Joe Calzaghe speaks to Andre Ward about one big fight in his career and how it nearly all went wrong — but didn’t of course — against Hopkins.
Calzaghe won the fight on a close points decision that night.
Speaking to Andre Ward on the Pound 4 Pound podcast this week Calzaghe said:
“You know I was maybe drinking a little too much. Not during camp but outside of it. I was getting paid more money so I was taking longer breaks between fights. I was trying to enjoy life. What I thought was enjoying life at the time.”
Adding:
“But it wasn’t just that. My injuries were piling up and my sons were getting older. I never really wanted them to watch me box when they were very young because anything can happen in the ring. That was just my personal decision.”
He concluded:
“When I fought Hopkins and got knocked down early I’d never been knocked down in my entire life before Byron Mitchell in 2004. I never got dropped in sparring. Never in my amateur career. So when that happened I thought to myself this is it for me.”
Ultimately Welsh-Italian Calzaghe retired 46-0 and goes down as one of the greatest fighters of all-time.
Certainly from Europe.
Or anywhere really.
He ability, IQ, determination and ability to adapt mid fight, is a hall mark that many great fighters, like Andre Ward, Floyd Mayweather and others had in recent eras in the sport.
