Calzaghe knocks out Warren in cash fight

WORLD boxing champion Joe Calzaghe remains undefeated after winning his fight over money with former manager Frank Warren.

Mr Justice Wyn Williams dismissed Mr Warren’s claim for £1 million from the fighter and ruled that he should pay Calzaghe around £2 million in unpaid fees. After retiring as undefeated world super-middleweight champion this year, Calzaghe took on his former manager and promoter at the High Court.

Mr Warren brought in heavyweight barrister Ronald Thwaites QC to argue that not only did he not owe the boxer, but Calzaghe owed him £1 million for breaking his contract over his last fight.

The judge rejected claims by the boxer that Mr Warren, through his company Sports Network, persuaded him to sign an agreement under duress while he was suffering under the pressure of preparing to fight.

But Calzaghe also denied there was a verbal contract to continue boxing for Mr Warren and counterclaimed that he was owed up to £2 million in fees for his Bernard Hopkins win last year.

Mr Justice Wyn Williams said he had heard from Mr Warren, and his Sports Network company secretary Edward Simons, Calzaghe and his solicitor and his father Enzo about a meeting at which the boxer was said to have agreed verbally to a further contract with his manager.

“I have formed the clear view that I should treat the evidence of each of these witnesses with caution,” he said.

“I say now that there are aspects of the evidence given by each of these persons which has caused me to reflect long and hard upon their credibility, accuracy and reliability.”

But he said he reached the conclusion that Mr Warren had not established his case that there was a verbal agreement.

He said: “If an oral agreement was concluded as alleged, I have no doubt that some written record would have been created prior to the fight with Mr Hopkins.”

The judge said each of Calzaghe’s fights for Mr Warren from January 1998 onwards had been covered by written terms.

“In my judgement it simply beggars belief that no written record of this alleged promotional agreement would have been created. Of one thing I am certain. Mr Warren and Mr Simons are astute and experienced businessmen who have a keen eye for their own commercial interests.

“That is not intended as a criticism but a statement of fact. However, it means that their behaviour in failing to produce one shred of paper which recorded this alleged agreement is inexplicable.”

Joe Calzaghe said later: “I am relieved and delighted at the court’s decision to award me £1.8 million. It totally vindicates what has been my stance throughout.

“The fight with Frank Warren was not one which I sought, but I am delighted to have remained undefeated through it.”