Originally Published: November 5, 2008
Calzaghe's most significant fights
Joe Calzaghe has stepped into the ring with nearly every top fighter at or around his weight class -- and has always come out on top. Don Steinberg looks back on the key fights of Joe Calzaghe's career.
John Gichigi/Getty ImagesJoe Calzaghe, right, frustrated Mikkel Kessler with his mobility and craftiness.Opponent: Chris Eubank (45-2-2)
Date/Site: Oct. 11, 1997; Sheffield, England
Result: Calzaghe by decision in 12
Why it matters: Calzaghe, at 22-0 with 21 knockouts, had torn through competition from Wales to London, and he'd won the British super middleweight crown two years earlier at age 23. His scheduled shot at WBO titlist Steve Collins fell through when Collins chose to retire. So in stepped veteran Chris Eubank, the former WBO super middleweight champ, to face Calzaghe for the vacated title. It was a war. They came out stiffly and in the first 20 seconds Calzaghe banged a left flush on Eubank's cheek to put him down. The night wouldn't be that easy. Eubank slowed the pace by Round 2 and proved unstoppable. In round after round, Eubank would surge and often land hard shots, Calzaghe would beat him back for trying and Eubank would weather it. "Eubank absorbs it like a slice of blotting paper," the British TV announcer said. It was Calzaghe's first time beyond eight rounds, but he was still bouncing in the 12th on his way to winning his first world title. Pro Fight No. 26
Opponent: Robin Reid (26-1-1)
Date/Site: Feb. 13, 1999, Newcastle, England
Result: Calzaghe by split decision in 12
Why it matters: Reid, a former 168-pound champ who'd never been knocked down or stopped, was Calzaghe's first tough title defense, and this was the closest anyone has come to beating him. In the split decision, one judge scored it 116-111 for Reid, even with a point deducted from Reid for a low blow. Maybe different judges liked different styles. Calzaghe flung his characteristic barrages, playing bongo on Reid's head, moving his arms as quickly as a clock's second hand. Reid was like a minute hand, periodically ticking off a right-hand bomb. Calzaghe often ducked to avoid incoming fire and clinched. But the muscular Reid landed the highlight-reel shots, all rights to Calzaghe's face, including one that rocked Calzaghe's head to end Round 9. In Round 11, they traded blows toe-to-toe, and Calzaghe gave as good as he got. In the end Calzaghe had outlanded Reid considerably, and it was enough for victory. Pro Fight No. 29
Opponent: Omar Sheika (20-1)
Date/Site: Aug. 12, 2000; London
Result: Calzaghe by TKO in 5
Why it matters: Three years on as a world champ, Calzaghe felt underappreciated. Proposed U.S. debuts had fallen through, and the Calzaghe camp believed -- overoptimistically -- that beating New Jersey's Omar Sheika in London would be a ticket to respect and possibilities in the United States. Calzaghe was laser-sharp with his flurries. Sheika stood right in front of him absorbing the blows, while throwing wide, less controlled punches, aiming for a one-shot knockout. Cut and battered by Round 5, Sheika went for broke. He backed Calzaghe to the ropes. Calzaghe fended off the rush and with a minute left in the round staggered Sheika with a hard left. Fifteen seconds later, with Calzaghe banging Sheika's head, referee Genaro Rodriguez stopped it. But Calzaghe remained a UK-only sensation. Pro Fight No. 36
Opponent: Byron Mitchell (25-2-1)
Date/Site: June 28, 2003; Cardiff, Wales
Result: Calzaghe by TKO 2
Why it matters: It was Calzaghe's first time being knocked down as a professional -- and it showed how effectively he could fight for his life. Midway through Round 1 against Alabama's aggressive Byron Mitchell, Calzaghe found it easy to land shots, and he quickly opened up, winging in wide punches with both hands that banged off Mitchell's bald head and neck. Perhaps Calzaghe got too cocky. Halfway through Round 2, Mitchell followed a couple of body shots with a tight right cross to Calzaghe's head that dropped him to his hands and knees. Nobody sensed how quickly it would be over after that. When Calzaghe rose, both men unleashed the hounds for 10 seconds of do-or-die swinging. A Calzaghe left sent Mitchell falling into the ropes -- and down. He got up, but Calzaghe teed off on the defenseless Mitchell until referee Dave Parris stopped it. Pro Fight No. 41
Opponent: Jeff Lacy (21-0)
Date/Site: March 4, 2007; Manchester, England
Result: Calzaghe by decision in 12
Why it matters: Jeff Lacy seemed fearsome. The 2000 U.S. Olympian was 21-0 with 17 KOs and had been destroying opponents, using not only the left hook that gave him his nickname but also a slamming overhand right and a brutal, Mike Tyson-like uppercut. He was the first man ever to stop Robin Reid, who had taken Calzaghe the distance. He was IBF super middleweight champ, and he resembled a bodybuilder. But this title unification was never close. Calzaghe dominated Lacy to the point that one forgets it lasted the distance. Calzaghe swarmed from Round 1 with superior hand speed and footwork, landing hard straight rights, uppercuts and flurries at will. It was target practice by Round 2, and Lacy was dripping blood by Round 4. Ahead by a mile, Calzaghe closed strong to make a statement, knocking Lacy down in the final round -- and finally winning acclaim from viewers in the U.S.
Opponent: Mikkel Kessler (39-0)
Date/Site: Nov. 11, 2007; Cardiff, Wales
Result: Calzaghe by decision in 12
Why it matters: Undefeated Kessler held the other 168-pound belts, so this was for all the marbles. Kessler quickly showed a dangerous right fist and an unwillingness to be intimidated. He landed a right that bounced Calzaghe off the ropes in Round 2. Calzaghe scored three solid lefts over Kessler's guard in Round 3. Kessler took Round 4 by fending off a flurry with a right-hand counter and later scored a brain-rattling uppercut. Then Calzaghe began outboxing and outlanding Kessler every round, and the Dane's late rushes just couldn't make an impact. With a decisive win, Calzaghe finally had punched his ticket to America. Pro Fight No. 45
Opponent: Bernard Hopkins (48-4-1)
Date/Site: April 19, 2008; Las Vegas
Result: Calzaghe by split decision in 12
Why it matters: Calzaghe's debut in America, in his first fight at light heavyweight, didn't start well. One minute into Round 1, the cagey Hopkins leaned in as if to clinch but instead shot a quick left jab and a short right to the face that put Calzaghe on the canvas. Calzaghe sprung up but seemed too taken off guard to even retaliate. The bridge of his nose was cut and his prodigious punch output seemed stifled by Hopkins' ring movement and arm-lock clinching. By Round 5, though, Calzaghe found his rhythm. The hard-to-score rounds that ensued featured Calzaghe stalking and throwing more as Hopkins circled and landed the more obvious blows. Hopkins hit the deck from a Round 10 low blow as Calzaghe traded rough stuff. Neither man could establish superiority. In the end Calzaghe's aggression helped him eke out a split decision and stay undefeated at 45-0. Don Steinberg, a winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America's award for best column in 2005, covers boxing for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
