Calzaghe secures home advantage for Kessler super-fight

JOE CALZAGHE has home advantage for his super-fight against Mikkel Kessler with the Millennium Stadium hosting the eagerly awaited showdown on November 3.

WBO super-middleweight champion Calzaghe will meet the Dane, who holds the WBA and WBC versions of the belt, in a unification clash between two unbeaten fighters.

Promoter Frank Warren had accused the Millennium Stadium of “greed” last weekend as negotiations to stage the contest in Cardiff stalled.

But an agreement has been struck and Calzaghe, who lives in Newbridge, will appear before a 60,000-crowd in a fight Warren views as currently the biggest in boxing.

Warren said: “I can’t think of two guys who are undefeated and both at the top of the game who are scheduled to meet each other.

“The fight is very evenly-balanced. I’m excited about it and think it’s the best fight I’ve put together in the last 20 years — there’s no doubt about it.

“We’re setting the Millennium Stadium out for 60,000 people. We got 35,000 people there last time.

“Outside of the heavyweight fights I’ve been involved in, this will be the most expensive.

“This is probably the biggest fight in the world at the moment.”

The fight will be screened live on Setanta Sports as part of the existing package for subscribers, marking the beginning of a year-long deal with the broadcaster.

Warren said: “I have done a multi-fight deal with Setanta, which will include the Mikkel Kessler-Joe Calzaghe unification bout.

“We have our first fight with Setanta on September 7, which will be the British featherweight title fight between Andy Morris and John Simpson at the Grosvenor House.

“Setanta’s coverage of the Ricky Hatton-Jose Luis Castillo fight was brilliant and helped persuade me to sign the deal.

“Without the financial clout Setanta are putting into the fight, there’s no way Calzaghe could meet Kessler at home.”

Calzaghe drew a European indoor record crowd of 35,000 for the 20th defence of his WBO super middleweight title against Peter Manfredo at the Millennium Stadium in April.

The 35-year-old, who sealed his reputation as pound for pound one of the best fighters in the world with a 12-round rout of Jeff Lacy in March last year, had hoped to meet Jermain Taylor next.

But the American middleweight king priced himself out of the market, forcing Calzaghe to look elsewhere.

Kessler has proved a lucrative alternative, however, with the 28-year-old clocking up an impressive 39 victories with 29 coming inside the distance. He includes Markus Beyer among his victims.