JOE CALZAGHE is ready to end his four-year exile from boxing and return to the sport which brought him fame and fortune.
But former world champion Calzaghe – who turned 40 last March – will not be returning to the ring ...
Instead Calzaghe plans to follow in the footsteps of his father Enzo and train fighters as well as manage potential champions.
“I think I can put my experiences to good use and a lot of fighters have asked me to come back into the sport and help them.
Calzaghe’s 15-year fight career was a slow-burner despite him winning the world super-middleweight crown by beating Chris Eubank in 1997.
It wasn’t until he demolished the American Jeff Lacy – then regarded by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world – in 2006 that the big fights and real big pay days came for Calzaghe against Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Jones.
Calzaghe admits it is hard to experience the buzz he received from boxing.
“I miss a lot of things about boxing, it’s my sport and what I did for 27 years,” he said.
“What you’ve got to deal with when you finish is boredom, when you’re boxing you’ve got a focus and your life is full.
“When you retire you need to find another goal and it’s finding that which is difficult."
“But time moves on and I feel blessed every day that I could retire from boxing looking good, still on the top of my game and on my own terms."
“I don’t think training is ever going to be like fighting, but it will keep me in shape and give me another goal in life."
Boxing: Joe Calzaghe ready for boxing return - Boxing - Sports - WalesOnline
But former world champion Calzaghe – who turned 40 last March – will not be returning to the ring ...
Instead Calzaghe plans to follow in the footsteps of his father Enzo and train fighters as well as manage potential champions.
Calzaghe’s 15-year fight career was a slow-burner despite him winning the world super-middleweight crown by beating Chris Eubank in 1997.
It wasn’t until he demolished the American Jeff Lacy – then regarded by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world – in 2006 that the big fights and real big pay days came for Calzaghe against Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Jones.
Calzaghe admits it is hard to experience the buzz he received from boxing.
“I miss a lot of things about boxing, it’s my sport and what I did for 27 years,” he said.
“What you’ve got to deal with when you finish is boredom, when you’re boxing you’ve got a focus and your life is full.
“When you retire you need to find another goal and it’s finding that which is difficult."
“But time moves on and I feel blessed every day that I could retire from boxing looking good, still on the top of my game and on my own terms."
“I don’t think training is ever going to be like fighting, but it will keep me in shape and give me another goal in life."
Boxing: Joe Calzaghe ready for boxing return - Boxing - Sports - WalesOnline
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