CALZAGHE Press Release

Calzaghe: " Kessler is Just Another Lacy!"

www.frankwarren.tv

Joe Calzaghe wants a showdown with Mikkel Kessler or Jermain Taylor later this year - and insists he is avoiding no one.

The WBO super-middleweight champion was guest of honour at a press lunch thrown by promoter Frank Warren today in London, and in combative mood following his win over Peter Manfredo Jr earlier this month.

"I want to fight the biggest fighters out there," said Calzaghe, whose left wrist is still in plaster following the Manfredo fight, but expects to be out either in July, or more likely, September.

"I've been 10 years as champion and I want the best. I want Mikkel Kessler or Jermain Taylor and I'll beat them both.

"I don't want to waste six months of my life fighting another mandatory. Kessler is another Jeff Lacy and I'll do to him what I did to Jeff Lacy, even if I have to go up to light-heavyweight to make the fight happen.

"People think I am avoiding fighters but that's not true. I'll fight Kessler anywhere. At the end of the day, a ring is a ring and I'll beat him any place.

"Kessler and Taylor are two very good fighters, but the better the opponent, the better I perform.

"Believe me, when Kessler or Taylor steps in the ring, you will see the same performance as I put on against Lacy.

"Sometimes you need a bit of fear and the realisation that if you don't perform to your best, then you could get beaten. They are the kind of fights I need to secure my legacy."

Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren and Kessler's handler Mogens Palle have been making offer and counter-offer through the press over the last two weeks, but could meet face to face next week.

Warren is due to fly to the States for talks with American television networks, and will try and thrash out a deal with Palle for the Kessler fight.

"Joe wants the big names and so do I," said Warren, who added that Showtime may also be back in the picture.

"We've been offered a Bernard Hopkins fight by HBO for January, but Joe wants to fight before then.

"I offered Taylor good money (US$4million) but he wanted a ridiculous amount, and I've asked HBO to try and get him to the table and see sense.

"As for Kessler, he is a fighter who is made for Joe Calzaghe.

"He is upright, he likes to fight on the outside and I think that Joe Calzaghe will do a job on him.

"Calzaghe is the guy they all have to beat, and I think he's the best British fighter I have ever worked with. I'm proud of everything he has acheived."

The 35-year-old undefeated Welshman, 43-0, has also been linked to a fight with Carl Froch, but Warren said there had been little progress on that front, putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of the British champion.

"We made Froch an offer," said Warren. "I know what Joe Calzaghe would do to Carl Froch, it wouldn't even be a race.

"To cut a long story short, the fight didn't happen. It would have happened if someone (Froch) had believed he could do it.

"Joe Calzaghe was getting much, much less than we offered Froch when he stepped up to the plate and fought Chris Eubank all those years ago. As far as I'm concerned, that fight is now dead in the water."

Meanwhile Calzaghe revealed that his win over Peter Manfredo - which saw him equal the title defence records of both Larry Holmes and Benard Hopkins at 20 - left him fearing his career could be over.

He fractured the scaphoid bone in his left wrist during the third round, and as he read up on the injury on the internet, realised it was potentially extremely serious.

"I was worried about what it meant for my career," said Calzaghe. "But fortunately I've been told that if it is a fracture, it's a hair-line one and that's not so serious.

"I've got an MRI scan later this week and will know for certain with it's fractured or if it is just ligament damage, but I'll definitely be back in September, if not before. It's nothing to worry about."

Cool. Nothing for certain yet. But indications the last couple of days suggest Calzaghe is finally getting priorities right.
I can actually feel my deeprooted sceptisism about Calzaghe-Kessler ever happening dwindling at the moment. Sounds like they've moved past the "ultimate" and "take-it-or-leave-it" kinda offers and are heading towards real negotiations next week.

Fight could actually happen :o ;D

Super middleweight king Joe Calzaghe says his broken hand means a September fight is more likely than July.

The WBO champion is waiting for an xray on the left hand he injured in beating Peter Manfredo Jr earlier this month.

"The doctor initially said the worst case scenario would see my career over, but it's a minor fracture at worst, it won't stop me," said Calzaghe, 35.

The Welshman says a September super fight against Jermain Taylor or Mikkel Kessler remains a strong possibility.


Arguments over dates, venues and money scuppered the chance of Calzaghe meeting one of those two in July, leaving the possibility of a bout with the WBO's mandatory challenger Denis Inkin.

"I don't need Inkin, I've only got two or three fights left and want to meet the best," said the Newbridge man, who holds a record of 43-0 (32 KOs) and is the longest reigning champion in the world.

Kessler and Taylor are two very good fighters, but the better the opponent, the better I perform

Joe Calzaghe

"I've been 10 years as champion. I want Kessler or Taylor and I'll beat them both.

"Kessler is another Jeff Lacy and I'll do to him what I did to Lacy.

"People think I am avoiding fighters but that's not true. I'll fight Kessler anywhere. At the end of the day, a ring is a ring and I'll beat him any place.

"Kessler and Taylor are two very good fighters, but the better the opponent, the better I perform.

"Sometimes you need a bit of fear and the realisation that if you don't perform to your best, then you could get beaten. They are the kind of fights I need to secure my legacy."


Kessler is a fighter who is made for Calzaghe

Promoter Frank Warren

Calzaghe's promoter Frank Warren and Kessler's handler Mogens Palle have been making offer and counter-offer through the press over the last two weeks, but could meet face to face next week.

Warren is due to fly to the States for talks with American television networks HBO and Showtime, and will try to thrash out a deal with Palle.

"We've been offered a Bernard Hopkins fight by HBO for January, but Joe wants to fight before then," said Warren.

"I offered Taylor good money [£2m] but he wanted a ridiculous amount [£5m], and I've asked HBO to try and get him to the table and see sense.

"As for Kessler, he is a fighter who is made for Calzaghe. He is upright, he likes to fight on the outside and I think that Calzaghe will do a job on him.

"Calzaghe is the guy they all have to beat, and I think he's the best British fighter I have ever worked with. I'm proud of everything he has acheived."


As far as I'm concerned, the Froch fight is now dead in the water

Promoter Frank Warren

Warren has also considered a bout with unbeaten British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion Carl Froch

"We made Froch an offer," said Warren. "I know what Calzaghe would do to Froch, it wouldn't even be a race.

"To cut a long story short, the fight didn't happen. It would have happened if someone [Froch] had believed he could do it.

"Calzaghe got much, much less when he stepped up to the plate and fought Chris Eubank all those years ago than we offered Froch.

"As far as I'm concerned, the Froch fight is now dead in the water."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/6592235.stm

i will blieve a big fight for Calzaghe when i see it , once again its all talk BLAH BLAH BLAH ,
IM GETTING SO TIRED OF Joe and Warren they tell us of OFFERS MADE etc but there is always a problem.
BIG YAWN ;D

Come on then Joe...Prove its not all words. Beat Kessler and beat Hopkins and we will hail you as one of the greatest. Untill then it´s only words.

BLAH BLAH BLAH >:mad

Quote:

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Originally Posted by "PRIDE OF BOSTON"

BLAH BLAH BLAH >:mad

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I just said so ;)

calzaghe becomes more of a joke every day :D

Whatever it takes he has to face kessler that is inevitable. joe and his camp knows this and they also know that boxing fans aren't dumb. If he retires without fighting the best not just kes, he can say whatever he wants to say that he is the best because blah blah and blah blah blah. But in the end, he is left alone all by himself, because the final verdict will always be made by "us" the boxing enthusiasts/fans. "Respect" isn't something joe or any boxer can easily get by taking easy/comfortable/safe fights, talking or over hyping your own self. Fans isn't very forgiving when it comes to that. If joe wants to be the best SMW ever. He has to take the at most risk and he can do that by fighting the very best in that division and more. Whatever will be the result, fans will appreciate very much the effort his given. we'll look at de la hoya, he has never been so good; performance wise when fighting against the best, there was even some controversial decisions that some fans believed he just stolen it from his opponents. De la hoya isn't been glorified as one of the all time greats because he looks handsome and can sing but it's because we know he ducks nobody and willing to take the risk by fighting the best boxers available and fans specially hardcore boxing fans gives that the highest respect above all.

To sum it up, joe isn't getting any younger anymore plus there are some bad rumors about his overall physical health, this isn't good. So it's now or never, he has to start eliminating those guys that gives his fans doubt!

Well its better news than yesterday atleast.

talk is cheap :-*

until the ink is signed 8)