I will put my hands up and admit I fell hook, line and sinker for the Lacy hype pre Calzaghe.

And looking back his 2004/05 form backed up that hype, he beat decent opposition very well.


But as boxing has a way of doing, one fight has ruined Lacy. The Calzaghe defeat has cost Jeff his world class career.

His bravery in taking his licks and going the distance, despite not winning a minute, let alone a round in the fight, has caused real damage. It may sound silly, but a one round blow out defeat to Joe probably causes Lacy less long term damage, as he would be able to put the defeat down, to 'a blip'; 'a fluke'; 'one of them things' (ala Kalambay/Nunn or McKenzie/Del Valle).

Instead Lacy has had to try and come to terms with the fact that in a fight that he was at worse pick-em, going in; he was outclassed in every category you could think of, with the exception of heart.

And so far Lacy has yet to get over that, and possibly never will as a pro boxer.