MANCHESTER, ENGLAND (March 2, 2006 ) — Photo: Wray Edwards / ESB – There’s a new monarch in town and his name is JEFF “LEFT HOOK” LACY, the undefeated IBF/IBO super middleweight champion. Lacy, who arrived in Manchester last Saturday, is ready to teach undefeated WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe the first rule in U.S. Civics — TERM LIMITS.
“I believe in the Socratic method of teaching — teaching by asking,” said Lacy as he held up his fists which he proudly calls his Dukes of Hazard. “This Saturday, I will be asking Joe all night ‘who’s the world’s best super middleweight?’ Joe is going to learn the definition of Term Limits first-hand from me. His time has come and it is time for him to go!”
Two of the best professors from the school of the Marquis of Queensbury — Freddie Roach and Jeff Fenech — agree.. Both have predicted a Lacy victory. Roach and Fenech face off against each other tomorrow night when IBF/IBO flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan (Fenech) defends his titles against top-rated Diosdado Gabi (Roach) at Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, CA. The Darchinyan-gabi world title fight will be televised live on SHOWTIME as the main event on “ShoBox: The New Generation,” beginning at 11 P.M. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).
“Lacy is too strong for Calzaghe,” said Roach. “It will not go the distance. I see Lacy ending it in the later rounds, possibly by the 10th.”
Added Fenech, “I don’t see how Calzaghe can keep Lacy off of him. I wouldn’t be surprised by a knockout, but I think it will probably be by a dominant unanimous decision.”
With a combined professional record of 61-0 (48 KOs), and a victory by knockout percentage of 78.6%, Lacy, 21-0 (17 KOs), from St. Petersburg, FL, and Calzaghe, 40-0 (31 KOs), from Newbridge, Wales, are headed to the division’s biggest showdown since Roy Jones, Jr. and James Toney rumbled in 1994.