Joe Calzaghe remained undefeated in his 46 professional fights. Despite reported interest from the powers that be, he won’t be making that 47.
Calzaghe was linked to a showdown with fellow British super-middleweight Carl Froch throughout the latter years of his astonishing career, but a move to light-heavyweight while Froch was still rising in the 168 ranks saw fans miss out.
In lucrative meetings against legendary duo Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr, Calzaghe retained his ‘0’ before hanging up the gloves in 2008.
Speaking to Clubhouse Boxing, Froch claimed that Calzaghe has turned down a recent offer from Saudi powerhouse Turki Alalshikh, with the now 53-year-old understandably content with his career and unbothered by Froch’s persistent callouts.
“Joe Calzaghe didn’t fancy it then and he doesn’t fancy it now, does he? He was offered good money by Turki Al-Alshikh. He agreed the number, he agreed the fight, Calzaghe said ‘yeah, I will have some of that’.
“Turki Alalshikh offered him big bunce, I reckon it was 10 mil. He went home, thought about it, came back and phoned Turki and said ‘no, I can’t do it’.
“I never got to that point [of receiving an offer myself], I was out of the equation because he had already agreed and then disagreed.”
Alalshikh has confirmed as much as the past, saying that he the offer for a professional fight. This would require him to put his fabled record on the line after 18 years of inactivity, potentially denting a legacy that has seen him heralded as the greatest British fighter of all time. Fight fans, in the most part, will be glad that the fight remains a fantasy.
