BoxRec

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7338189.stm

Calzaghe set for Woods showdown

Calzaghe to clash with Woods in a Millennium Stadium mega-fight
Joe Calzaghe is set for a domestic super-fight with Clinton Woods should the Brits abroad both win in America.

IBF light-heavyweight champion Woods faces Antonio Tarver in Tampa on Saturday before Calzaghe meets Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas on 19 April.

"We have made verbal agreements to bring Clinton and Joe together," said Woods' promoter Dennis Hobson.

Calzaghe's promoter allegedly added: "British fans loves domestic showdowns and it would make sense for both guys."

606: DEBATE
Calzaghe v Woods, could it happen?

WBO super-middleweight king Calzaghe has held a long-term ambition to become a two-weight world champion.

And should Woods beat American Tarver in his home-town this weekend, the Sheffield showman would prove a viable option for Calzaghe even though the unbeaten Welshman turned down a £1m offer to fight Woods two years ago.

Both promoters hope to stage the multi-million pound Battle of Britain in front of a capacity 50,000 crowd at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in October.

"If Woods comes through against Tarver, and that's a really tricky fight for him, I think he will capture the imagination of a lot of American fans and it would make a lot of sense for him to fight Joe," Warren told The Daily Telegraph.

Calzaghe moves up from the super-middleweight division he has dominated for ten years to take on 43-year-old Hopkins in Vegas for The Ring Magazine light-heavyweight belt.


After Tarver, I would definitely like to fight Calzaghe, who I think will be beat Hopkins

Clinton Woods

Should the 36-year-old southpaw impress on his American debut against one of boxing's living legends, Calzaghe would finally cement his name among US sports fans.

So a Calzaghe v Woods showdown would be an attractive proposition for the mega-rich American TV companies.

Woods said: "After Tarver, I would definitely like to fight Calzaghe, who I think will be beat Hopkins."

Calzaghe unified the super-middleweight division in his last fight at the Millennium Stadium when he demolished Mikkel Kessler on points last November.

Im so there.

Personally I think Tarver and Hopkins will win.

does Joe Calzaghe want this fight..? i thought he wanted Pavlik..

'legend' and 'living legend' are grossly overused terms, and i don't see how Hopkins comes into that.. his fights are snoozefests, he looked rubbish against Eastman, lost to Taylor twice, kd'd twice against Mercado, whats the crack..?! Trinidad and DLH were blown up welters.. take them away and Hopkins would be obscurity in america..

I've felt this fight couild happen for a while, because of the potential money in British superfights.

But there are two decent-sized IFs.

Greg Nicholas wrote:does Joe Calzaghe want this fight..? i thought he wanted Pavlik....

He has his hands full with Lockett, Duddy and then Abraham apparently.

Mega fight? Jesus. Calzaghe will mop the floor with him, this is by no means a legacy fight...

This ticks the 2 weight world champion box.

To be honest, there isn't much better at 175 than Woods if he beats Tarver.

Not sure Clint gets by Tarver, but even if he does, it's not even close to a mega fight, as Joe will be something like 10/1 to win it.

Surprised FW wants it, and I don't think Joe will. Pavlik is the way to go, that would be absolutely huge. Duddy first? Waste of time, and Abraham is tied up with another mandatory mismatch.

Calzaghe said he'd come down to SM for Pavlik.

I think they want to give Kelly 2 gfights off. Zuniga, Miranda and Taylor x2 is pretty rough run.

I think they're looking at after Abraham's mandatory in the summer. They said December.

Riddick Blowe wrote:Mega fight? Jesus. Calzaghe will mop the floor with him, this is by no means a legacy fight...

ppl will turn up in droves to see this fight.

A boring domestic dustup.
Therefore I hope Tarver wins at least it would be more interesting.

Not many who don't turn up to every football or rugby match at the Millenium anyway.

Well what a cheery bunch we have on this thread.

I'm going outside to kill myself.

Hey, I called for this fight the day Woods broke down Rico Hoye for the IBF belt.

Come on Joe & Clinton. Much bigger fight now if they both win. Good for boxing on Setanta as well.

STP wrote:Personally I think Tarver and Hopkins will win.

I think Tarver & Calzaghe will win & Joe will move back down to 168lbs to box Pavlik. Calzaghe last two fight's should be in the USA.

Thus far, Hopkins will be the only big, big fight Joe has had in the USA. If that were to be the only one, then that would be a great shame for someone who has the career Joe has had.

Joe should be topping the bill in the USA more than once!

I think he said he's only fighting once more after Hopkins, or was it twice, this year and retiring.

There's not a great deal of talent at 175 nowadays.

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Well what a cheery bunch we have on this thread.

I'm going outside to kill myself.

In the wrong mood, this place is dangerously depressing at times.

I'll be sure not to announce the birth of my son on here!




ahh shit, i just did

Doesn't it depend on Woods winning? I didn't read the article, but the post says 'set' which its not from what I read yesterday.

Never thought I'd say this but:

Go Woods!

Who gives a shit about Woods?

A complete waste of his last fight. After all of those years fighting numpties, every fight counts now, and Woods means absolutely f*ck all.

charlieb wrote:Who gives a shit about Woods?

A complete waste of his last fight. After all of those years fighting numpties, every fight counts now, and Woods means absolutely f*ck all.

Don't know what you're on about. Woods' last fight was an IBF mandatory so how could he fight anyone else?

Warren, I think, now knows the marketability in a domestic rivalry. Haye v Maccarinelli sold excellently and i'm sure he'll be hoping for more of the same. Didn't even seem that upset that Enzo lost because the show was great.

If Woods beats Tarver he'll be a light heavy world champion, with some very good names on his record and from the same country to boot. I think this is a perfect last fight, one his home fans will be able to go to and in all probabilty it will be a hell of a lot more exciting a fight than against Hopkins.

Yeah Calzaghe should have fought name light heavyweight champs, dangerous middleweights and the like, but those days were during the last 10 years

Khaosai-Galaxy wrote:

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Well what a cheery bunch we have on this thread.

I'm going outside to kill myself.

In the wrong mood, this place is dangerously depressing at times.

I'll be sure not to announce the birth of my son on here!




ahh shit, i just did

if that aint you mucking about mate - congratulations

i'd rather see calzaghe take on pavlik or dawson.

but after those 2 i suppose woods has done more than anyone else.