Not your average

J o e
profile
C a l z a g h e
Not
your
average
Joe
He’s got US boxers telling the world they’ll give
him a facelift and knock him out when they next
fight, but Joe Calzaghe, the undefeated world
champion for ten years, tells square mile why
he’s taking it all in his stride
“H
Words by
Bernadette Costello
Photos by Chris Floyd
54 |
February 2008
opkins wants to give you a facelift and Roy Jones Jnr
wants to knock you out at a showdown in Wales.”
Joe Calzaghe laughs as I hand the undefeated supermiddleweight champion some news printouts of the
latest jibes from two US boxers.
Hot off the press, one includes a story about Hopkins, ‘The
Executioner,’ shuffling right up to Calzaghe’s face before Ricky
Hatton’s Las Vegas fight, snarling, “I’ll never lose to a white boy.”
“Oh yeah, I saw that story,” handing it to his dad Enzo. “Well it
sells tickets for him doesn’t it? It’s funny – looking at him, it’s him that
needs the facelift. I just let him keep talking and I’ll keep smiling, take
it all in my stride and do the rest in the ring,” says Calzaghe. ❱❱
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February 2008
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J o e
❱❱ He seems more interested in tucking into
his local pub’s lasagne than letting Hopkins
wind him up before their ‘super-fight’ in Las
Vegas, set to take place on 19 April.
“It’s all mouth isn’t it?” adds Enzo. “He’s
saying that because he needs a facelift himself.
He’s ugly and Joe’s handsome. Hopkins is 43
and it’s guaranteed he’ll retire so he knows it
will be his last shot at the big time.”
It’s an intense time in the run-up to the
match (either at the MGM or Mandalay
Bay) and Joe only has one thing on his mind.
“I want to go down as one of the greatest
fighters Britain’s ever had,” he says.
Having watched his morning gym session,
it’s clear to see that it is Joe’s determination
that will achieve this. Newbridge Boxing Club
is where the hard work happens, in what can
best be described as a village hall with a fullsize boxing ring, situated in the middle of a
small remote industrial estate.
It’s bitterly cold in there and, as our
photographer sets up ringside to bring you
these exclusive pics of the master at work, our
breath rises up to meet the steamy air that’s
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coming from the sweat and toil of three world
boxing champs training before us.
Enzo’s training up in the ring doing
pad work with both Gavin Rees and
Enzo Maccarinelli while Joe’s on his own,
“The BBC’s award for me and my dad
[Enzo was crowned BBC Sports Trainer of the
Year] capped off a great year for me – even
more so because it was the British public who
voted for me. I hoped they recognise what
“Hopkins is saying that because he needs a
facelift himself. He’s ugly and Joe’s handsome.
Hopkins is 43 and it’s guaranteed he’ll retire so
he knows it will be his last shot at the big time”
pulverising a punch bag to the beats of
Montell Jordan’s This Is How We Do It.
Several large posters remind us of Joe’s 17
undefeated years of fighting and also capture
the British public’s thoughts when they voted
him 2007 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Ten times a world champion and never
been beat – this has never been achieved by
any other sports person in Britain. No one’s
ever knocked Calzaghe out, yet he’s finished
his 44 wins with 32 KOs. His last fight added
the WBC and WBA titles to his WBO belt.
I’d achieved because I don’t go seeking the
limelight. I hope to end my career undefeated
when I retire at the end of the year.”
Now he’s preparing for one of the biggest
challenges of his career – to lose two stone in
12 weeks, join a new heavyweight category
and then fight Hopkins – a world champ,
who, like Joe, has held titles for ten years.
“It’s a first for me to step up to light
heavyweight [from super-middleweight] so
it’s going to be different. I’m taking a positive
strategy to make 12 stone but I’ll be keeping
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J o e
C a l z a g h e
Realty Joe
36
the speed and gaining extra power and extra
strength, so it’s going to benefit me.”
“I’ll be starving myself to get to 12
stone – one ounce over and the fight won’t
happen. Then a few days before the fight I’ll
be dehydrating and losing as much as I can
to make the weight. That’s the hardest part
like a time-clock because he knows what he
needs to do, and when, so he pushes it.”
Joe recalls how, aged nine, Enzo took him
to the boxing club for the first time and has
been his inspiration since. “He taught me to
fight and he’s now got the most successful gym
in the world with three world champions.”
“I want to go down as one of the greatest fighters
Britain’s ever had.” Having just watched his
morning gym session, it’s clear to see that it
is Joe’s determination that will achieve this
out of everything,” says 14-stone, six-foot
Calzaghe, “because I love my food.”
Joe turns to his dad – the father and son
team are more of a comedy double-act. Joe
calls Enzo a pest, Enzo calls Joe a masochist.
“When I’m training I see Dad at the gym
nearly every day. He’s cool, he’s also my
friend. He’s a pest but he’s my friend. If he
doesn’t see me he misses me.”
“He loves punishment,” jokes Enzo, and
then his serious side comes out. “His brain is
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February 2008
Ask the Calzaghe boys how they’ve
remained undefeated and Joe says training
in his home town keeps him focused. “On
a personal level I just know I’ve got to have
faith and confidence in myself, I don’t believe
where I am today without this. I have a
personal goal and I’m hungry to be successful.
But you can’t take this for granted so it’s hard
work, dedication and control.”
Enzo talks about having an ABC plan,
explaining how Joe beat Evans Ashira with
ad
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Joe Calzaghe is preparing
y
for an easier life as an
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overseas property investor
when he retires from the world
of boxing at the end of this year.
“I’d like to do it full time but overseas
property will mainly be for investment because
I’ll always be involved in boxing in some way.”
His portfolio, which he’s built up through The
Right Move Abroad, includes apartments and
villas in Bansko, Bulgaria, Altinkum in Turkey,
Calabria in Italy and Hurghada in Egypt.
“It’s nice to go places with the kids [Joe, 13,
and Conor, 10] and let them see different parts
of the world. I’d like to invest in Florida next, it’s
a good time to buy, so I’ll probably buy a bigger
place there that I’ll mainly use with the kids.”
Joe and his dad Enzo already have a family
house in their native home Sardinia so his
Calabria house will be for investment only. He
also owns an investment property in Dubai.
“I like to do a lot of research before I make any
decision. When I chose Bulgaria I was happier
with Bansko after investigating Sunny Beach.
In Turkey, it’s cheap for what you get for your
money, it’s mainly for investment purposes.
I would have invested in Eastern Europe a few
years ago – I wish I’d gone to Poland, Latvia and
Hungary – I’m interested in all these places.
A few mates invested in Warsaw and doubled
their money but I didn’t have enough time to
invest because of all the boxing!”
one arm after he broke a hand in round three.
“You should be prepared for what could
happen. I only train one way, it’s a strict
structure to training, and I have great respect
for Joe and his ability to know what’s got
to be done, because he can work. Hopkins
knows that Joe can knock him out but we’ll
be playing by our plan and we will box our fight.”
In full training, Joe will do regular runs
‘at a good pace’ up the steep Welsh valleys
that provide the stunning backdrop to his
boxing club. “I normally do five miles in the
morning and training in the afternoon. I’ll do
12-15 rounds, some speed ball, punch-bag,
pad-work on Dad, then a month before the
fight I’ll do sparring as well. There’ll be more
exercise like sit-ups and press-ups, too.”
Joe says there’s one more fight in him after
his ‘super-fight’against Hopkins on 19 April.
“I’ll fight one more fight and it will be with
an American, and it’s likely to be in the US.”
“Will it be with Roy Jones Jnr? Will he get
his chance to knock you out?”
“That’s not gonna happen,” replies a calm
Joe Cool. “He’s already been knocked out
twice – so it’s not gonna happen.”
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