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Calzaghe aiming to be two-weight world champion

11/04/2006

Joe Calzaghe has spoken of his desire to become a two-weight world champion before a likely retirement in two years' time.

The 34-year-old Pride of Wales currently holds the WBO and IBF super-middleweight belts following his stunning career-defining victory over Jeff Lacy in March but he admits he is far from finished just yet.

He is due to step back into the ring on July 8th when he fights a still as-yet unnamed opponent at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff but after that he wants two or three 'superfights' to secure his legacy in boxing's history books.

"I'm not going to be one of these fighters who stays around till he's 40 - I want to get out at the top," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

"I want to fight for another two years. In that time I think I can achieve maybe two superfights and be a two-weight world champion."

Newbridge-based Calzaghe added: "Everybody reaches a peak and there's only one peak. Maybe in years to come they'll look at my finest moment and that [the Lacy fight] will be it. If it is, I'll be proud.

"But I'm greedy and am going to be looking for an even bigger, better occasion. I'm going to be training even harder to put an even better performance on. I still feel I'm a young 34. As you saw in that fight, I'm still at my peak."

As for Calzaghe's possible future opponents, light heavyweight Antonio Tarver appears to be one of the favourites to allow the unbeaten Welshman a chance to prove himself at a second level.

But Calzaghe himself has said he is not keen on fighting anyone with such an "unattractive" style of boxing.

Top-rated middleweights Ronald "Winky" Wright and Jermain Taylor have also been mooted as possible opponents and, as they are due to face each other in Memphis on June 17th, the winner could then take on Calzaghe in November later this year.

WBC super middleweight champion Markus Beyer has also said that he wants to fight Calzaghe in what would be a huge division unification bout later this year.

But for now, Frank Warren's charge admits he is remaining focused on getting into the perfect shape for July's fight in Wales, an event he is clearly looking forward to.

"It's going to be an amazing occasion - there's never been a boxing fight at the Millennium Stadium before," Calzaghe enthused.

"It's always been a dream of mine to fight in the Millennium Stadium and I'm finally going to get that wish."

Calzaghe's unanimous points decision triumph over pre-fight favourite Lacy in Manchester last month took his professional career record to a perfect 41-0, 31 of which have come inside the distance, and finally silence his longstanding critics.

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