By many standards, Joe Calzaghe had a perfect career, though the man himself admits there is one fight missing from his record.
The Welshman is one of the best super-middleweights ever produced by Britain. He fought 46 times, won every single bout and reigned as world champion for a full decade while making a record 20 defences of his belts.
His final two fights saw him move up to light heavyweight and continue to win by beating Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins before retirement.
Calzaghe has revealed who else he wishes he fought though, as speaking to Sky Sports Boxing, ‘The Pride of Wales’ admits that he had taken the chance to fight Carl Froch, who has since become a long-time rival.
“It would have been a great fight, a big money fight, and I would have demolished him. If there was one fight I wish I had fought, it would have been Carl Froch.
“At the time I had bigger and better things, fighting Mikkel Kessler for the undisputed championship of the world, and then I stepped up to light-heavyweight to win a Ring Magazine in America against the then pound-for-pound best (Bernard Hopkins).
“I didn’t expect him to have the career that he had. He’s done well, he’s won world titles, lost, come back and won again, lost and come back and won again.”
Froch has always talked down Calzaghe and backed himself to get it done. It is a bout that leads to endless debates amongst fans and pundits, with many split down the middle about whether it would be Froch’s stubborn attitude and granite chin that would have got him through, or Calzaghe’s slicker boxing skills and relentless work rate.
