Joe Calzaghe fought a long list of world-renowned talents during his unbeaten career.
The Welshman fought 46 times in all and never lost, but did have plenty of tough nights. He still holds the record for the longest ever streak as super-middleweight world champion, as he held the WBO belt for a decade and made 20 defences of it.
Calzaghe beat the likes of Steve Collins, Mikkel Kessler, Jeff Lacy, Sakio Bika and Richie Woodhall before finishing his career up at light heavyweight with wins over Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr.
However, speaking to Anything Goes With James English, Calzaghe admitted he was taken to a dark place in his hardest ever night against Chris Eubank Sr, a fight he won via unanimous decision in 1997.
“I remember looking across to him and saying I was going to knock him out. He looked at me and said he was going to take me to a place I’d never been, to the well.
“After the first three or four rounds I was f**ked. I couldn’t explain it. I was exhausted. I think I didn’t know how to pace myself, the excitement got to me. Dropping him with my first left hook, I was trying to finish him, the excitement of Eubank being down.
“There’s nothing more disheartening after about five, six rounds when you know you’re only halfway and inside you know you’re not going to knock him out. I was out of breath, absolutely exhausted. He was sure to his promise, he did take me to the well. It was by far the toughest fight I’ve ever had as regards to exhaustion. I was f***ing exhausted, man, I couldn’t move for three days afterwards … It was really, really tough.”
Chris Eubank Sr consistently showcased an unyielding grit and remarkable toughness in the boxing ring, famously absorbing punishing blows with an almost defiant stoicism.
He achieved widespread recognition as a two-weight world champion, holding both the WBO Middleweight and Super-Middleweight titles, and engaging in iconic rivalries that cemented his place in British boxing history.
