By Simon Jackson

Joe Calzaghe has confirmed he cracked the scaphoid bone in his left hand during his convincing third round stoppage of Peter Manfredo Jnr on Saturday night and is expected to next fight in July.

Calzaghe successfully made the 20th defence of his WBO Super Middleweight title in front of a record crowd at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium and remains unbeaten in a 43 bout professional career spanning over 13 years.

“I’m disappointed that I fractured my hand but that’s boxing and injuries happen," Calzaghe said. "I shouldn’t be out for too long though, probably about four weeks, and then I’ll be back to light training in preparation for the proposed July date which I am really excited about.”

A crowd of over 35,000 was present to see the Welsh resident win convincingly at the stadium he always wanted to fight in. "It [the Millennium Stadium] is only three minutes from where I live," Calzaghe said recently. "I’ve always thought to myself, I’d love to fight there one day."

Calzaghe said today: "It [Saturday]was a fantastic occasion not just for me but for Enzo Maccarinelli, Gary Lockett, Bradley Pryce and the rest of the boys on the show. I was floored by the massive reception I got when I made my ring entrance and was very proud to be fighting at the national stadium in front of the biggest boxing crowd in over a decade. It is a moment that I will always remember throughout my career so it's a big thank you to all my fans."

American Jermain Taylor is reported to now be Calzaghe’s number one target.

Courtesy www.frankmaloney.com

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