Joe Calzaghe is one of the best British boxers to ever lace up the gloves.
The Welshman holds the record as the longest reigning world super middleweight champion in boxing history, as he held the WBO title for a decade and made 20 successful defences of it.
Calzaghe held several other titles in that division, and towards the end of his career, he made a successful move up to light heavyweight, where he beat Bernard Hopkins and then Roy Jones Jr to win and defend The Ring Magazine title before retiring with a perfect record of 46 victories from 46 fights.
Along the way, Calzaghe fought the likes of Mikkel Kessler, Sakio Bika, Jeff Lacy and Chris Eubank, however, when speaking to The Ring Magazine, ‘The Pride of Wales’ selected Charles Brewer has the hardest puncher he ever faced.
“There’s a few. Kessler hit hard, but I’d probably go with Charles Brewer. My game plan was to outbox him, but Charles ‘The Hatchet’ Brewer I had seen knock out lots of guys. So I figure I’ll outbox him. I remember in the first round he came out and whacked me right in the solar plexus.
“If you watch the tape, you see me take a deep breath and then go toe to toe for the rest of the fight. He buzzed me up a few times in that fight. Heavy-handed and dangerous from the first round till the 12th.
Brewer turned professional in 1989 and went on to capture the vacant IBF title in 1997 with a TKO victory over Gary Ballard. Known for his aggressive style and punching power, which earned him his nickname ‘The Hatchet,’ Brewer defended the strap three times, including a notable win over Herol Graham.
He ultimately lost the title to Sven Ottke but remained a prominent figure in the division, consistently facing top contenders. Calzaghe beat Brewer via unanimous decision back in 2002 and the American would hang up the gloves three years later with a record of 40 wins, 28 by knockout, and 11 losses.
