CALZAGHE BEATS JONES, RETAINS LIGHT HEAVY CROWN
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 10 Nov 2008
Joe Calzaghe successfully defended the linear light heavyweight world title by beating Roy Jones, Jr. by unanimous decision. The bout held in Madison Square Garden in New York was also billed as a clash between two future Hall of Famers.
In the very first round, Jones dropped Calzaghe with a thunderous right hand. It was d?j? vu for the southpaw from Newbridge, Wales as he was also knocked down in the first in his title winning bout against Bernard Hopkins last April.
Calzaghe continued to pressure Jones as the Pensacola, Florida native reminded fans of what he was like during the 1990?s.; when he was dazzling with his lightning fast hands and cat quick reflexes.
Calzaghe steadily outworked Jones in rounds four to six which was basically the same strategy he used against Hopkins. In the 7th, Jones was bleeding from a cut on his left eyelid.
Calzaghe?s relentless onslaught slowed down Jones and the fight transformed into a one-sided affair. He even mocked Jones in the tenth by putting his arms down and taunting him. Jones continued to receive a huge amount of punishment and humiliation in the final two rounds.
The three judges were unanimous with their scores : 118-109. Calzaghe is now 46 W-0 L with 32 KO?s. Jones drops to 52 W -5 L with 38 KO?s.
The 36 year old Calzaghe won the WBO supermiddleweight title in 1997 beating Cris Eubank by unanimous decision. He made 17 successful defenses then engaged Jeff Lacy in a unification bout for the IBF and WBO belts in 2006. Calzaghe beat Lacy by unanimous decision. After two more defenses, he unified the titles last year by beating Denmark?s Mikkel Kessler and grabbing the WBA and WBC belts. His victory against Hopkins gave him the recognition by Ring magazine as the linear light heavyweight champion.
The 39 year old Jones won his first world title, the IBF middleweight belt, fifteen years ago. In 2003, he won a portion of the heavyweight crown by beating John Ruiz in a lopsided bout for the WBA title. His career defining fight was the 1994 unanimous decision win over James Toney for the IBF supermiddleweight crown.
2004 was a gloomy year for Jones when he lost his light heavyweight crown to Antonio Tarver by second round knockout and then lost by ninth round KO to Glen Johnson four months later.
Jones was on a successful comeback trail highlighted by his convincing victory against Felix Trinidad last January. This loss should make him reconsider his plan to continue fighting.
Top photo: Joe Calzaghe of the United Kingdom ackowledges the crowd at the Madison Square Garden Saturday night after defeating Roy Jones, Jr. of the United States.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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