Joe Calzaghe - "I will probably retire"

[Asterix]

The 36-year-old had said his Madison Square Garden victory over Roy Jones Jr would be his last but Calzaghe is being tempted by big-money offers.

However, Calzaghe told BBC Sport: "I will make my final decision after the New Year but I will probably retire."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7771795.stm

[frankwarrenfan]

probably a good idea

[Asterix]

probably a good idea

Yep, and Frankie Warren should retire as well.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

I can't see him getting huge money and the bigger money fights are all hard 1s - Dawson/Hopkins, plus I think Joe will fade prime wise faster than BHOPs now. And the medium money 1s are hard too Froch/Taylor. Who else is there? And before Autobahn interjects - Erdei/Kesser/Cunningham fights arent possibilities, oh and Cunningham beats him easy for whoever suggested that 1.

[Poncey]

Dude needs a rest. Retire happy.

[Cannibal]

It would be nice to see a send off in Wales.

Froch plans to up the 5 mill purse offer he made previously to lure him into the ring.

[Max Molyneux]

It would be nice to see a send off in Wales.

Froch plans to up the 5 mill purse offer he made previously to lure him into the ring.

He couldn't even afford 1 mill.

[Evander]

Sounds like the English are bitter again.

Just couldn't quite hit the mark again eh ;;-)

So let's take it out on everyone around us

[Chambers2]

Joe Calzaghe - "I will probably retire" = offer me an extra £2m and I'll fight Frochy

[twenty six]

I've got to be honest and say that if he fights Froch he will have a relatively straight forward night.
That might sound harsh given Carl's excellent performance last week - but Pascal is no Calzaghe.
The flaws in Carl's defensive style will be his undoing - you only had to listen to Rob's comments early in the fight in the corner.
He hasn't learned a thing in over 3 years - or has chosen to do nothing about it.
Punch resistance demonstrated by Carl is there for all to see, but now is the time he has to up the ante re opponents and now is the time that seasoned opponents will cash in on those flaws.
If I am wrong then no one will be more delighted than me.
A british holder of the recognised best belt out there is a credit to him, and I hope he fills his boots financially.

[Kenzi85]

He might as well. He'll never have the legacy he craves.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I've got to be honest and say that if he fights Froch he will have a relatively straight forward night.
That might sound harsh given Carl's excellent performance last week - but Pascal is no Calzaghe.
The flaws in Carl's defensive style will be his undoing - you only had to listen to Rob's comments early in the fight in the corner.
He hasn't learned a thing in over 3 years - or has chosen to do nothing about it.
Punch resistance demonstrated by Carl is there for all to see, but now is the time he has to up the ante re opponents and now is the time that seasoned opponents will cash in on those flaws.
If I am wrong then no one will be more delighted than me.
A british holder of the recognised best belt out there is a credit to him, and I hope he fills his boots financially.

If he beat Kessler, he should beat Froch - although time is not on his side and we have already seen many times how a fighter can age overnight.

Froch is a bit too easy to hit - and I don't think he could get Calzaghe out of there - his chin is too good.

Still would like to see the fight - but Calzaghe wants to protect that unbeaten record - and I cannot see how there's enough money on the table for him to risk it.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

I think Calzaghe has looked older and not as sharp in his last 2, although could be the opposition, you have to know when to call it a day

[Chambers2]

I've got to be honest and say that if he fights Froch he will have a relatively straight forward night.
That might sound harsh given Carl's excellent performance last week - but Pascal is no Calzaghe.
The flaws in Carl's defensive style will be his undoing - you only had to listen to Rob's comments early in the fight in the corner.
He hasn't learned a thing in over 3 years - or has chosen to do nothing about it.
Punch resistance demonstrated by Carl is there for all to see, but now is the time he has to up the ante re opponents and now is the time that seasoned opponents will cash in on those flaws.
If I am wrong then no one will be more delighted than me.
A british holder of the recognised best belt out there is a credit to him, and I hope he fills his boots financially.

Whichever way the result goes it's a fight I want to happen, Carl wants to test himself against the best in the sport and Joe Calzaghe is right up there with the very best at the mo.

Joe would obviously be a BIG favourite going into the fight, but you can't write Carls chances off. Considering his punch power, his stamina and the way he can finish his opponents off when they're hurt.

The fight in front of 90000 at the Millenium stadium and on primetime terrestrial TV would be a fitting finale to Joes career as well. I still think Joe fancies one more fight and that he's just waiting for the optimum offer to come in.

Come on BIG Mick get it on

[jamesmcdonnell]

Fail to see where the meaty one gets the money for this clash, unless Carl is willing to put his belt on the line for the price of a scotch egg and a curly-wurly.

[Datsue]

Sounds like the English are bitter again.

Just couldn't quite hit the mark again eh ;;-)

So let's take it out on everyone around us

Honestly are you on medication or what? Every post is a non-sequitur & I still remember your "theory" that George Bush had a plan to save the world that basically meant killing all the poor people so we could all be rich.

Nutjob.

[Chambers2]

Fail to see where the meaty one gets the money for this clash, unless Carl is willing to put his belt on the line for the price of a scotch egg and a curly-wurly.

It's difficult (for me) to know an accurate amount of how much is needed to get the fight on, but the ticket sales for a packed out Millenium stadium would raise a fair bit, I'd have thought that ITV would be willing to stick a fair bit of wonga in for a legendary fight like this, USTV would more than likely make a contribution, sponsorship etc. Plus I wouldn't think that Carl would be asking for a fortune as WIN or lose his profile would soar yet again and probably setup other BIG clashes.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you James, but it would/should generate a fair bit of cash, whether it's enough to lure Calzaghe bcak is a differeent matter though. My fingers are firmly crossed

[Poncey]

Calzaghe has already said he cannot make 168 anymore, so the belt it moot. Although he may be tempted by Carl's scotch egg. Especially if it's Ginsters.

[whicker]

Calzaghe has already said he cannot make 168 anymore, so the belt it moot. Although he may be tempted by Carl's scotch egg. Especially if it's Ginsters.

I was going to say the same thing- Calzaghe isn't a super middle any more.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

I bet he could make 168 if he had a catchweight fight with Delahoya

[jamesmcdonnell]

I can't say that Calzaghe looked any different at 175 than he did at 168 - he probably struggles, but I would wager he could still make 168.

Even if it was at 175, I don't think it would confer any physical advantage to Calzaghe - so don't think this is an issue.

Calzaghe is going to probably want a king's ransom - it would almost certainly be his last fight - god knows what he is going to want, especially as the fight is likely to be in Cardiff, and it will be his fans attending. Carl could bring maybe what, 10-15,000 absolutely tops to the fight, the rest will all be calzaghe.

If they do, Oh I don't know, 65,000 (what's the limit on the millenium stadium) actually looked it up 75,000 - maybe Joe can fill that with the remainder of his own fans - so let's say average ticket price of what, 75 quid? There's a lot more cheap than expensive seats, so I reckon that's about right, though stats is not my strong point.

75 x 75,000 = 5,625,000 - now that's some gate - but if you think that Calzaghe is probably going to want all that and more - and then there's undercard to pay, then it will mean Carl getting a very meagre paypacket indeed to make this happen - perhaps he will be prepared to do that, but even so, it's not going to be easy to get the money to pay Joe the exhorbitant sum he will want.

[Chambers2]

The fight would probably be amde at a catchweight 172 if it were to happen according to Mr Froch, but I've just read this article which was like a kick in the nuts

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7771795.stm

Froch, who beat Canada's Jean Pascal on Saturday, is keen for his promoter Mick Hennessy to tempt Calzaghe with enough cash to keep him out of retirement.

Calzaghe, though, said: "Carl who? Who's that guy? Nah."

He added that Froch is "long way off deserving a fight with me" and that he has to "join the list".

i.e. Froch is in his prime and is not an over the hill yank, so I won't fight him.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I am afraid to say it, but Calzaghe clearly lives in fear of losing - he's no coward, but all through his career he has been wary of facing big tests, he didn't fight Johnson, he avoided a rematch with Reid, he almost pulled out of the Lacy fight, and had to be talked into fighting Kessler by his old man.

Calzaghe is a great fighter in between the ropes, but I think he suffers from serious self doubt.

[Poncey]

He was injured for the Johnson fight and Hopkins also ducked him originally. Let's not get choosy with history here.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I am well aware of Hopkins - which is why i never mentioned it, I know my history mate.

but frankly I have serious doubts about the Johnson fight - he pulled out of the fight what was it , twice or three times? It was during the time of the breakup of his marriage, and I always suspected he just didn't fancy it at the time because there was a fair bit of turmoil going on.