How Calzaghe rates with Britain's modern greats

Three generations of the Calzaghe family sat at the top table, all looking quite emotional. Joe, face reddened by the blows of Mikkel Kessler, was next to dad, Enzo, who, for once, had nothing to say. Alongside him was Joe Jr, 13, his eyes half-open at the late hour and his black hair gelled into a peak, while on his father’s lap was Connor, 10, his arms clutching to his chest the WBC belt that his father had just won. It would have made the perfect family portrait.

Calzaghe seemed to be taking the onset of greatness in his stride. While others always seemed to doubt him, the Welshman shared none of that lack of belief. More than ten years after he beat Chris Eubank for the WBO super-middleweight title, he finally added the final two of the division’s world-title belts to his collection. He had overcome a younger rival, soaked up the hardest punches he had ever taken and forced the pace for every second of the 12 rounds.

Beating Kessler by a unanimous points decision to add the WBC and WBA titles to his WBO one brought his career to a new peak. Afterwards Calzaghe talked of wanting just two more bouts - he has said that many times over the past few years, but this time it seemed that he meant it.

“I’m really proud of my achievements,” Calzaghe said. “I am 36 in March and I’ve always said that I have never avoided anybody. Given the opportunity to fight the best I will show them what I am about. You saw what I could do with [Jeff] Lacy and you’ve just seen what I could do with Mikkel Kessler.”

Defeat in yesterday’s early hours at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, would have put a permanent blot on Calzaghe’s legacy. For all the years of dominance, all the winning nights, some would have written off the Welshman as just a WBO champion, someone who could never prove his dominance in the 12-stone division. But there were times during the early rounds that it seemed the unthinkable might happen.

Early on, Calzaghe struggled to establish himself. Kessler shrugged off Calzaghe’s jab and asserted his own, standing firm and hammering home left-right combinations. In the third round, Calzaghe seemed to be asserting himself, forcing Kessler around the ring after the Dane had slipped to the floor.

In the fourth, Calzaghe walked into a right and, moments later, the first of two perfect uppercuts. Calzaghe had to tuck up, grit his teeth and, when the opportunity presented itself, hold. But real champions are made in such testing times. From round five, Calzaghe changed tactics, using his jab more, keeping his guard high and constantly throwing punches.

By round eight, the constant diet of body shots that Calzaghe had been firing started to take their toll. The Dane slowed – but Calzaghe kept the attacks coming. At the final bell, the two, both extremely likeable men, embraced. Calzaghe then raised his hands, while Kessler walked back to his corner shaking his head.

“I don’t think his power is really, really hard, but it confuses you when he hits you 20 times,” Kessler said. When asked what he planned to do next, the Dane replied: “I haven’t thought about it, he’s just crushed my dreams.”

If Calzaghe had his way, his 21st world-title defence will be his last contest at super-middleweight. He has ambitions to be a two-weight world champion, if the right opponent beckons. The ideal opponent would be Bernard Hopkins, the 42-year-old former world middleweight champion, a bout that has so far been five years in the making. He would be happy to go to the United States for the contest.

“Go back and think of the great boxers of the States, the Ray Leonards, the Tommy Hearns, the Marvin Haglers. They fought everybody. They didn’t duck,” Frank Warren, Calzaghe’s promoter, said. “Hopkins can pick the town, the weight, the date – just make the fight happen.”

As boxing begins to realise that unification bouts are the way to regain public fervour, Enzo Maccarinelli, Calzaghe’s gym-mate, would hope to be the next to benefit. Maccarinelli made a comfortable fourth defence of his WBO cruiserweight title on the bill, knocking out Mohamed Azzaoui, an Algerian based in New Zealand.

On Saturday, in Paris, David Haye, the Briton, challenges Jean-Marc Mormeck for the WBC and WBA titles with Maccarinelli keen to face the winner.

Personality stakes

Will Joe Calzaghe ever get the acclaim he deserves? Not to judge from the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. In December, the Welshman lost out to Zara Phillips. This time round, the bookmakers make Lewis Hamilton the favourite.

13 Lewis Hamilton

4-1 Ricky Hatton

10-1 Joe Calzaghe

10-1 Paula Radcliffe

12-1 Justin Rose

Odds: William Hill

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