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CALZAGHE, MANFREDO MAKE WEIGHT
Date: 6 Apr 2007 : Author: Mark Harnell
www.frankwarren.tv
For a man who makes no bones about the fact he struggles to boil his frame down to the 12-stone super-middleweight limit, Joe Calzaghe has got the art of making the weight down to a tee.
For the 21st time in a world title fight ? and the 20th time as the WBO super-middleweight champion ? Calzaghe got inside the 168-pound barrier, this time ahead of his clash with Peter Manfredo Jr on Saturday night.
Tetchy and unhappy before the weigh-in, Calzaghe was all smiles as he touched in at 11 stone 13 pounds and three quarters at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff.
Manfredo, who Calzaghe faces at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday night, has no such worries after beginning his career as a light-middleweight.
He was 11 stone and 12 pounds and matched Calzaghe?s stare as the two posed for the cameras and a large crowd gathered in a packed conference room.
Manfredo was given a taster of what the atmosphere will be like tomorrow night ? and the interest the fight has generated in Cardiff ? as around 350 people watched him step on the scales.
Among them were his family, who whooped in encouragement when his weight was announced by Michael Buffer.
The 26-year-old American will face his stiffest test on Saturday, and one of the stiffest tests in boxing full stop when he attempts to become the first man to beat Calzaghe as a professional.
The Welshman is such an overwhelming favourite that the odds on offer at the bookmakers on the streets of Cardiff are as unattractive as the city?s centre at around one in the morning on a Friday night.
But Manfredo simply refuses to abandon the hope that as good as Calzaghe is, he?s not as talented as his largely untested opponent, or, more probably, that at the age of 35, he?s peaked already.
The trouble is Calzaghe looks as good now as he?s ever done before, and has had such an easy reign as champion that the kind of wars that can put years on a boxer haven?t come along.
He was punch perfect against Jeff Lacy a little over a year ago, and it could be time for another master-class on Saturday night.
Meanwhile Amir Khan weighed 9?11 for his fight with Steffy Bull, while the challenger from Doncaster will be 9?10. The fight is over eight rounds rather than the 10 previously reported.
Chief support sees WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli defend his belt against Bobby Gunn, and he will enjoy a weight advantage over his stockier opponent.
The champion was smack on the 14?4 limit, while Gunn, who with his bryll-creamed hair resembles a 1950s throwback, was 13?13.
WBU welterweight champion Takaloo needed two attempts to make 10?7 ahead of his fight with Michael Jennings, who was in typically fine shape as he too came in right on the welterweight limit.
Gary Lockett, who makes the second defence of his WBU middleweight title, was 10?5 and three quarter pounds, with opponent Lee Blundell 11?5.
Commonwealth light-middleweight title-holder Bradley Pryce was 10?13, while opponent Thomas Awinbono was 10?10 and a half-pound.
* Gary Young was ruled out of his welterweight clash with Kell Brook with ?flu, while Gavin Rees now tackles Ernie Smith.
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