want it, its time to step it up and go for it.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 06 Apr 2004, 10:37

I read in the paper this morning that Hatton would be on the Calzaghe bill....................defending his WBU title.

Sounds like another lightweight opponent for his lightweight title.
Hope that's wrong and they're still looking at Mitchell.

Eric the Viking · Post by **Eric the Viking** » 06 Apr 2004, 10:51

MightyWarrior wrote:Hope that's wrong and they're still looking at Mitchell.

What do you mean, "still" looking at Mitchell? As far as I can tell Fast Frank has absolutely no desire to match Hatton against someone who could really test him anytime soon.

I also find it interesting that the Hatton fans, when confronted with the fact that team Mitchell was ready and willing to make Hatton/Mitchell on short notice after Pinto pulled out, say "well, no way was Hatton ready for that fight on 3 days' notice - he'd need much more time to prepare" - ignoring the obvious fact that Mitchell would have had an equally short time to prepare for Hatton, but was still perfectly willing to take the fight.

Priff · Post by **Priff** » 06 Apr 2004, 12:24

Eric the Viking wrote:the fact that team Mitchell was ready and willing to make Hatton/Mitchell on short notice after Pinto pulled out

What is your source for this 'fact'?

REAL_DEAL · Post by **REAL_DEAL** » 06 Apr 2004, 12:27

Priff wrote:
Eric the Viking wrote:the fact that team Mitchell was ready and willing to make Hatton/Mitchell on short notice after Pinto pulled out
What is your source for this 'fact'?

gary shaw said in the press conf he wouldnt let mitchell fight hatton cause he signed a contract to fight stewart

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 06 Apr 2004, 12:34

Eric the Viking wrote:
MightyWarrior wrote:Hope that's wrong and they're still looking at Mitchell.
What do you mean, "still" looking at Mitchell? As far as I can tell Fast Frank has absolutely no desire to match Hatton against someone who could really test him anytime soon.

Well, who knows what to believe in the world of boxing - Frank says this, Gary says that, boxingtalk reports "exclusively" on their favorite son Mitchell etc..etc ( well he was wearing a boxingtalk T-shirt )

I think Warren is still looking at the fight, it's a winnable one for Hatton.

And Eric, if you were managing Hatton, would you honestly take on a top level southpaw like Mitchell at three days notice, after training 2 months for Pinto?

Priff · Post by **Priff** » 06 Apr 2004, 12:35

REAL_DEAL wrote:
Priff wrote:
Eric the Viking wrote:the fact that team Mitchell was ready and willing to make Hatton/Mitchell on short notice after Pinto pulled out
What is your source for this 'fact'?
gary shaw said in the press conf he wouldnt let mitchell fight hatton cause he signed a contract to fight stewart

Cheers for the Info. FW claims Team Mitchell & Showtime both Vitoed Mitchell/Hatton, so your info certainly supports the claim that Team Mitchell were unwilling to make the fight.

Eric the Viking · Post by **Eric the Viking** » 06 Apr 2004, 13:53

MightyWarrior wrote:Eric, if you were managing Hatton, would you honestly take on a top level southpaw like Mitchell at three days notice, after training 2 months for Pinto?

Probably not. But it wouldn't have been an issue, because I would've never made a fight with an obvious patsy like Pinto (or insert name of 9 of 10 previous guys Ricky has faced) in the first place. That, more than the last-minute intrigues this past weekend, is what annoys me so much about Warren and Hatton.

And I'm quoting bennie about the offer by team Mitchell. Let's see if now, with no last-minute-replacement excuses, Warren actually tries to make that fight. I'm not holding my breath, though. Just watch - there'll be lots of positive-sounding talk, but it'll all somehow magically wind up coming to naught. Classic FW.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 06 Apr 2004, 13:59

Eric the Viking wrote:
MightyWarrior wrote:Eric, if you were managing Hatton, would you honestly take on a top level southpaw like Mitchell at three days notice, after training 2 months for Pinto?
Probably not. But it wouldn't have been an issue, because I would've never made a fight with an obvious patsy like Pinto (or insert name of 9 of 10 previous guys Ricky has faced) in the first place. That, more than the last-minute intrigues this past weekend, is what annoys me so much about Warren and Hatton.

And I'm quoting bennie about the offer by team Mitchell. Let's see if now, with no last-minute-replacement excuses, Warren actually tries to make that fight. I'm not holding my breath, though. Just watch - there'll be lots of positive-sounding talk, but it'll all somehow magically wind up coming to naught. Classic FW.

According to boxingtalk.net: allegedly wanted Mike "Joke" Stewart for Hatton (which I can well believe), but Mitchell's camp objected and said the only switch they would accept would be for Sharmba to fight Hatton. They were just making the right noises, and, of course, making sure the Stewart fight remained theirs. Lesser men than Gary Shaw would have backed down to Warren's demands on a Warren show.