IS CALZAGHE STILL CONTRACTED TO SPORTS NETWORK?

KO Artist · Post by **KO Artist** » 20 Mar 2006, 09:48

Anyone know?

states · Post by **states** » 20 Mar 2006, 10:00

He must be, surely? That's a very happy partnership.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 20 Mar 2006, 10:03

I think I know why you are asking KO, given Hatton's comments, was that a call for Calzaghe to join him on a bill stateside.

I find it incredibly difficult to envisage Calzaghe leaving SN now, especialyl with having seen the difficulties Hatton is having right now.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 20 Mar 2006, 10:13

Hope he doesn't make the mistake the Hatton's are doing now.

When asked though once didn't he say he doesn't know about Hatton but he thinks Warren is a great promotor?

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 20 Mar 2006, 10:16

I can't see Warren letting Calzhage have the biggest fight of his life and then walking away. Warren already had Hatton kick him in the teeth after he won against Tzsyu.
I would have thought he'd have got Calzaghe to sign for a few fights on garantee that he delived the Lacy contest.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 20 Mar 2006, 10:20

Calzaghe hasn't complained about his opp though in the past like Hatton has though.

Neri · Post by **Neri** » 20 Mar 2006, 10:34

No way is Calzaghe leaving SN now. Warren is apprently over in the US trying to secure the big fights for Joe, can't ask for more than that for now.

Rocky Balboa · Post by **Rocky Balboa** » 20 Mar 2006, 10:44

FW will probably do his nut when he reads what Hatton has said!

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 20 Mar 2006, 10:59

Well, there's two ways to read that comment.

1 Come on Joe, leave Warren and come join me in America.
2 Sorry Frank, I made a big mistake, take me back I want to fight on the same bill as Joe.

Can't tell which I think is more likely.

pundit · Post by **pundit** » 20 Mar 2006, 11:00

states wrote:He must be, surely? That's a very happy partnership.

Yeah, one that has kept all dangerous opponents far away from him for the past 10 years...

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 20 Mar 2006, 11:14

pundit wrote:
states wrote:He must be, surely? That's a very happy partnership.
Yeah, one that has kept all dangerous opponents far away from him for the past 10 years...

I don't think you know much about boxing, are Eubank, Reid, Sheika, Woodhall, Brewer, Mitchell and Lacy not dangerous boxers?

states · Post by **states** » 20 Mar 2006, 11:17

Please don't get Pundit started on Calzaghe again.....

pundit · Post by **pundit** » 20 Mar 2006, 11:26

states wrote:Please don't get Pundit started on Calzaghe again.....

Pundit won't get himself started...

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 20 Mar 2006, 13:36

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Well, there's two ways to read that comment.

1 Come on Joe, leave Warren and come join me in America.
2 Sorry Frank, I made a big mistake, take me back I want to fight on the same bill as Joe.

Can't tell which I think is more likely.

What's the quote? (If it's elsewhere on here, I'll probably catch it)

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 20 Mar 2006, 16:54

calzaghe is happy fighting in britain and staying loyal.

hatton was fed up with warren's reluctance to take him stateside.

pundit · Post by **pundit** » 20 Mar 2006, 16:59

hitman_hatton1 wrote:calzaghe is happy fighting in britain and staying loyal.

That's a nice circumscription for "ducking"...

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 20 Mar 2006, 17:05

pundit wrote:
hitman_hatton1 wrote:calzaghe is happy fighting in britain and staying loyal.
That's a nice circumscription for "ducking"...

i was gonna put.

doesn't mind fighting the odd bum.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 20 Mar 2006, 17:07

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:
jamesmcdonnell wrote:Well, there's two ways to read that comment.

1 Come on Joe, leave Warren and come join me in America.
2 Sorry Frank, I made a big mistake, take me back I want to fight on the same bill as Joe.

Can't tell which I think is more likely.
What's the quote? (If it's elsewhere on here, I'll probably catch it)

In it here somewhere.

Hatton seems to me to be either testing the suggestion of him and Calzaghe fighting on the same bill together.....

'we can break the states'

Mar 19 2006

Peter Shuttleworth, Wales on Sunday

RICKY HATTON last night issued Joe Calzaghe with a call to arms, saying: 'Let's break America together.'

Hatton is all set to be a standard bearer for Britain's resurgent boxing fraternity in the coming months.

He's hoping to prove once and for all to the US audience that Brits don't cross the pond simply to make up the numbers.

But Hatton would love to be joined on his American adventure by reinforcements - and who better to have at your side than a fearsome gunslinger like Joe Calzaghe?

Joe's profile has sky-rocketed Stateside after his annihilation of Jeff Lacy, a man previously hailed as 'the next Mike Tyson'.

Now Hatton is challenging Calzaghe to join him for a double strike on the big hitters of US boxing.

"The Americans might realise us Brits can fight a bit now," Hatton told Wales on Sunday.

"They look on British boxing with contempt. They seem to think we win world titles then defend them in our country before coming unstuck against an American. It's a very arrogant and unrealistic view.

"So, after Joe demolished Lacy it was nice to see the Americans go home with their tails between their legs. The Lacy camp have treated Calzaghe with disrespect.

"They didn't look closely at the videos to see how good he was.

"The Americans have this tunnel vision on British fighters; they think it'll be a walk in the park. So Lacy's defeat made it rather embarrassing for them.

"Joe made a very good fighter look like a novice. It was nothing short of a boxing master-class.

"It has been a long time since we've seen a British fighter win such a big fight in such a convincing fashion. I'm sure it won't happen again for a while.

"Lacy was totally outclassed and outgunned."

Unbeaten Welsh hero Calzaghe is set for a Cardiff homecoming at the Millennium Stadium on July 8 and he'll be dreaming of flooring an opponent with the kind of stature in keeping with such an event. Four-weight world champion Roy Jones Jnr would be ideal. Light-welterweight world champion Hatton - himself dreaming of world domination and a unification showdown with the awesome Floyd Mayweather - believes Calzaghe is right to reward his Welsh fans with a big show at home. But then it's got to be time for inroads into the lucrative American market.

"It's never a mistake fighting in front of your home crowd," said Hatton, who will begin his American assault against Juan Lazcano on May 13 in Connecticut.

"When I fight in Manchester, it's not just a boxing match but a great occasion. And it should be the same for Joe in Cardiff now.

"He's a champion and I'm sure the Welsh know what a sporting legend they've got on their hands.

"Great sportsmen like Joe Calzaghe don't come along very often. But we've both got ourselves into a very fortunate position and should be looking at the States.

"I don't want to hang up my gloves without having topped a bill at Madison Square Gardens or one of famous arenas like the MGM Grand or Caesars Palace. I've taken it upon myself to make that happen. I've worked too damn hard to get to this position and not reach the very top. Fighting at one of those world famous venues is when you've made it.

"I'm sure Joe is from the same mould as me. I'd love for us to jointly top the bill. Joe is a great mate; we've jointly topped bills twice before and it would be great if us two pals could go over there together.

"But I'm sure allegedly allegedly would have a view on that."

To say that Calzaghe's promoter Warren and Hatton aren't best of pals right now is an understatement.

'The Hitman' left British boxing's highest-profile promoter to 'go it alone' after beating Kostya Tszyu last summer and the well-documented fall-out has, as Hatton so eloquently puts it, 'gotten messy'.

Warren is suing Hatton's old man and trainer Ray for alleged breach of contract. But 'The Hitman' is desperate to ensure his issues with Calzaghe's promoter do not impinge on his friendship with the record-breaking Welsh boxer.

And as a friend Hatton wants the best for Joe.

The undisputed super-middleweight king has ruled his division for a world-record eight-and-a-half years. But Calzaghe has made no secret of his ambition to be a two-weight world champion.

Roy Jones Jnr would be an ideal fight for Calzaghe as it would be a gigantic pay-day against a fallen hero, a fighter whose career is on the wane. So that option might represent the quickest path to wider acclaim, a less-pressured step forward than tackling light-heavyweight hardman Antonio Tarver or Glen Johnson.

While Jones Jnr has kudos in the boxing world, he doesn't bring any titles and that's why Warren has been looking at a potential match-up with German WBA super-middleweight champ Markus Beyer. Hatton's advice is simple.

"I'd move up to light-heavyweight; there's nothing left for him at super-middleweight," he said. "Beyer is a southpaw and that won't make for an entertaining fight. I can't see American TV being interested.

"Joe needs a statement of intent to fight one of America's big boys. If he fights a Mr Average then American TV may lose interest in him.

"There's no real big names in the super-middleweight division and I can't see Joe being interested in any of the other champions; they're not in his class. Joe has dealt with the most dangerous fighter in that division by beating Lacy, so a move up to light-heavyweight is what he needs now to keep challenging himself.

"And if Joe loses to an average super-middle fighter, all the hard work to beat Lacy could be for nothing. He needs to capitalise.

"It's funny because no-one was bothered about light-heavyweight a few years ago, but now it's among the best divisions."

Is it just me or does this sound a bit like an olive branch to SN?