BoxRec

Boxing: Calzaghe has a route to dream Aug 7 2004
Gareth Jones, South Wales Echo

JOE Calzaghe may be offered a roundabout route to his dream of becoming Wales' first two-weight world champion.

The 32-year-old Newbridge southpaw, who has worn the WBO super-middle belt for nearly seven years, saw a planned shot at IBF light-heavy ruler Glen Johnson vanish after he twice pulled out with a back injury.

Now promoter allegedly is trying to work the Welshman into the IBF's mandatory slot by matching him with the man Johnson beat for the title, Yorkshireman Clinton Woods.

If he can persuade the US-based organisation to recognise the fight as a final eliminator, the winner would be in line for whoever emerges victorious when Johnson defends against Roy Jones, Jr, next month. The stance of the WBO may be decisive in whether Calzaghe would accept that scenario.

When he was signed up for a straight shot at Johnson, Calzaghe knew that if he lost he would still have his current crown.

But if he beats Woods in an officially sanctioned eliminator, the WBO may be less happy to wait around until he has met the Johnson-Jones winner.

They already have an interim champion - former Calzaghe one-round victim Mario Veit - and would certainly come under pressure from the German's influential manager, Peter Kohl, to award his man the full championship.

The Welshman, while confident he would see off Woods and Johnson, may not want to abandon his WBO earner in a gamble that he can defeat Jones, even if the Florida man is no longer the awesome figure he was before Antonio Tarver got hold of him.

The other big question, of course, is when and where Calzaghe would face Woods.

Warren still has work to do to persuade Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison to take on British ruler Matt Skelton on October 9 at London's ExCeL Arena.



Doesn't this just show what a complete nonsense boxing is? How on earth can Clinton Woods AGAIN be in a title eliminator, so soon after losing to Johnson? The situation with rival promoters lobbying the sanctioning bodies is just ridiculous, however, that's the way it is I guess.

i swear Woods never drops down the rankings. Hey we shouldn't complain though...we alwats do about Brits not getting title shots...Woods can't use that argument for himself. This will be his 4th chance.

a couple of things.

this fight has been talked about for a couple of weeks...and wasn't far from being made, yet no official announcement..i think there has been some sort of problems otherwise things may of moved smoother. I can't imagine Calzaghe or Woods being awkward in negotiations, maybe Warren doesn't want to co-promote or more likely they are having trouble making this an eliminator. Rick Hoye beat Richard Hall in what i think was a fight for the #1 spot...so where does he figure in all this?

Calzaghe wins and Fwank won't play ball financially with RJJ - Glencoffe - Tarver or whoever !!

Waste of time..

adamiw wrote:i swear Woods never drops down the rankings. Hey we shouldn't complain though...we alwats do about Brits not getting title shots...Woods can't use that argument for himself. This will be his 4th chance.

a couple of things.

this fight has been talked about for a couple of weeks...and wasn't far from being made, yet no official announcement..i think there has been some sort of problems otherwise things may of moved smoother. I can't imagine Calzaghe or Woods being awkward in negotiations, maybe Warren doesn't want to co-promote or more likely they are having trouble making this an eliminator. Rick Hoye beat Richard Hall in what i think was a fight for the #1 spot...so where does he figure in all this?

I think there is frantic lobbying going on. However, my major gripe is that this system exists, with promoters getting on the blower to try and move their fighters up the rankings. What the fornicate ever happened to independent rankings?

I disagree with the views that Woods shouldn't be involved. Whether we agree or not, the guy drew with Johnson for the vacant title and then in the rematch he was only a few points down. Whether we agree or not, statistically Johnson and Woods are very closely matched together and as an undefeated former European Light heavyweight champion, Woods still should be ranked highly with the IBF.

If he loses an eliminator fight then I would expect his ranking to drop significantly.

EXCLUSIVE
Calzaghe returns October 9!
By Craig Watt
Unbeaten WBO 168-pound champion Joe Calzaghe (37-0) makes his return to the ring on October 9th after a frustrating few months that saw a back injury prevent him meeting IBF 175 pound champion Glen Johnson. Whilst his future ambitions do lay at 175 pounds he plans to make his 15th defense of his WBO 168 pound title. He spoke to Fightnews.com this evening, "After such a poor 2004 for one reason or another it will just be good to get back in the ring on October 9th, probably at a London venue and extending my unbeaten run at 168 pounds. I am just awaiting allegedly to make a fight for one of the major titles and I will move up. Until then I have no problems making 168 pounds and with the help of my dietician making the weight is no problem. However my ambition is to win the world title at two different weights and I am patient for my chance to come." No opponent has yet been named although a press conference is planned in London to announce Joe's next fight in the next 48 hours. Calzaghe's only performance of 2004 so far saw him TKO Mgar Mkrtchian in seven rounds in Cardiff in February in a defense of his WBO title.

Monday, August 9 2004

I'm just bored of hearing Calzaghe talk now, if and when he takes on someone interesting, I'll be interested again, for now, I'm pretty jaded where he is concerned.

he better fight someone good at super middleweight or i'll be extremely pissed off.

You're going to be pissed off then.

glittermonkey wrote:You're going to be pissed off then.

yeah Warren better come up with the goods. There's only 4 or 5 guys at super middle which i'd be satisfied to see Calzaghe fight. Anyone else...and i'm pissed off.