British boxing legend Joe Calzaghe has revealed the toughest opponent that he took on during glittering professional career.
After defeating each of the 46 opponents that he faced during his tenure, ‘The Pride of Wales’ remains one of the few great champions in boxing history to have retired with an unbeaten record.
Calzaghe also still ranks as the longest reigning super-middleweight champion of all time, having made no less than 20 successful defences of his WBO world title over a ten year period.
He eventually made the move up to 175lbs where he produced consecutive victories over legendary American duo Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins before he eventually called time on his career in 2008.
Neither of them were deemed as his toughest fight though, as reflecting on his 1997 showdown with Chris Eubank, Calzaghe admitted that to be his hardest test.
“Chris Eubank was making his comeback after being out of the ring and he was coming on the card so if I’m honest with you I was quite nervous in that fight. I was watching Eubank and you seen like Michael Watson man, he’s an unpredictable, dangerous fighter.
“He doesn’t come forward, I like fighters who come to me … He gave me by far the toughest fight I ever had, because I was exhausted after six, seven rounds because I didn’t know how to pace myself.”
Calzaghe floored Eubank in the opening round of their clash at the Sheffield Arena in October of 1997 but could not force the stoppage as the fight went the distance. The Welsh great was eventually declared the winner via unanimous decision to claim the vacant WBO super-middleweight title.
