Welsh boxing legend Joe Calzaghe is often heralded as Britain’s best ever, but the long-reigning super-middleweight ruler declared that only one man can truly be labelled globally as ‘the greatest.’
Calzaghe famously held the WBO super-middleweight world title for over a decade and unified the belts with a career-best victory against WBA and WBC titleholder Mikkel Kessler back in 2007.
‘The Italian Dragon’ then moved up to light-heavyweight for the final two outings of his career, overcoming both Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. to maintain his undefeated record and become one of a select few to retire with their ‘0’ intact.
Yet, when labelling ‘the greatest’ to have ever laced up the gloves, Calzaghe opted for the iconic Muhammad Ali rather than one of his fellow unbeaten superstars, in an interview with the BBC.
“In a 1,000 years’ time people will look back and say he [Ali] was the greatest,”
“He is the greatest boxing and greatest sporting icon of all time. He was my inspiration; I tried to copy some of his moves as soon as I started boxing at the age of 10 or 11.
“Boxing is the hardest sport in the world and in a time when he was champion, it wasn’t a great sport – it was on a bit of a downward spiral, but he transcended the sport with his personality and style.
“People loved him, he was someone completely different, he backed it up in the ring and everybody wanted to tune in and watch him fight.”
Ali became the first fighter to win the heavyweight world title on three occasions when he outpointed Leon Spinks in their 1978 rematch and remains as the only boxer in history to have won the Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year award on more than four occasions.
