Calzaghe rewarded with title defence on home soil

JOE CALZAGHE has been rewarded for his magnificent March victory over Jeff Lacy with a world super-middleweight title date at his home city’s Millennium Stadium.

Calzaghe will put his IBF and WBO titles on the line in front of a Cardiff crowd expected to exceed 25,000 on a July 8 bill also featuring Danny Williams’ rematch with Matt Skelton, and Amir Khan.

The 34-year-old’s next challenger is expected to be confirmed on Monday, once a bidding war for his services between American pay-per-view network giants Showtime and Home Box Office has been concluded.

Calzaghe said: “It has been a dream of mine to fight at the Millennium Stadium, and, when so many big fights against Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins fell through, I thought it might never happen.

“I am still on a high after the Lacy fight and to be fighting in front of so many fans in my home city is going to be unbelievable. It makes me more determined than ever to continue as champion.”

Calzaghe’s stock has soared since his points win over fancied American Lacy, which was hailed on both sides of the Atlantic as one of the finest performances of all time by a British fighter.

And it won over the traditionally cautious American networks with HBO looking favourites to clinch Calzaghe’s services for a bout that will go out in a prime-time British evening slot.

Calzaghe, who intends to seek out world light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, provided he comes through his July date unscathed, said the manner of his win over Lacy would inspire him for the rest of his career.

Calzaghe said: “I never got the respect I deserved because people said I was avoiding fighters but I proved them wrong. The Lacy fight means everything and whatever I do in the future now I will be happy.

“I love being a champion and I love the money and I am not going to let it slip now. I am ready to maintain my new standard and I will be 100% prepared for my next opponent.”

Meanwhile a world heavyweight title shot is in line for the winner of Williams’ eagerly-awaited Commonwealth title rematch against Skelton, whom he narrowly beat on points after a crashing fight in February.