Legendary British 168lb wizard Joe Calzaghe has spoken to the BBC ahead of the Vegas super-fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao, predicting a win for Floyd, though calling his undefeated record “a massive burden.” If there is anyone well placed to talk of the burden of protecting an ‘0’ then it’s Calzaghe, who finally retired in 2008 after an unblemished 46-0 record and 11 long years a world champion.
He was involved in many memorable contests throughout his hall-of-fame career, including his destruction of American “Mini Mike Tyson” Jeff Lacy in 2006 and his US victories over living legends Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins in 2008. Not to mention his MASSIVE showdown with Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler that unified the 168lb titles in front of 50,000 in Cardiff in 2007.
Calzaghe, who has flown out to America to provide guest analyst duties for tomorrow’s PBC card on Spike TV that features Dirrell v Jack, said;
“There will be a lot more pressure on Mayweather because he’s the undefeated fighter. Pacquiao will be more relaxed because he HAS been beaten. That 0 can be a massive burden.”
The Welshman continued;
“I don’t think that Mayweather was all that impressive in his last two defences against Maidana. I think that he made hard work of those fights. But you cannot overlook a guy who has never lost. Mayweather is a fantastic fighter who always finds a way to win, so I expect him to be more than ready for this fight.”
Of Pacquiao, Calzaghe said;
“It’s true that Pacquiao can fight, and there’s always one good fight left in somebody but I expect the win to go to Mayweather.”
Of Mayweather’s intention to fight his last fight in September, (irrespective of the result on May 2nd) and whether Floyd will keep that promise and finally retire, Joe said;
“When you have been at the top of the sport for so many years it becomes your life and it’s extremely difficult to just quit boxing and find something else in your life that makes you happy.”
Calzaghe, who experienced his own troubles adjusting to life in retirement said;
“Sometimes you are not happy for a while and you get lost, but eventually you have to accept and realise it is the end of everything you did. The older you get, the more it takes its toll on your body and the longer it takes to recover”
“It also gets harder psychologically to get yourself up for the big fights. Saying that, this fight is bigger than anything so I’m sure Mayweather will be completely up for it. This is the fight the whole world wants to see.”
You can say that again Joe!
Calzaghe will be guest analyst for PBC’s Dirrell v Jack and Jacobs v Truax bouts on Spike TV tomorrow evening.
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