As a Calzaghe fan, I confess I'm a little disappointed at this announcement, it wasn't a name that people were talking about as one of his final three 'career-making' fights. But, to be fair to Bika, he was way ahead of Beyer until the cuts stoppage, and could have been walking into this fight with Joe as a champ.

As for this:
Quote Originally Posted by ICE COLD BOXING
all big fights will happen for him next year before anyone starts dissing joe what until next year when he can fight winner of woods and johnson ect if he doesnt fight anyone like that ill agree with u but please wait for 2007
He's said that he's only got three fights left, can he really convince all the doubters in two fights? In my mind, in order to create the legend he has to beat two fighters, the winner of the Kessler-Beyer fight, and the winner of Johnson-Woods. The problem is, however, that, the fight at light-heavy has been provisionally scheduled for early next year, which would mean that he would have to come back down to fight the winner of Kessler/Beyer.

Then there is the whole question of mandatories. Stieglitz's people applied to the IBF to extend the mandatory period along with Warren for this belt, which would suggest that maybe someo sort of deal has been done there for a fight with Calzaghe, as for Markussen, eventually, the WBO will step in too. If he does try and come back down for a SMW fight next summer, he could be going in undefeated, but without any titles because he's had to vacate them both for the bigger money fight.