BoxRec

Calzaghe hits back at the critics

Joe Calzaghe has insisted his ambition burns as bright as ever following criticism of his latest fight delay.
The WBO super middleweight champion put back a planned 11 February defence for at least a month, citing a lack of preparation time.

Such frustrations are a regular feature of Calzaghe's career, but the Welshman insists he had no option.

"To those who say I'm in the habit of pulling out and no longer at one with the game, that's nonsense," he said.

"You can't blame a boxer if he has an injury and has to delay things," Calzaghe wrote in his column for the South Wales Argus.

"My left hand was damaged against Kabary Salem - it hasn't fully recovered and set me back in my preparations.

"I'm not prepared to put my future on the line if I'm not fully fit, it's as simple as that.

"And as my next opponent hadn't been decided I felt it made sense to put my defence back."

The Newbridge fighter is expected to be back in the ring in March - possibly in Cardiff - against either Scott Pemberton or Antwun Echols.

A more exciting - and dangerous - name that has been thrown into the ring is unbeaten WBA champion Mikkel Kessler.

"Kessler's people have been on to me as they want to put the fight on, I'll meet with them in the next couple of weeks," said Calzaghe's promoter allegedly.

"Joe is up for the fight so Kessler is an option. That could be a very interesting fight."

After the March fight, Calzaghe continues to target a move up to light heavyweight and a dream match up with that division's number one, Glen Johnson.

"My next bout will probably be my last before I mix with the bigger guys and I want to make sure I put on a top-class performance," he said.

"I want a big fight badly and I'm still hungry and very ambitious to fulfil my goal of being a two-weight world champion."

What reason can they have for not taking a fight with Kessler then if Kessler is the one opening negotiations??

No doubt they will want a German venue and if Joe is really moving up after this fight I can`t see whats so bad about it, bum decision or not he`s moving up.

tonyevs wrote:What reason can they have for not taking a fight with Kessler then if Kessler is the one opening negotiations??

No doubt they will want a German venue and if Joe is really moving up after this fight I can`t see whats so bad about it, bum decision or not he`s moving up.

Are you trying to say that Kessler is german????

My apologies, I WRONGLY thought he fought out of Germany.

Where I put in Germany replace it with Denmark, same point though.

They all sound the same though don`t they??

Kessler promotor, Team Palle, dont have any TV contract so they, at the moment, dont have enough money to get Calzaghe over here. In the last few years they have sent fighters to other countries to fight, so if the offer from Warren is good enough they will fight in Britain. And I dont think Palle will demand that much money. He offered Kessler for free to Sauerland for a Beyer-Kessler unification in december, the fight that the japanese got.

All but the Israel Ponce fight took place in Mikkel`s home land of DENMARK, I thought (wrongly again) that he had good management to keep him there.

A good showing last time no doubt but do you think he`d have the beating of a seasoned Calzaghe, because I may be wrong again but wasn`t Dingaan Thobela and Julio Cesar Green his only other name fighters, and they aren’t so good at the 168lb.

Good luck to him though, fingers crossed he doesn’t scare Calzaghe enough to find an excuse.

So Freiheit, how do you see a Kessler/Calzaghe match going?

Joe should go for this match then, totally no excuses on his part, if they want the match then Calzaghe should give him it and attempt to pick up a real belt.

tonyevs wrote:All but the Israel Ponce fight took place in Mikkel`s home land of DENMARK, I thought (wrongly again) that he had good management to keep him there.

A good showing last time no doubt but do you think he`d have the beating of a seasoned Calzaghe, because I may be wrong again but wasn`t Dingaan Thobela and Julio Cesar Green his only other name fighters, and they aren’t so good at the 168lb.

Good luck to him though, fingers crossed he doesn’t scare Calzaghe enough to find an excuse.

They havent had any reasons to fight outside of Denmark. Whenever Palle have gotten a good offer/lost pursebids they have, almost, always accepted.
Johnny Bredahl fourght Ayala in Vegas, and that wasnt a good offer, Bredahl only got $10K for that fight. Fredrik Alvarez fourght Shkalikov (spell) in Paris, Mads Larsen fourght Haussler & Ottke in Germany, Nørskov fourht Asloum in France. Add fighters in "safe" bouts on undercards. The only fights that I can remember that they have said no to is Steffen Nørskov vs Ponsaklek Wongjongkam, they declined because a months preparation, and Markussen vs Calzaghe because it was only with 3 weeks notice.
Team Palle has lost money the last couple of years because they dont have any TV contract, so they do PPV cards and Calzaghe isnt a big enough name to carry a card with the purse I expect that he wants..

Lefthookhappy19 wrote:So Freiheit, how do you see a Kessler/Calzaghe match going?

Joe should go for this match then, totally no excuses on his part, if they want the match then Calzaghe should give him it and attempt to pick up a real belt.

I have seen Calzaghe in two fight, McIntyre and Mger, so it would only be guesses.

This would be an excellent matchup, i really believe Kessler would travel and he is certainly a live and dangerous opponent, definately a break from the Calzaghe normal type of opponents which leads me to believe the fight will not happen. Echols, Pemberton or Kessler? I know what my money is on

Mads Larsen would also be an acceptable opponent - been very unlucky as far as World title fights is concerned, firstly he WAS robbed vs Ottke, second was supposed to fight Sicea for the WBA crown but was injured and Kessler won the title.

Yeah Larsen was the first breakthrough Dane at the weight (first i had heard of anyway) and Kessler muscled in on the scene and took the WBA title. All credit to both of them and Markussen as well, it's certainly refreshing to see some Danish guys doing well. I am sure Kessler-Larsen would be the natural big fight somewhere down the line?

Larsen and Palle are not friends at the moment, and because of different opinions of their contract, Larsen wants out in march I think it is, Palle wont let him, so dont expect to see Larsen to fight for Palle anymore. Universum & Sauerland has showed interest in signing him if he gets out of the contract, but it could take years.

It's such a shame when politics spoil everything