Enzo on Joe Comeback.......his appetite has gone.....

[Wax On]

Nice to see his old man put it so straightforwardly, basically says, money doesn't give you your hunger for boxing back and he won't train him if he makes a comeback...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/8659234.stm

Enzo Calzaghe has ruled out his undefeated son Joe coming back for a rematch with American Bernard Hopkins.

Calzaghe, who reigned as a super-middle and light-heavyweight champion for more than 11 years, retired last year with a perfect 46-fight professional record.

But Golden Boy Promotions chief Richard Schaefer revealed Calzaghe had "expressed an interest" in returning.

However Calzaghe Sr, Joe's trainer, told BBC Sport: "There is no truth in it - and I would be the first to know."

The Welshman beat superstar Hopkins in a controversial split points decision in Las Vegas on his United States and light-heavyweight debut in April 2008.

Calzaghe then quit the ring after a unanimous points victory over Roy Jones Jr, another American boxing legend, at New York's famous Madison Square Garden.

And after the fight, reflecting on a career that included beating Chris Eubank to win the WBO super-middleweight title in 1997, unifying the division by beating Dane Mikkel Kessler and winning the 2007 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, Calzaghe said he had "achieved everything I wanted to achieve in boxing".

However, the 38-year-old, who held the WBO, WBA, WBC and IBF super-middleweight belts during his 16-year professional career, was back in Vegas at the weekend to watch Floyd Mayweather Jr's points win over Shane Mosley, strengthening rumours that he could be close to a return.

Hopkins also beat Jones Jr last month and both he and Calzaghe have apparently spoken to Oscar de la Hoya's promotion company about another Anglo-American super-fight, with Schaefer telling the Daily Mail a fight could happen in the autumn.

If Joe comes back now, he's playing with danger because he has nothing to gain and everything to lose. To comeback and do it for the money and potentially demolish what you have already achieved makes no sense.

Calzaghe, who has suffered costly domestic and promotional separations in recent years and struggled with a lack of routine since retiring, may be tempted by a big-money rematch and left the comeback door ajar when he retired by saying "you can never say never in this game", although he then said "I can't see myself boxing again".

And renowned trainer Enzo, who has been in Joe's corner since the age of nine, insisted he would not be his son's trainer should the southpaw announce a comeback.

"The talk of Joe coming back is news to me and being close as I am to Joe as a trainer and a father, I would be first know," he said.

"As far as I'm concerned he is retired and the word retired means retired.

"He probably wakes up every morning and think shall I have another fight? But thinking about it and doing it are two completely different things.

"His legacy is second to none and only a few in the sport have the mystique of finishing their career unbeaten.

"He retired at the very top after a superb win over Roy Jones Jr in one of his finest performances - he whitewashed a legend.

"He retired because he had lost his hunger for boxing. Once you lose the hunger, how are you going to reignite it? For financial gain?

"If Joe comes back now, he's playing with danger because he has nothing to gain and everything to lose. If he does ask me my advice on a comeback I'd say go ahead - but without me. I know what he achieved cannot be touched or bettered.

"Joe and my boxing philosophy was always it's all about the glory rather than the money whereas a comeback would be for the wrong reason.

"If Joe has a bad day at the office and loses then retires again - it's too late as he would have lost that unbeaten tag.

"My theory is if his appetite has gone, why come back?"

[Captain Hook]

I don't think he'll ever come back, he'll be a fool if he does.

His legacy gets better by the month.

Kessler losing to Ward, Kessler then beating Froch......Hopkins beating Pavlik and Jones etc etc. Just stay retired Joe....

PS A prime Bute v prime Calzaghe? Joe on points, no question.

[RLewis]

Joe was in Vegas last weekend, right? There will have been all sorts of people asking him if he would ever comeback. It only takes one response that is less than a categorical 'no' to start the rumour mill.

I remember for years, whenever Lennox was at a fight, everyone would ask if he was coming back. He'd say no and then wink, and everyone seemed to take that to mean he would come back. Of course, he was just playing. But someone writing - Calzaghe (or Lewis) to stay retired - is not a story, whereas hinting at the opposite is a story.

My feeling is he won't come back. When he retired he'd just had enough of all the hard work. That is unless the money has been eaten up by the legal cases, which is possible. Golden Boy have been offering him the Hopkins fight non-stop for 18 months.

[mickey1975]

Joe was in Vegas last weekend, right? There will have been all sorts of people asking him if he would ever comeback. It only takes one response that is less than a categorical 'no' to start the rumour mill.

I remember for years, whenever Lennox was at a fight, everyone would ask if he was coming back. He'd say no and then wink, and everyone seemed to take that to mean he would come back. Of course, he was just playing. But someone writing - Calzaghe (or Lewis) to stay retired - is not a story, whereas hinting at the opposite is a story.

My feeling is he won't come back. When he retired he'd just had enough of all the hard work. That is unless the money has been eaten up by the legal cases, which is possible. Golden Boy have been offering him the Hopkins fight non-stop for 18 months.

But Lennox had a reson for being at the big fights,as he was usually commentating.For Joe to even be there,let alone on stage at the weigh-in,is very out of character.He would never have done this even in his prime(cue scared of flying jokes )

[Autobarn]

he can come back on the fringe world class old timers scene. hopkins can get TV dates in america, danny green gets away with it in oz. joe will be able to do it also, and probably won't have to fight anyone world class.

[whiskey]

Apparently Enzo has stated on his facebook that his 'retirement is now on hold...'

Seems to be on.

[DavidPayne]

Joe was in Vegas last weekend, right? There will have been all sorts of people asking him if he would ever comeback. It only takes one response that is less than a categorical 'no' to start the rumour mill.

I remember for years, whenever Lennox was at a fight, everyone would ask if he was coming back. He'd say no and then wink, and everyone seemed to take that to mean he would come back. Of course, he was just playing. But someone writing - Calzaghe (or Lewis) to stay retired - is not a story, whereas hinting at the opposite is a story.

My feeling is he won't come back. When he retired he'd just had enough of all the hard work. That is unless the money has been eaten up by the legal cases, which is possible. Golden Boy have been offering him the Hopkins fight non-stop for 18 months.

But Lennox had a reson for being at the big fights,as he was usually commentating.For Joe to even be there,let alone on stage at the weigh-in,is very out of character.He would never have done this even in his prime(cue scared of flying jokes :D )

The money he could make is not to be sniffed at. No offence Bloe, sorry I mean Joe. A rematch with Hopkins would sell and Hop is running out of options if he is to avoid Dawson until he's 73.

[Eraserhead]

I'm not even sure I want to watch him fight again. It was hard enough enduring his career path first time round

[sy86]

Apparently Enzo has stated on his facebook that his 'retirement is now on hold...'

Seems to be on.

Ive got that guy on mine dont think its the real Enzo.

[tonyevs]

Apparently Enzo has stated on his facebook that his 'retirement is now on hold...'

Seems to be on.

Ive got that guy on mine dont think its the real Enzo.

Do you really see Enzo Calzaghe on Facebook

[Lenny]

Cocaine can suppress your appetite

[Matt W]

I see absolutely no point to a comeback. At some stage he will have to cope with retirement - better to do at as a winner with all of his marbles intact.

[WildWaylon]

Calzaghe and Hatton gave us some great fights but its all over now. They could both get a hiding from a young up and commer, and who wants to see that. They had their time as fighters. Now its time to promote, advise and maybe train young hopefuls. They both have a vast knowledge of the sport to pass on. We know Hatton has a fortune behind him I just hope Joe has a pretty sound bank account and doesnt need to risk everything on a comeback which I think would be a disaster.