11.09.05 – By Chet Mills: 33-year-old Super Middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe won an easy lop-sided unanimous decision over Kenyan Evans Ashira (24-2, 13 KO’s) last night, in earning his 17th consecutive title defense in Cardiff on Saturday night. However, the victory was marred by hand injury Calzaghe (40-0, 31 KO’s) experienced in the 4th round of the bout when he connected with a left uppercut to the head of Ashira.. From that point on, Calzaghe was only able to use his right hand for the remainder of the bout. Nevertheless, it was more than enough to defeat the limited Ashira, who was unable to capitalize on the injury due to Calzaghe’s superior boxing skills and size advantage.
Before the fight, Calzaghe had previously planned on fighting the IBF super middle weight champion Jeff Lacy in November. However, the injury changes all of that. The injury will likely push the fight back into February or March of 2006, while Calzaghe waits for it to heal.
Although limited by the left hand injury, Calzaghe’s hand speed and ring savvy, was too much for Ashira, who had never fought anyone even remotely as talented as Calzaghe before. The inexperience showed, as Ashira looked like a pupil out there in the ring, with Calzaghe using him as a punching bag and displaying a clinic on how to win with only a jab. Ashira tried to duck and dodge many of the jabs, however, he was punished badly each time he tried to get inside to land any of his own punches.
Calzaghe has a history of hand problems, but perhaps he might have tried a little too hard for a knockout early in the bout, in hopes of a quick win over Ashira.
Calzaghe has held his Super Middle weight title since winning it over Chris Eubank way back in October of 1997.
“I thought I was going to stop him early. If my left hand was there I could have kept the pace but unfortunately the left hand went and I had to out-box him,” Calzaghe said.