Calzaghe avoids retirement talk

Published on Tuesday 21 October 2008 12:03

Joe Calzaghe has put all thoughts of retirement on the backburner ahead of his fight against Roy Jones Jnr next month.

The Welshman, who takes on Jones at Madison Square Garden, said: "I'm just concentrating on November 8. I don't really want to talk about retirement.

"I'm just concentrating on kicking ass. Roy Jones is going to get it big time."

Calzaghe's father and trainer, Enzo, insisted if his son decides to hang up his gloves in November, it will be with his blessing.

"Everybody has a dream," added Calzaghe senior. "I dreamed of meeting the Beatles but Joe, all his life, was dreaming of Madison Square Garden and where the legends have been.

"He is there now boxing a fighter who deserves to be there."

Meanwhile, the Welshman ruled out a rematch against Bernard Hopkins following the veteran's stunning victory over Kelly Pavlik at the weekend.

Hopkins, 43, rolled back the years to hand the world middleweight champion his first ever defeat in a lop-sided points victory in Atlantic City on Saturday.

After the fight, talk turned to Hopkins facing Calzaghe in a rematch of their close contest in Las Vegas earlier this year, which saw the Newbridge southpaw claim a split-decision win.

"He is thinking of the money," said Calzaghe when told Hopkins was prepared to face him on British soil.

"At the end of the day, I didn't fight my best and he lost and I did that in Las Vegas. What chance has he got over here?"

He added: "That fight is not getting me excited. I won the first fight and it wasn't a great fight to watch.

"Sometimes styles make fights and there are styles that gel. Our styles did not gel and I don't think a second fight would be more exciting.

"It would probably be more boring. I've beaten him and I wouldn't want to go over old ground."

Calzaghe did, however, admit he enjoyed the outcome of the Hopkins-Pavlik fight if only because it puts paid to the continual talk of him supposedly avoiding Pavlik as he approaches the end of his career.

"I didn't feel pressure (to fight Pavlik)," he said.

"Regardless of what happened, he is limited. It was nice to be proved right. It wasn't just a beating (against Hopkins), it was a 12-round humiliation.

"Pavlik was the so-called baddest guy in America and he (Hopkins) made him look like a little boy.

"Pavlik is just a one-dimensional robot who couldn't even throw a double jab."