Joe Calzaghe believes there is a clear number one choice for the best opponent he ever shared the ring with.
Calzaghe holds the distinct honour of being one of the few boxers to retire with an undefeated record, winning all 46 of his professional contests as he became unified super-middleweight champion before stepping up to 175lbs for his final two fights.
During his professional career which spanned from 1993 to 2008, Calzaghe claimed wins over the likes of Roy Jones Jr, Bernard Hopkins, Mikkel Kessler and Chris Eubank, and it is one of those big names that the Welshman believes was his toughest rival.
Speaking to The Ring, Calzaghe revealed that Kessler was his best competitor.
“Mikkel Kessler. I would say that, when I beat him, he was at his peak, 39-0. I think I was a bit older than him.
“It was my last fight at super middleweight. Massive pressure at the Millennium Stadium, 50,000, he held three belts.
“The Mikkel Kessler I beat was the best Mikkel Kessler. Kessler just edges it between him and Bernard Hopkins.”
Calzaghe met Kessler in November 2007, earning a unanimous decision victory in Cardiff to retain his WBO super-middleweight title and add the WBA and WBC belts to his collection.
While Calzaghe would compete just two further times following this bout, Kessler would go on to fight for another six years, where he would secure world honours at 168lbs on several further occasions, whilst going up against other elite fighters such as Andre Ward and Carl Froch.
