Joe Calzaghe

About

Joe CBE is a retired Welsh professional boxer. He was rated by Boxrec as the 11th pound-for-pound best British boxer of all time. He is a former WBO, IBF, WBC, WBA & The Ring Super Middleweight Champion and The Ring Light Heavyweight Champion.

Joe Calzaghe, a southpaw, began boxing at age nine. In more than 12 amateur contests, he won four schoolboy ABA titles, followed by three consecutive senior British ABA titles (British Championships) between 1990 and 1993.

In October 1995, Calzaghe won the vacant British Super Middleweight title, stopping Steve Wilson in the eighth round.

In 1998 he defended his title against Branco Sobot (winning by technical knockout in 3 rounds), Sobot, was a late replacement for American Tarick Salmaci, who pulled out after a row with his managemen.

On 5 February 2009, Joe Calzaghe announced his retirement from professional boxing, finishing with a record of 46–0 and becoming only the twelfth World Champion boxer. He also started his own boxing promotion company called “Calzaghe Promotions” with his father, Enzo Calzaghe.

Between 2006 to 2008, he was rated by The Ring magazine as a top ten pound for pound boxer. On January 2009, Calzaghe was ranked #3 in the world by The Ring.

In 2007, Calzaghe became BBC Sports Personality of the Year, by gaining 28.19% of the public vote. This made Calzaghe the first Welsh winner of this award since show jumper David Broome in 1960. He was also awarded the Young Boxer of the Year Award in 1995.

In an interview with GMTV, Calzaghe stated he is promoting The Beat Bullying campaign. He said to have found the inspiration from being a victim of bullying himself when he was young, saying he got bullied because of his small stature.

Joe won the 2010 Soccer Aid, a British charity football match with the Rest of the World team beating England.

Calzaghe is sometimes referred to as the “Pride of Wales,” or the “Italian Dragon” in reference to his mixed heritage.

In 2012 Calzaghe made a cameo appearance as himself in an episode of the UK TV comedy drama Stella.

One of the most respected figures in boxing history, Joe Calzaghe is in demand as an after dinner speaker and event host. His dynamic and effervescent personality has made him a household name and he inspires audiences with his story of triumph over adversity.