Calzaghe/Manfredo Meet The Press
By Boxing News November 29th, 2006Joe Calzaghe and Peter Manfredo Jr. hit New York in style
The Calzaghe-Manfredo world super middleweight championship fight will take place Saturday, March 3, 2007, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Calzaghe’s first fight on his home turf since September 10, 2005, when he successfully defended his title against Evans Ashira.
Calzaghe, 34, returns to the ring after successfully defending his titles last month for the 19th time, defeating former Olympian Sakio Bika. Calzaghe ended Bika’s four-year, 12-bout unbeaten streak, in a fight that also marked Calzaghe’s debut on HBO. The victory elevated Calzaghe into a sixth-place tie with former strawweight champion Ricardo Lopez and former featherweight champion Eusebio Pedroza on the all-time list for successful title defenses. A victory over Manfredo would advance Calzaghe into a fourth-place tie with former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes and former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins.
“On the night of the fight, Manfredo is in for the harsh reality of boxing,” said Calzaghe. “There’s a world of difference between being a reality TV star and a world champion boxer. He’s only seen the glitz and the glamour of the sport, now he’s in for the real thing against me. Manfredo will go from being a star to seeing stars. From what I have seen of him he is a good tough kid and is well-known in America, but this is my 20th title defense and my ninth year as world champion and Manfredo isn’t going to spoil it for me.”
Manfredo, who earned worldwide attention with his runner-up finish on NBCs “The Contender” during the show’s debut season, is the first fighter from the series to challenge for a world title.
“I want to thank Joe Calzaghe for giving me this chance,” Manfredo said. “And while I have the utmost respect for his skills and our mutual Italian heritage, I must follow in the footsteps of previous generations of Americans who fought the British in the Revolutionary War and the rematch, the War of 1812, and use my skills to beat the British once again.”
“I’m delighted that Joe will make his historic 20th World Super-Middleweight title defense against Peter Manfredo on HBO,” promoter Frank Warren said. “It’s a landmark occasion in the history of British boxing and it’s great that the American fight fans will be able to see it. Peter’s a good fighter, and his attacking style, matched against Joe’s come-forward style, will make for a great fight.”
Mark Burnett, reality star maven and co-promoter of the bout, said, “I hope this will be the first of many fights between my two home countries. Peter Manfredo has showed the skill and heart that earned him this opportunity and we expect this to be one of the most exciting fights of the new year.”
HBO Sports senior vice president Kery Davis said, “Joe Calzaghe is a terrific champion and we’re thrilled to be showcasing his 20th title defense. Peter Manfredo has the opportunity of a lifetime to go overseas and pull off a shocker.”
Calzaghe-Manfredo is promoted by Frank Warren’s Sports Network, in association with Mark Burnett’s The Tournament of Contenders, and will be broadcast live in the U.S. on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 5 P.M. ET / 2 P.M. PT and replayed later that evening at 10 P.M. ET.
November 29th, 2006 at 10:55 am
I like Manfredo a lot as a boxer and person, however, I feel
this will be one of Calzaghe’s easiest defences to date and he’ll stop Manfredo in the later rounds!
November 29th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
peter can olso mix man,let’s wait and see.
November 29th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
The “Pride of Providence” is not only a great fighter, but a great person as well. The fight will be good for boxing. Anyone dismissing Manfredo Jr is a fool!
November 29th, 2006 at 4:49 pm
Well america wanted Joe to fight somone they know,here it is but cant say its mouth watering,,even better if americans rate Manfredo then Joe should be catapulted to a stateside superstar on winning this bout,Sorry Bruno but ive seen nothing from Manfredo that makes me believe he has any way of even troubling Calzaghe, i gotta agree with Tony and believe it will be the easiest defence yet for Joe.Again i’ll travel to see Joe fight but i cant help feeling dissapointed with this match up, i just hope his sparring partners offer more resistance to help train for Taylor/Winky because i dont see this fight doing anything but raise american awareness.
November 29th, 2006 at 6:25 pm
The difference between Manfredo and Calzaghe is hand speed. We saw what a difference in relative hand speed may result in, in Pacquiao v. Morales. Expect a similar result only a few rounds later.
November 29th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
Is this the only american fighter who will step up and fight this man? Calzaghe is surely just trying to keep the american boxing fans attention.
November 30th, 2006 at 3:24 pm
lol, Calzaghe just lost more stock with me in the boxing game of “legendary champions”. Why not make your 20th defense “a real” one. Manfredo is a joke and so is this fight along with Calzaghe even thinking it and worse - he actually’s doing it. We’ll see how great Calzaghe truely is when he fights a “real & true american fighter/champion” i.e. Winky,PBF,Sugar Shane,De La Hoya,Taylor - and Benard just laughed at him. None of which he can fade - got nothin coming when ever we see those names next to Calzaghe’s. You Brit’s gotta a wake up “day call” coming for ya man Calzaghe.
November 30th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
It probably won’t be so funny when the italian dragon breaks hopkins title defense record. None of which he can fade.
November 30th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
Calzaghe will win this fight. But it won’t be as easy as some might think. Manfredo has improved tremendously with Freddie Roach in his corner.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:17 am
Shadow …whilst i respect your view there arent many americans queing to fight Joe, including Hopkins, Joe requested that fight but Bernard turned him down flat due to retirement but later back tracked and said if he were to fight it would be at heavyweight for a title against one of the east europeans (maybe he ate all the pies and can no longer make the weight,or just knows hes too old and will be beat). How did PBF get into the equation?what weight are we talking? PBF is the ‘artfull dodger’ the man wants to retire after collecting titles off easy opponents,all his career defining fights are still there, Williams,Cotto,Margarito,Hatton,….then you say who Sugar Shane,Winky, DeLaHoya,,,SS has had his day and is well past his best,DeLaHoya is well below weight and i very much doubt would accept,Winky is the only fighter forementioned that is credible enough to offer a true 50/50 fight with Joe,he will fight them when they stop running.When the supposed ‘american superstars’ want to fight properly they might get the balls to go in the ring with Joe rather than make excuses for other fights having to happen before they accept a contest(hoping Joe will trip along the way).Joe will seperate the boys from the men,if you dont belive me watch and see.
December 1st, 2006 at 6:31 pm
im english till i die but im sorry i cannot back joe in this fight, who cares if he is making his 20th title defense, who has he beat!absolutely no1, yeh he may have hand speed but manfredo has an iron chin, and whoever sed pretty boy fraud is a real champ needs to hav a think bout that, fair enuff the others but just lyk pbf joe will never be a great simply because he hasnt fought any1, being undefeated means nothing if u havnt fought any1 that can beat you, and thats the different between a calzaghe n mayweather to a de la hoya or a barrera, they have fought the best and beat the best, yes they may of lost but they are real champs, joe calzaghe is 1 of the british sportsman who are just overly hyped and who have nothing to offer, personally i woldnt even say he is in the top 5 p4p fighters around right now
December 3rd, 2006 at 4:55 pm
this will b 1 of the fights of the year i can see joe gettin beat especialy in hi home town,cum on peter.1!
December 5th, 2006 at 4:59 am
come on people give the man the respect he deserves for staying at the top for 10 years ,hasnt fought great fighters? if they are in the ring with him they had to contenders. ask them if they are any good are you all jealous that he can do it and all you can do is bitch ,what have you done for the last 10years ,pushed a pen ,delivered those pizzas ,or got up every day at 4.00am ran 5 miles then worked in the gym for 8hrs .
in all fairness kyppa you can be english till u die but you will never become a welshman.
December 6th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
Why are people saying Peter doesn’t deserve this fight??? WHY NOT!!!! Peter is world ranked and he his 26 years old. he’s in the prime of his life… give the guy a chance to get in their with a real fighter…. everyone is saying peter is a bum blah blah blah… just give him a chance to fight a real fighter … and give him some respect for literally putting his carrer on the line at a young age to fight calzaghe. at least he isn’t ducking calzaghe like most of our “AMERICAN PRIZE FIGHTERS”.. I’m not saying Manfredo will win but lets see how he does against calzahe before calling him a reality tv show bum… WHO KNOWS HE MIGHT GO THE DISTANCE OR MAYBE EVEN WIN..
December 10th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
Joe is on a completely different level from anyone one in his category. He annihilated Jeff Lacy. I would be suprised if Pter Manfredo even oes 3 rounds with him. Jermain Taylor hasn’t knocked any of his last 3 fighters out, so even he wouldn’t stand a chance against Calzaghe. The only fight worth watching will be Joe Calzaghe vs Winky Wright, these two are what you call great boxers, everyone else isnt even on the same level
December 12th, 2006 at 11:48 am
As i have been reading these messages i have become more and more disapointed as i believe Peter Manfredo is a good boxer and can be named quite durable, but what i have seen in Calzaghe is great hand speed and unbelievable strength! Jeff Lacy was no push over he was Americas greatest hope in the heavier devisions and we seen what Calzaghe done to him. I reconize a strong fighter in Peter but i am sure Calzaghe will destroy him in 8 rounds.
January 2nd, 2007 at 5:21 pm
i’m American but i’m a Joe fan also, i believe Peter is gonna get rocked …if anyone saw joe’s last fight youll know he could take punishment too but until he fights another well known american champ and schools him like he did with lacy then i believe he will get the respect he deserves
April 5th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
with all the respect to peter who’s got alot of heart i reckon the fight won’t last 3 0r 4 rounds max,calzague speed is just to much for peter.its easy fight for joe.i can’t understand why cant he go for roy jones or any of the better contenders.this year’s best fight will be mayweather Jr vs de la hoya.i can,
‘t wait to see that fight