JOE CALZAGHE SAYS: Give it a rest Froch (From South Wales Argus)

JOE CALZAGHE SAYS: Give it a rest Froch

12:30pm Friday 16th January 2009 in Sport

A surprisingly interesting week then for us boxing fans, a few newsworthy items, which is somewhat unusual for this time of year.

But more of that later.

I would like to kick-off by talking about my first show as a boxing promoter next month, when Calzaghe Promotions stages its second show – my fight with Roy Jones was technically the first – this time swapping New York for Merthyr Tydfil.

We have yet to formally announce a date and a venue, but it should be a great opening night for myself and dad as we begin by staging what will hopefully be the first of many boxing shows in the Principality.

Kerry Hope, a member of our Team Calzaghe gym, will headline, hopefully battling for a Welsh title against Taz Jones.

My good mate and former Commonwealth Games king Jamie Arthur is also going to be on the bill for what should be a great night, so keep your eyes peeled for more information.

It’s nice to have the promotion to focus on as few comments about me in the press at the moment are really sparking any kind of interest.

Carl Froch, who has called me out so many times we could be in a relationship, now says he can understand why I don’t want to fight him, saying it’s a fight where the risk outweighs the potential benefits of taking him on.

I agree with him, except for the part about there being a risk! He couldn’t stop me and there is no chance he could beat me full stop, but I just don’t have any motivation to face him, especially at super middleweight, which is very hard for me to get down to now.

It might be a fight that appeals to some Brits who have nostalgia for the glory days at super middleweight when there were so many great fighters – Nigel Benn, Steve Collins and Chris Eubank – but it just isn’t a fight with much else to commend it, and it would have zero appeal in America.

Froch is a world champion now and it’s time for him to stop trying to make a name for himself based on calling me out, he doesn’t need to do that anymore.

Similarly, I am not too excited to hear two guys I have already beaten, namely Sakio Bika and that man B-Hop, Bernard Hopkins, are targeting me.

Bika, who recently beat Peter Manfredo, is enjoying something of a renaissance, he’s only lost once since I beat him (in one of my least favourite fights ever) at the MEN Arena in Manchester.

He doesn’t suit my style and has zero profile worldwide, so I think it’s safe to rule that one out.

Similarly, I am not exactly excited by Hopkins’ comments, bearing in mind I just don’t respect the guy.

He was the pantomime villain in the build-up to our fight and I could appreciate what he was doing, but after the fight he was incredibly ungracious and that did irritate me.

Now he’s going all over American television and saying he’ll retire unless he gets a rematch with me.

Never say never (especially in boxing) but I wouldn’t hold your breath on this one.

To be honest, I wish I was in a different weight category. If I weighed the same as Ricky Hatton or David Haye, you can bet I would fight on.

If I had a shot at a Klitschko or even Haye himself to look forward too, that’s the kind of occasion that would get me excited. But sadly I am just too small.

Even better would be to fight at welterweight or light welter, like Ricky.

I would love to fight a Manny Pacquiao or Antonio Margarito, or even better than that, Floyd Mayweather.

Those are fights that would convince me to carry on, to test myself against the best around.

But my walking around weight at the age of 37 is nearly 14 stone, I would have a huge struggle to even make super middleweight anymore and so I will never be able to fight these smaller guys.

Unfortunately for me, the best three fights out there – Hopkins, Jones and Mikkel Kessler, would all be rematches. It only really leaves Chad Dawson, who is totally untested at the highest level.

But it’s great for Ricky that he’s closing in on such an exciting fight, against Manny Pacquiao, probably in Las Vegas.

I know there is talk of the fight falling through because of disagreements over the share of the money, but I would be surprised to be honest if it doesn’t happen.

This is boxing, negotiations are always tough, and there are always last minute hitches.

But I think it’s a fight people want to see and my lawyer Gareth Williams (also Ricky’s lawyer) is working hard to make it happen.

Two stories this week took me by surprise, the quick departure of Team GB boxing coach Terry Edwards and the announcement that Amir Khan will face the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera.

I don’t know the ins and outs of the Edwards sacking, but it seems pretty clear he did a good job getting three medals in Beijing and to that end it’s a surprising development.

But I remember how chaotic the amateur boxing organisation can be and it may well prove to be a decision they regret, it seems to me like a lot of people are pulling in different directions.

Khan against Barrera is an interesting one. The seven-time, three weight world champion will be a massive, massive test for Khan, unless he is totally shot.

He’s been in some truly epic fights over the years – against the likes of Pacquiao, Juan Marquez, Erik Morales and of course our own Prince Naseem Hamed, who Barrera finished as a pro fighter.

Like I say, if he’s got anything left – and he did win his last fight after successive losses to Pacquiao and Marquez – Amir could be in for a hell of a tough night, facing punching power he’s never had to cope with before.