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22:11 GMT, Sunday, 20 April 2008 23:11 UK

Calzaghe ponders 'one last fight'

Joe Calzaghe celebrates his victory

Joe Calzaghe has reiterated he will fight one more time before hanging up his gloves and retiring from boxing.

The Welshman, 36, is unbeaten in 45 contests after beating Bernard Hopkins on a split-points decision on his light-heavyweight debut on Sunday.

"I don't want to push it too far, one more fight from me and then that is it, I'm done," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Everyone wants to stay unbeaten and I'm no different. If you carry on too long eventually you will get beaten."

Calzaghe, also the undisputed super-middleweight world champion, has several options, with American pair Roy Jones Jr and Kelly Pavlik his two most likely opponents, probably later this year.

Jones Jr, 39, was in Las Vegas to watch Calzaghe beat Hopkins and the Newbridge southpaw revealed he has spoken to the former four-weight world champion.

"Fighting Roy Jones would be an amazing way to finish"
Joe Calzaghe

"All that's left is one more fight and that could be either Roy Jones or Kelly Pavlik," Calzaghe added.

"Roy Jones is making himself seen and heard. I've spoken to him, he's totally different to Bernard Hopkins.

"He is a nice guy, full of respect and that will be a massive fight and what a way to finish off your career against the former middleweight, super-middleweight, light-heavy and heavyweight champion of the world. That would be an amazing way to finish off."

Jones Jr has already expressed his desire to fight Calzaghe, telling BBC Sport: "That's all I want to do next, nothing else but that.

"Joe's saying that this is going to be his last year so maybe we should make it quicker than November.

"But both the countries want to show the fight so I think we should agree to two fights, one over in his country and one in mine."

Calzaghe brushed off a first-round knockdown to take a contentious decision in Las Vegas over Hopkins, with one judge scoring the fight 114-113 in favour of the American, while the other two saw Calzaghe winning by 115-112 and 116-111.

"It wasn't a great performance," Calzaghe, acknowledged.

"I got caught cold early but I showed a lot of heart coming back into the fight and pulling off the win.

"It was a flash knockdown, but I got straight back up and my head cleared straight away.

"I was just caught cold and after that I was fine."

It was Calzaghe's first fight in America, but far from his most satisfying.

"I took this guy to school and I won the fight on a unanimous decision, no question"
Bernard Hopkins

"I always thought it would be comfortable to beat Hopkins," he continued.

"But my wins over Mikkel Kessler and Jeff Lacy rate as being more satisfying because in those fights I performed at my best.

"I am still satisfied with the win but I didn't win in the style that I wanted to win.

"I felt he cheated. He was holding on the second half of the fight, he was using his head and feigning injury.

"But I am proud to come to America and beat a big name.

"That was one thing missing off my record but I've done that now and I'm very proud to be a two-weight world champion."

Hopkins was surprised to find himself on the wrong end of the decision.

"It's clear the world and the fans, other than the Brits, know that I won this fight," he declared.

Joe Calzaghe is knocked to the floor by Bernard Hopkins "The fans are the judges - I know there are officials and judges, but the fans know that I put a gutsy performance on and I have nothing to be ashamed of.

"They know I am the true champion - I took this guy to school and I won the fight on a unanimous decision, no question."

Hopkins used all his experience in round 10 after being caught with a low blow but defended his actions which led to a two-minute interruption to the fight.

"That's my crotch - that's where he hit me and knocked my pirate outside of its cup," he said.

"I told (referee Joe) Cortez that and he gave me five minutes."

MESSAGEBOARD
"I hope Joe fights at least twice more - another superfight in Vegas and his last fight should be in Cardiff against another big name"
MW

However, the 43-year-old would not be drawn on whether he would hang up his gloves following the defeat.

"I hit him with short right hands and controlled the pace like a true veteran," he told HBO.

"It was an execution of old school technique.

"I will talk to my partners and wife now and sit back and let the fans marinate this in their mind and show their disapproval - the fans have eyes, they can't be fooled or swayed.

"They've seen a 43-year-old throwback give a boxing exhibition, take this guy to school and make him look amateurish."



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Related to this story:

Calzaghe rallies to beat Hopkins (20 Apr 08 |  Boxing )
Calzaghe v Hopkins as it happened (19 Apr 08 |  Boxing )
Calzaghe v Hopkins photos (19 Apr 08 |  Boxing )
Jones targets Calzaghe in Cardiff (19 Apr 08 |  Boxing )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
British Boxing Board
Amateur Boxing Association
Ben Dirs in Las Vegas
Joe Calzaghe
Bernard Hopkins
World Boxing Council
World Boxing Association
World Boxing Organisation
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