CALZAGHE WARNS LATEST CONTENDER..... JOE SPEAKS

[smashup]

CALZAGHE WARNS LATEST CONTENDER



Nov 23 2006


JOE CALZAGHE will hope to lay the foundations for the kind of pay-per-view blockbuster which will define his career when he takes on The Contender star Peter Manfredo in Cardiff next March.

Calzaghe is heading for New York where next week he will officially announce the 20th defence of his WBO super-middleweight title against Manfredo, a runner-up in the popular reality TV boxing show.

Having already disposed of highly-rated IBF champion Jeff Lacy in unforgettable fashion last March, Calzaghe knows an equally emphatic win over Manfredo can only enhance his trans-Atlantic profile.

Beyond the Manfredo fight – set for his home city’s Millennium Stadium on March 3 – lies the prospect of a multi-million dollar showdown with reigning world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor.

Calzaghe will not look past the classy 25-year-old Manfredo, who holds a record of 26 wins and three defeats, and is coming off an emphatic third-round victory over The Contender rival Joey Spina.


But the champion warned: “There is a world of difference between being a reality TV star and a world champion boxer. He has only seen the glitz and glamour of the sport – now he is in for the real thing.”

“From what I have seen, he is a good, tough kid and is well known in America. But this is my 20th defence and ninth year as champion, and he is not going to spoil that.”

Manfredo emerged as one of the stars of last year’s highly successful first series of The Contender, affording him the public profile which in turn guaranteed title fights and inflated purses.

But his camp are eager to point out that Providence native Manfredo – who holds a record of 26 wins from 29 bouts – is far more than simply a television star.

“Calzaghe thinks this is an easy fight,” said The Contender promoter Jeff Wald. “I think he sees Peter as a reality TV guy and will take him lightly. That would be a mistake.”

Calzaghe’s decision to face Manfredo will come at a price, as he is likely to be stripped of the IBF version of the world title he took from Jeff Lacy last March.

Robert Stieglitz is overdue a mandatory shot at the IBF crown but Calzaghe will lose little sleep over swerving the little-known German in favour of a much higher-profile contest.

Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan is expected to feature on the undercard in a bout broadcast by the Home Box Office, which will also guarantee him significant US coverage for the first time.

CALZAGHE WARNS LATEST CONTENDER



Joe Calzaghe will hope to lay the foundations for the kind of pay-per-view blockbuster which will define his career when he takes on The Contender star Peter Manfredo in Cardiff next March.

Calzaghe is heading for New York where next week he will officially announce the 20th defence of his WBO super-middleweight title against Manfredo, a runner-up in the popular reality TV boxing show.

Having already disposed of highly-rated IBF champion Jeff Lacy in unforgettable fashion last March, Calzaghe knows an equally emphatic win over Manfredo can only enhance his trans-Atlantic profile.

Beyond the Manfredo fight – set for his home city’s Millennium Stadium on March 3 – lies the prospect of a multi-million dollar showdown with reigning world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor.

Calzaghe will not look past the classy 25-year-old Manfredo, who holds a record of 26 wins and three defeats, and is coming off an emphatic third-round victory over The Contender rival Joey Spina.

But the champion warned: “There is a world of difference between being a reality TV star and a world champion boxer. He has only seen the glitz and glamour of the sport – now he is in for the real thing.”

“From what I have seen, he is a good, tough kid and is well known in America. But this is my 20th defence and ninth year as champion, and he is not going to spoil that.”

Manfredo emerged as one of the stars of last year’s highly successful first series of The Contender, affording him the public profile which in turn guaranteed title fights and inflated purses.

But his camp are eager to point out that Providence native Manfredo – who holds a record of 26 wins from 29 bouts – is far more than simply a television star.

“Calzaghe thinks this is an easy fight,” said The Contender promoter Jeff Wald. “I think he sees Peter as a reality TV guy and will take him lightly. That would be a mistake.”

Calzaghe’s decision to face Manfredo will come at a price, as he is likely to be stripped of the IBF version of the world title he took from Jeff Lacy last March.

Robert Stieglitz is overdue a mandatory shot at the IBF crown but Calzaghe will lose little sleep over swerving the little-known German in favour of a much higher-profile contest.

Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan is expected to feature on the undercard in a bout broadcast by the Home Box Office, which will also guarantee him significant US coverage for the first time.

[Gandalf]

Its a stupid fight. Does Manfredo deserve a shot at Calzaghe? No. Unify the belts!!!

Waste of fucking time!!!

[Preme]

Its a stupid fight. Does Manfredo deserve a shot at Calzaghe? No. Unify the belts!!!

Waste of F****** time!!!

TO unify um he wud have to first defend his ibf belt, then fight kessler, then vacate prolly 3 of them to fight Taylor. ow that would be a waste of time.

[dumdane]

Its a stupid fight. Does Manfredo deserve a shot at Calzaghe? No. Unify the belts!!!

Waste of F****** time!!!

TO unify um he wud have to first defend his ibf belt, then fight kessler, then vacate prolly 3 of them to fight Taylor. ow that would be a waste of time.

Complete unification would mean a hell of a lot more to his (crumbling) legacy than a single name like Taylor.
Even more importantly the disrespect he'll face from now on for NOT taking that opportunity (running if you will) will wastly outweigh any respect he might gain even in the event he beats Taylor.

[smashup]

I guarantee that Manfredo's a**hole will drop out his shorts during the ring walk at the Millenium stadium.
40,000 p*ssed up Welsh baying for his blood is gonna be fierce for him to mentally deal with and make no mistake about it...Mr Doubt will be flying round in his mind
Same thing happened to Lacy at the MEN arena and i see it all the time at ringside,fighters quite simply losing focus as the task and atmosphere dawns on them during the ringwalk.
He is so out of his depth (Manfredo) it's ridiculous.

[GAME]

I dont think its such a bad fight . If a bigger fight cannot be made at the moment then who better to choose than an overhyped prospect from America.

I'd predict he goes the same way as Lacy but then again I dont think he'll see the 12 rounds out . Joe once again has the opportunity to prove to the Americans what he is all about in with somebody they recognise . I cant imagine what strategy Manfreddy attempts to adopt cuz Joe has the answer to anything he brings . If he pressures Joe , he will be marked up and taken out early and if he tries to survive it will be a boxing clinic from Joe as he picks his shots and boxes as he likes .

Looking forward to the fight . We may even go

[BoxingGorilla]

He is so out of his depth (Manfredo) it's ridiculous -- Smashup


Agreed. I like Manfredo, but I like him for what he is. He has zippy chance of winning this fight. If Manfredo does back into a victory... Calzaghe should become Ricky Hattons handmadien.

[NUCLEAR BULL]

for years people in the usa said joe was no good and i disagreed a few years back but not anymore, al he wants is to have 20 defences and stay unbeaten.......now thats fair enough after all nobody ever wants to lose but don't go around saying your the best because many moons ago you outpointed a shot eubank then several years later beat jeff lacy, apart from that who has he ever beat

the excuse has always been that the other guy wants to much money, kessler offered 3.4 mil and they turned it down, he went through i time were he wanted to fight a shot roy jones, thats no happened so he now wants to fight a retired 41 year old hopkins, doesn't seem to want a piece of kessler, so signs to fight manfredo after his fight wiuth bia which he had a real hard time with, he only took that fight because he thought it would be a easy nights work

never is this man one off the elite midleweights never............he's ducking ever time a real fight comes along, i honesly believe if hopkins said yes to a fight joe would duck him and say b-hop wants to much money, truth is good old joe never wants to fight in the usa, he's a small town tough guy who like s to fight while he's buddies have his back with his oppnent already beat, if he so badly wanted to break america then he should have by now had a hand full of defences out there. i predict he'll call out a almost 90 year old jake lamotta if he beats manfredo and he'll only fight lamotta if its in wales but the fight will be called off because lamotta wants to much money because joe won't fancy if lamotta agrees to fight


i hope manfredo beats him

[smashup]

Let's not underestimate Warrens POWERS
He'll bag a superfight with Jermaine Taylor after Joe batters Manfredo and it'll be in the USA
That'll shut everyone up

[p4pking]

This is pathetic.. To take the fight is one thing, but to then trash talk Manfredo and state the same thing every sensible boxing fan is thinking, is insane.. What does Joe get by saying he's a TV show contender that isn't on his level, that Manfedo isn't world class.. I mean, no shit, but you'd think he could at least make it out to be a decent matchup for his sake. I think JOe is fairly clueless. And then he's travelling to New York to promote the fight Yeah, way to conquer America.. You know, don't actually fight there, or anyone good, but has no problem flying over to promote this farce. Such a piss off, Calzaghe KEssler would be a great fight and I think Joe would win.... But as far as I'm concerned he's blowing his chance.

[smashup]

Im suprised he has so publicly rubbished Manfredo too

[Violent Demise]

So this garbage is PPV? If I had any respect left for Calzcrappy I would of just lost it.

[BrooklyniteQueen]

Why is Calzaghe fighting Manfredo? I would have liked it if he fought Lucian Bute before Manfredo. Manfredo has been beaten by Sergio Mora and Alfonzo Gomez, I don't expect Calzaghe to have any trouble.

His last fight was supposed to be the gimmie, and he looked shat. And now he's fighting Manfredo. Is he waiting to have a dominating performance?

He may go and do what Sven Ottke did and have one dominating performance and then retire.

The Lacy spell has worn off, people want to see what he can really do with an elite fighting with a different style

[Hulk]

So this garbage is PPV? If I had any respect left for Calzcrappy I would of just lost it.

Yeah British boxing fans are great aren't they? They run down Roy Jones horribly for even contemplating taking a fight against Manfredo, which would have been stupid I agree, but when their God, their hero, their idol, Calzaghe takes a fight with fukin Peter Manfredo then okay. Then its cool. And Calzaghes such a bad ass and is gonna kill Manfredo, and all this nonsense. Who cares? He shouldn't even be fighting Manfredo, its absurd.

[NUCLEAR BULL]

this is what i'm saying, joe only fights guys who he believes has no chance, why take the manfredo fight then compleatly dismiss the fella as a no hoper, hardly gona do his AMERICA curentcy any good but this is joe he only fights guys who are a low to at best mid level talent, he's padded his record with guys like it, he's lived off the eubank win for about 12 - 15 title defences and is now living of the lacy win. what better way then to unify the division and get your biggest pay on your 20th defence buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut no he fights manfredo who isn't even nimber 1 contender

i've lost respect for him, a few years back i was a fan but not anymore