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Tuesday, 19 February 2008, 11:39 GMT

Calzaghe backing celebrity Lemar

By Nabil Hassan

Lemar and Ben Shephard Forget Calzaghe-Hopkins, Maccarinelli-Haye, Woods-Tarver - Ben Shephard v Lemar is the big fight they are all talking about.

You can see the celebrity pair going head-to-head in the ring on 14 March as part of the Sport Relief weekend.

And singer Lemar, who will be mentored by Amir Khan, has won the backing of Britain's greatest boxer - super-middleweight king Joe Calzaghe.

"I think Lemar is definitely the favourite, he's bigger," said Calzaghe.

"Unless Ben Shephard really takes to it he could get a bit of a pasting"
Joe Calzaghe

The two men have embarked on intensive six-week fitness regimes to ensure they are in peak physical condition.

They will spend two hours a day, three days a week pounding the punch bags in the build-up to the eagerly anticipated Sport Relief bout.

Click here to join Lemar's Facebook fan clubClick here to join Ben Shephard's Facebook fan club

Calzaghe himself is preparing for the biggest fight of his life, when he goes head-to-head with American Bernard Hopkins on 19 April in Las Vegas.

The Welsh legend knows a thing or two about boxing, having not lost once in 44 fights.

And from what he has seen, he expects soul singer Lemar to get the better of television presenter Shephard.

606: DEBATE
"Lemar enjoys a substantial height and reach advantage over Shephard - so will he have the GMTV man for breakfast? "
BBC Sport's Sean Chaney

"I think that Ben Shephard will have his work cut out for him unless he gets a lot of expert training," he said.

"He doesn't look like the sort of bloke who has done a lot of fighting so unless he really takes to it he could get a bit of a pasting."

Either way, Calzaghe is a big fan of the event and the cause and has huge respect for both 'fighters.'

He said: "Fair play to both of them for getting in the ring, it's for a good cause."

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Celebrity boxers named (12 Feb 08 |  Sport Relief )

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