Calzaghe unfazed by record hunt

JOE CALZAGHE will turn his back on the chance to eclipse the great Joe Louis’ record of 25 consecutive world title defences after his Saturday night super-fight against Mikkel Kessler.

Calzaghe will tie for third with Sven Ottke on the all-time list if he successfully defends his WBO super-middleweight crown for the 21st time against the unbeaten Dane in front of over 50,000 in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

But Calzaghe says the record couldn’t be further from his mind and insists the lack of credible 12-stone challengers and the desire for big fights before he ends his career could make the decision for him.

Calzaghe said: “I could continue for the rest of my career picking three or four easy defences and beating Joe Louis’ record but I don’t want to because the record is just a number.

“Sven Ottke is up there but I don’t think he deserves to be because he ‘lost’ half his fights and never left Germany. I think it’s much more about fighting the big names.

“I don’t think I’m going to be around long enough anyhow. This is possibly my last fight at super-middleweight because there is nobody else at my weight ready to give me the challenge.

“It is likely I will have to head to the US and look for someone like Bernard Hopkins. All I care about is being champion. I’ve always been a champion, I’ve got a one-track mind and I know I’m going to win.”

Calzaghe is boxing’s longest reigning current world champion and his string of defences the most among active world champions. He is finally reaping the rewards for his stellar career which threatened to elude him for so long. And while he has one eye on retirement, he maintains his focus will not slip for a second against Kessler.

“I’ve been boxing for 25 years and I know you need nerves and fear inside you,” added Calzaghe. “The big fights are the fights when you see the true me because they’re the dangerous fights.

“There’s more chance of me losing a fight against someone like Sakio Bika than a fight like this. This is what I’ve boxed for. Knowing there are going to be 50,000 there is mind-boggling and a dream come true.”