WIDELY considered one of the UKโs best ever boxers, Joe Calzaghe dominated the super-middleweight division and retired with his unbeaten record intact, scalping the likes of Mikkel Kessler, Jeff Lacy, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jnr. Currently celebrating the release of a new film (Mr Calzaghe) focusing on his time in the ring, Joe has been able to reflect on his own career, while also casting a keen eye over some of Britainโs current leading fighters.
Are you happy with the film?
Yeah, absolutely. Iโm happy with it, Iโm pretty proud of it. Iโm a very proud family man and Iโm also very private. Watching it back, itโs very emotional. My grandfather passed away earlier this year, heโs the original Joe Calzaghe, โThe Godfatherโ. He worked hard all his life, he was an amazing guy. I gave him my first belt. He passed away at 90, itโs a pity he couldnโt be here, but the filmโs dedicated to him. I think the film is not just for boxing fans, itโs got a story and it tells the story of where Iโm from, and there are a lot of things in there that not many people know, like me being bullied in school. Other things as well, like me being injured all the time. So itโs not all rosy being an undefeated boxer. I got told by a specialist when I was 17 that I would never box again because of a wrist injury. I didnโt box for a year-and-a-half, but I still had the belief and the support of my family. So itโs a celebration, not just of my career, but also the support of my family, especially my dad [Enzo].
As you say, youโve always been quite a private person, so what made you want to do the film?
I got approached about two years ago. Iโve been living in London for about five years and Iโve been approached by directors and so on and they said, โJoe, we want to do a movie on you, a feature film.โ So they sent me the scripts but it wasnโt really the right time. Then two years ago I met [the filmโs director] Vaughan [Sivell] and had a chat with him. Iโm happy in my own skin away from boxing, if you know what I mean. I can look back and think, โWow, was that me? Did I do that?โ So Iโm proud reflecting on it and looking back. Itโs nice for my dad to remember it and for my sons and my mum to get involved, so it just felt right. I wanted to get my passion across, not just about being a champion. At first I wasnโt sure because Iโm quite private, but Iโm glad I went through with it. Iโve had a great response.
Do you keep an eye on the super-middleweights?
Not really. Itโs gone downhill since I left!
The division leader is James DeGale now.
Yeah, I like James, heโs a pal of mine. I can sympathise with him as well because he gets criticism like the criticism I used to get for years. People like him, heโs got fast hands, heโs a little bit spicy like me. I like him. Heโs a bit brash but thatโs a good attitude to have, it does good business and as long as he doesnโt lose again now he has the title, I think heโll do really well.
Heโs a work in progress. Like me when I fought Chris Eubank, I was gassed after seven rounds and I struggled a bit. Although heโs world champion, the experience of fighting 12 rounds with top-quality fighters doesnโt come overnight. I fought Eubank in โ97 and then beat [Jeff] Lacy nine years later โ I was a completely different animal.
Heโs learning all the time, but Iโve always been impressed with him. He can go on to big things.
This interview was originally published in Boxing News magazine
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