Joe Calzaghe has vowed to bow out in style as he attempts to end his glittering career unbeaten with a win over Roy Jones Jnr.
Welshman determined to finish with a flourish
Joe Calzaghe has vowed to bow out in style as he attempts to end his glittering career unbeaten with a win over Roy Jones at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
The 36-year-old Welshman has not been defeated in 45 fights as a professional, having dominated the super middleweight division for a decade between 1997 and 2007.
After moving up to light heavyweight, Calzaghe edged a split decision over Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas in April and is now in New York preparing for his swansong against 39-year-old Jones, an eight-time champion in four different weight classes from middleweight to heavyweight.
"I have come a long way but my journey's not complete yet," Calzaghe said.
"On Saturday it will be complete. I'll be at my final hurdle and I'm just as hungry for this fight as every other fight.
"I've been boxing 25 years, I'm 37 in March and I don't want to start looking like a fighter.
Great fighter
"I only like to come out and fight the big names and we're running out of big names.
"I beat everybody for the last 11 years in the super middleweight division - Jeff Lacy, Mikkel Kessler, they're probably the best super middleweights in the world now, remarkably.
"Bernard Hopkins, everybody said he was an old man but he showed what a great fighter he still is when he beat Kelly Pavlik and now Roy Jones."
Calzaghe believes Jones, with a 52-4 record (38 knockouts) and on the comeback trail after losing to Antonio Tarver in 2005, is still a dangerous opponent, as highlighted by his unanimous decision over Felix Trinidad at Madison Square Garden last January.
"Make no mistakes about it, he's a legend and this is like redemption for him," added the Welshman.
"To win this fight puts him back at the top and so he's going to be very hungry for this fight and so I've got to make sure I'm in my best shape."
History
Calzaghe is also relishing the chance to not just fight at New York's legendary Madison Square Garden but the opportunity to headline there.
"It's great. I've done the Vegas thing so when the option came up for this fight I said 'I want to fight at the Garden'," he said.
"This is where all the great fighters have fought, there's so much history surrounding it.
"I've fought in front of bigger crowds at the Millennium Stadium (in Cardiff) but I'm sure it will be a tremendous crowd and I've heard so much about the atmosphere.
"I'm sure I'm going to feel a tremendous sensation and pride at walking into the Garden and topping the bill and fighting someone like Roy Jones.
"After years and years of struggling and fighting since 1992 I'm coming here finally and doing what I've always wanted to do, fighting the biggest names in the biggest venues. That's what it's all about."
